Last Thursday, the Social Media Editor at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sharif Durhams, visited JOUR 4953 to talk about social media and journalism.
"We kind of define the job as we go," Durhams said of his team at the Journal Sentinel.
"We kind of define the job as we go," Durhams said of his team at the Journal Sentinel.
Durhams spoke a lot about a "social moment" and said they key to properly handling news with social media is being ready for that social moment, whenever it may be. A recent example of a social moment the Journal Sentinel experienced happened last November, when then-GOP hopeful Herman Cain floundered for about five minutes while trying to answer the reporter's question about his opinions on how President Obama handled the tensions and violence in Libya earlier in the year.
Durhams spoke about the differences between how people used to expect to interact with the news and what they expect now. It's not just a difference in how the information is presented, he said, it's a difference in how people interact with the information they receive.
After hearing Durhams' presentation, I got to thinking about social media. I tweet (see sidebar). I blog. I Facebook. But do I consider how others interact with my social media?
As a journalist, my brand starts with my social media. The links I include and the information I choose to share all matter. If I truly want to encourage people to interact with my social media, I need to make it easy for them to do so.
Durhams also mentioned that it's okay (beneficial, even) to show some personality through your social media. I think most would agree I don't lack personality in my social media. My challenge for myself is to begin to mix in more interactive and informative information with my personality.
Durhams spoke about the differences between how people used to expect to interact with the news and what they expect now. It's not just a difference in how the information is presented, he said, it's a difference in how people interact with the information they receive.
After hearing Durhams' presentation, I got to thinking about social media. I tweet (see sidebar). I blog. I Facebook. But do I consider how others interact with my social media?
As a journalist, my brand starts with my social media. The links I include and the information I choose to share all matter. If I truly want to encourage people to interact with my social media, I need to make it easy for them to do so.
Durhams also mentioned that it's okay (beneficial, even) to show some personality through your social media. I think most would agree I don't lack personality in my social media. My challenge for myself is to begin to mix in more interactive and informative information with my personality.