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Breaking news on Twitter you don't think is true

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by SnarkShark, Dec 10, 2013.

  1. Schottey

    Schottey Member

    Three separate groups of people tend to ruin breaking news on Twitter really quickly:

    1) Good/Great journalists who stink at Twitter.
    2) Good/Great social media voices who don't care enough about journalism.
    3) People who just want to sit and watch Rome burn.
     
  2. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Nancy, never use the word scuttlebutt. Or trust it.

    As for the original question: hell no. If you don't believe something to be true, why put your name on it? Just to say "someone out in lala land thinks such-and-such"?

    I stay away from Twitter.
     
  3. NancyLou

    NancyLou Member

    Unfortunately, Twitter is becoming the Facebook of the quick information world and more adults are gravitating to it. Seems people want their news in 140 characters or less. As annoying as Twitter can be, it's become vital and I use it.

    And, Mark2010 - I don't use the word "scuttlebutt" in an article, but if I were looking for a quick article, I'd do an article on "the rumor", making it clear it's a rumor and not to be trusted, and here's my thoughts on how this might be a good thing or a bad thing for the Longhorns, or whatever school... Then I'd ask readers to share their thoughts, if it's on a website. Longhorn fans are rabid. They'd have a TON to say about something like this.

    Editors want writers now who can extend their reach, build up engagement on the website and still know how to write a good story.
     
  4. SFIND

    SFIND Well-Known Member

    Better yet, both tweets could have been condensed into the same one:

    "Source close to Regents says Saban will be next Texas coach. Source was confident, but I don't have other sources saying that. I'm skeptical."

    And as others as said, if he is that skeptical ("I believe it when I see it") than the info probably shouldn't have been disseminated.
     
  5. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    Whatever. Cry wolf enough times and no one will believe you.

    Credibility matters.... or should.
     
  6. NancyLou

    NancyLou Member

    And if I wasn't desperate for an article, I'd have done nothing at all. Like Mark says, credibility matters.

    Does this guy still have his job?
     
  7. Starman

    Starman Well-Known Member

    Of course, dumbfuck publishers downgrade writers if they get 'beaten' by 'scoops' on Twitter.
     
  8. Schottey

    Schottey Member

    Yup, and people get their panties in a bunch of "Reporter B" doesn't credit "Reporter A" who "had it first!" even when it was seconds apart and was clearly just a press release.

    Not that crediting isn't important...it is, very much so! Just saying that the "urge to be first" didn't come out of nowhere.
     
  9. hondo

    hondo Well-Known Member

    I'm sure Bama people have thanked their lucky stars numerous times since then that he turned it down.
     
  10. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    I'm closing in on 35,000 tweets and I only have one that related to me reporting news (non-sports-related) where I seriously felt I was going out on a bit of a limb by myself. I couched it as carefully as I could - and as it happened, I was right. Had I been wrong, I would have done myself some damage - but not as much as if had not couched the news as carefully as I could.
     
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