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Forced to tweet

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Gomer, May 10, 2011.

  1. BillyT

    BillyT Active Member

    See, now I am active on all those platforms, and I maintain our paper's facebook presence,

    But, I think this is adding to job responsibilities, perhaps outside of working hours.

    If someone's got a union contract, I do see an issue here.

    I know, it's easy to do, but I am arguing principle.
     
  2. lantaur

    lantaur Well-Known Member

    I'd actually do it vice-versa. Post on your Twitter and have it show up on Facebook. You don't want a lot of over 140 character posts on Twitter.
     
  3. I couldn't care less about that. If I cause Twitter to crash, so much the better. Posting on Facebook would allow me to follow my editor's request that I get on Twitter without forcing me to actually work through Twitter.
     
  4. Gomer

    Gomer Active Member

    I already use a web app that looks at the local sports RSS feed on our website and publishes new stories there on Twitter. As for Facebook, our paper has set up a page that allows me to post as the paper, even though I'm logged in as myself.

    Interestingly, I and another editor tried months ago to get people using Twitter and Facebook, pointing out that anyone can log in under the paper's Twitter feed and use it to post. My feeling is that's what should be mandated.

    Oh, and none of the reporters' computers are able to access Twitter, they're all first-generation Mac Minis running Mac OS X 10.4.3 or something. Apparently you need 10.4.11 for the Twitter site to work on a browser? Anyhow the latest update is that reporters were told there's a central computer in the newsroom where they can all go to tweet...
     
  5. writingump

    writingump Member

    Ridiculous. Another example of why newspapers are losing circulation and, ergo, cutting employees. It's more important to tweet, shoot video and be on Facebook than craft good copy. I realize I'm one of the last of an old breed, but it seems like they want sportswriters to do everything but write. Sheesh.
     
  6. dooley_womack1

    dooley_womack1 Well-Known Member

    The thread title sounds like the title of some not-so-tawdry pulp novel.
     
  7. mustangj17

    mustangj17 Active Member

    You should have been tweeting at least a year ago. As a poster already said, embrace the technology. Build your brand as a writer.
     
  8. mustangj17

    mustangj17 Active Member

    Meanwhile, the Huffington Post, which embraced Twitter like 2 years ago and gets a ton of traffic from it is doing great. Imagine that! You tell me what's ridiculous here. ME's wanting people to be on social networks, or college educated people still refusing to promote their brand's on social media in 2011.
     
  9. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    You could spend about 5 minutes a day posting a couple tweets, including links to your stories.

    I'll grant you that video takes longer.
     
  10. lantaur

    lantaur Well-Known Member

    Well, you won't cause Twitter to crash, but you'll probably tick off your readers. But I guess you probably don't care about that either.
     
  11. EagleMorph

    EagleMorph Member

    I can understand some griping about video, but why would you not want to expand your audience by using social media like Facebook and Twitter?

    Plenty of quality writers are on Twitter and use it to augment their coverage and share links to their stories. It doesn't seem to be hurting their ability to craft quality copy.

    I've never seen such resistance to something that takes all of 5 minutes to do, if that, and can only help you as a writer. I've made more connections through social media that have helped me than I can count. And that's from a limited readership. I can only imagine what it does for those with larger platforms.

    When I'm home or in the office, I leave a webpage up with Twitter open, just to follow the conversation in those five minutes of down time between phone calls or whatever. No different than keeping SportsJournalists.com or ESPN or the stock reports up.
     
  12. Not as far as Twitter is concerned. Other mediums, I care.
     
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