Where do I start

Social media has changed communication for many people in many different ways. As previously discussed, journalists can use the medium to hunt for stories and or have stories come to them via a social media platform. One unique way it can be used is as what I would describe as a fishing net. Let me explain. You have a story idea but it is fairly random and you need to find some interesting talent that fit the bill for the angle you are looking for. Enter social media. I'll use a recent story idea at a QT editorial meeting as an example.

The idea was to do a local story on the highly popular family stickers that are appearing on many cars across the country. The editor though wanted to find an unusual family with many stickers for a large blended family rather than Mum/Dad and 2 kids. Not knowing how to efficiently go about finding such a family the journalist posted requests on the newspapers Facebook page and within minutes the responses flooded in. Included in the Facebook responses was this one; "I have 2 gay dads... 4 kids... 2 dogs.. A fish.. A turtle.. And a lizard.. On both cars... We are so proud of our mixed family xo.

Enough said. Social media to the rescue. A source was found and the story is well underway.

Many more ways to tell an online story

A key feature of online news is links to additional content. Functional and relevant links can add to the quality of the story being told whereas irrelevant links, particularly those that direct you outside the primary site, can encourage a user to search elsewhere for their news content.

A case in point is the current coverage of the Daniel Morcombe case.

Couriermail.com.au provides regularly updated text stories as the story unfolds. In addition they provide links to video content and photographic slide-shows. The video content is Sky News stories of the same event but tells the story differently through the use of pictures. Importantly the links do not direct you outside the Courier Mail's primary website but instead embeds the video content into it's webpages. From a navigation point of view the website uses a "related coverage" fact box to the side of the main story rather than embedded hyperlinks. This allows the reader to read the main text story without interruption and then chose to view the additional content if they so choose.

ABC.net.au is also providing coverage of the unfolding event. In many ways the style is similar to that of the Courier Mail. ABC also uses "related stories" links in lieu of embedded links. Both sites provide a small version of a Google Map within the stories to give the reader additional information directly relevant to the story. This means there is no need to leave the primary news site to view a map. Readers are offered the option of enlarging the map, however when you choose this option you are then directed outside the original site to Google Maps.

In essence both sites provide regularly updated content on a story that people are following closely and the additional multimedia content on both sites is relevant and adds to the story.

Social Media as source material

I was fascinated to read the Walkely feature on RSS feeds. While I've heard of RSS before I didn't understand what it was or how powerful a tool it can be. I think the line that suggested RSS is "the most important tool at a reporter’s disposal", peaked my interest more than any other. It gave me an insight into how to filter through the enormous volume of online content to find what I may need to be a better reporter.

As I begin work next week at the Queensland Times I will be setting up my RSS feed to focus on issues and keywords in the Ipswich region and tagging them to the local area. I'm confident this engagement with social media will provide leads for good stories that otherwise may remain hidden.

Personally a tool like RSS will make me far more engaged with all social media and online news content. The stumbling block for many people is the time commitment required to trawl through masses of irrelevant information in search of that gem of information that may lead to a new angle or new story.

Of course this discovery will help with my recent commitment to Twitter. I hope that I will now be able to focus on specific subject matter at different times to ensure I have access to the most up to date information possible.

To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question!

So perhaps it's time to embrace Twitter. I've had my account for quite a while now but to be fair I've found it more of a time waster than a resource. While I have found useful information from a variety of sources, I feel you would need to be on it virtually 24/7 to get any real value from it. The problem as I see it, is that the useful information is that which is immediate. So unless you are checking you feed at ten minute intervals then you will miss most of that information. As time goes on we are expected to embrace more and more devices and technologies and frankly I just don't have the time to bother.

So I've decided to try to use my mobile twitter application on a more regular basis to see whether or not it really enhances my information gathering ability.

I'll also keep my twitter page open at all times while online. I think in this realm it's a much more useful tool because you can flick back and forth to it with less interruption to other tasks.

So time will tell. At least for now it is TIME TO TWEET!