This is one of four workshops I am doing for Northern Kentucky University.

1. Reporting with
social media tools
Steve Buttry
Northern Kentucky University
March 31, 2012
#nkujourn

2. Read more about it
• stevebuttry.wordpress.com
• slideshare.net/stevebuttry
• @stevebuttry
• zombiejournalism.com
• stephenbuttry@gmail.com

3. • Many more users • Great for breaking
• Much info private news
• Tougher to search • Great real-time
• Not as immediate search
(less frequent • Engagement not as
updates) intrusive
• Engage, don’t • Hashtags help w/
intrude search, conversation

4. Personal vs. professional use
• Separate accounts OK but not necessary
• Always behave professionally, even on private
accounts
• Be personable on pro accounts
• Presume boss (or future boss) will see all posts
• Don’t bore pro audience

5. • Connect w/ sources (balance,
disclosure?)
• Check pages of agencies, people on beat
• Crowdsourcing (ask on their pages as
well as yours)
• Look for people in the news
• Ask for permission to use photos

6. Options for journalists:
• Use personal FB account, all or most
public
• Journalist page
• Enable subscriptions (decide which
updates are public)

7. • Follow officials & agencies on beat
• Twitter Search (advanced)
• Hashtags (regular & spontaneous)
• NearbyTweets
• Breaking news
• Crowdsourcing

8. Why use Twitter?
• It can save you time
• It extends your reach
• It’s an engaging, conversational tool
• It’s great for connecting with
eyewitnesses

17. Bookmark this page
https://twitter.com/#!/search-advanced

18. Vetting tweeps, verifying info
• Check full Twitter stream, profile
• Connect on phone, in person
• Check location (not 100% reliable)
• Others verifying? Clusters, not echos
• Photos?
• Other sources, other tweeps
• Ask, “How do you know that?”

19. More on verification
Craig Silverman tips:
http://www.cjr.org/behind_the_news/eight_sim
ple_rules_for_doing_a.php
Mandy Jenkins tips:
http://zombiejournalism.com/2011/09/b-s-
detection-for-journalists/

20. Before the big story breaks
• Follow lots of local people
(NearbyTweets, replies, retweets,
check followers)
• Join local conversation
• Master Twitter search (advanced)
• Promote local #hashtag taxonomy
(#okstorm)
• Use Twitter routinely on your beat

21. When the big story breaks
• Twitter Search • Converse
(advanced) • Answer questions
• Connect w/ witnesses • Thank contributors
• Crowdsource • Promote fresh content
• Tweet early & often • Link to new reports
• Seek verification (even competitors’)
• Address rumors (say • Be human (fun where
what you don’t know) appropriate)
• Seek photos

22. Crowdsource

23. Crowdsource

24. Say what you don’t know

26. Use other social tools, too

27. • Growing swiftly
• Users share (pin, re-pin) visual content
• 80% of users are women
• Heavy use for food, fashion, travel
• How might you use?

28. • Do agencies on beat post photos?
• Search for keywords, photos
• Invite people to contribute photos on
news stories
• Connect w/ people posting photos
• Seek permission (check conditions)
• Give credit

29. • Do agencies, people on beat use?
• Watch for public videos getting attention
(will often see links, mentions on Twitter)
• Embed in stories, blogs

30. • “Mayor” is great source about a business
or venue (employee or customer)
• See who has checked in for breaking
news story
• Tips might provide questions for stories
• Break story w/ Foursquare “shout”

31. • Connect with sources
• Find new sources through connections,
groups
• Discussions help find experts
• Check updates, slides, travel
• Search by location & keyword

32. • Find sources on breaking news stories
• Crowdsourcing
• Follow sources in Circles
• Follow beat topics in Sparks
• Interview by video Hangouts

33. What is curation?
Museum curator: Journalism curator:
• Studies topic • Studies topic
• Chooses relevant • Chooses relevant
content (other content (social
sources & museum media, blogs, staff)
collection) • Authenticates
• Authenticates • Groups related items
• Groups related items • Provides context
• Provides context • Presents collected
• Presents exhibit content

34. Curation tools
• Google & other search engines
• Twitter Search (advanced)
• Other Social media search
• Storify, Storyful, Chirpstory
• Blackbird Pie
• Quote URL

35. Time management
• Integrate social media into
reporting, writing & editing processes
• Use lists, TweetDeck, HootSuite to
organize the chaos
• You can tweet & read tweets quickly
• Invest some time
• Decide what’s not important

36. Read more about it
• stevebuttry.wordpress.com
• slideshare.net/stevebuttry
• @stevebuttry
• zombiejournalism.com
• stephenbuttry@gmail.com