Social media news is on the rise

I knew that social media was an up-and-coming medium for news consumption, however, I don’t think I understood the extent of its impact until I took Mobile/Social Journalism this semester.

Naturally, for a viewer to consume content digitally, a newsroom has to be able to produce and publish the content. According to Anthony Adornato, author of “Mobile and Social Media Journalism: A Practical Guide for Multimedia Journalism,” some of the skills that are becoming more and more important to the newsroom include social media distribution, visual storytelling, social engagement reporting, user experience, computer coding and development, and audience development/user data and metrics. In fact, the rise of social media news consumption has resulted in various newsrooms creating jobs for people who specialize in social media.

Though I enjoy receiving (and delivering) news via television, I have been increasingly getting my news from social media | Source: ICTV.org

I’ll admit, though I love anchoring for television news shows like Good Day Ithaca or Election Center, I have started to turn to social media, specifically Instagram, for my daily news. Whether it's entertainment, political, environmental, or any topic in between, a few friends and I have an Instagram group chat where we’ll send each other posts and discuss it. However, with turning to social media comes the responsibility of becoming media literate and determining what’s real and what’s fake. There have been a few times where someone in our group chat has sent something and then quickly took it back because it was either false news, or quickly discredited after being published. That’s another reason why it’s so important for credible journalists and outlets to report via social media: To spread truthful news and reduce the spread of any misinformation. Adornto even said that the future of journalism lies with social media, and one of a journalist’s many new duties include, “ensuring users have a positive experience on all platforms on which the outlet is posting content.”

Social media isn’t just vital to the journalism world but to live performance and the entertainment industry. When I was eight years old, I started performing with Yorktown Stage, a professional community theater.

One of my favorite roles to play at Yorktown Stage: Flounder in The Little Mermaid (2015) | Source: Caren Vogel

As social media started to become more popular, our director would have a few of the actors participate in “Instagram Takeovers” as a way to promote the show. To drive audience engagement, we would post introductions, ask cast mates and the viewers questions, and give an exclusive behind-the-scenes look. Honestly, I believe these “Takeovers,” prepared me for what was to come in my career in journalism. In fact, they inspired my Instagram story when I reported on the Tompkins County Public Library for Ithaca Week.

Though various platforms have risen and fallen, the concept of social media is rather new, and its influence on the journalism world is just getting started.

Do you use social media to get your news? Comment below or email me brookelauryn918@gmail.com