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Journalists - social media but not social social

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New research has revealed that journalists love the 'media' bit of social media, but are still traditional when it comes to the 'social' side.

The survey of North American journalists, from SNCR and Middleberg, gives a fascinating update on how the media - editors and reporters in particular - are using social media to research, substantiate and desseminate news stories.  Yet when it comes to building relationships with PRs, the 'social' element of social media seems to disappear, with journos still preferring e-mail the good old telephone to build relationships.

How Are Media & Journalism Evolving


So, what's surprising about all of this?  Well, it certainly surprised me that 75% said that Facebook is a key tool used in reporting; just a few points behind company websites but ahead of blogs and Twitter.  It wasn't a great surprise that the vast majority were increasingly relying on social media, but I did raise an eyebrow that 68% now felt social media was a reliable tool (sometimes) for sourcing stories.  It was interesting to note that 67% considered 'scoops' even more important in the age of social media, although with the speed and virality of social media content, this isn't particularly surprising.

What is fascinating, however, is that the traditional media remains traditional when it comes to communicating.  The 'social' part of social media seems to evaporate when it comes to building relationships with PRs and communications generally, with 53% preferring e-mail and 34% wanting phone calls.  However,  journalism's relationship  with social media has certainly moved a long way since Brodeur's 2008 research where around half of those surveyed declared themselves 'lurkers'
Finally, 78% of those surveyed said that they didn't use the major social media pitch services, such as Pitchrate or Haro.   Which just goes to show that as far as revolutionary PR techniques are concerned, there is still no such thing as a free lunch or a substitute for hard graft and building relationships.

Published 8th June, 2011

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