Mike Robb, head of Corporate PR and Digital at the Cicero Group in London, tweeted a provocative question yesterday: Is social media killing journalism? Robb had asked two highly respected working journalists -- albeit, both too old to be digital natives, and both British -- to respond to the question in a roundtable format.
Key insights on the "no it's not" side include:
- Social media challenges entrenched monopolies of power and information.
- Regardless of source, journalists still need to vet what they see on social.
- Social media allows journalists to engage with anyone, not just a limited pool of sources.
And on the "yes it is" side:
- Is valuing speed over substance and accuracy good? Even dangerous?
- Social thrives on emotion, which can lead to bad decisions -- and incorrect or biased reporting.
- Sources are now quoted as "X said on Twitter" -- is that investigative journalism, or laziness?
At KSV, we can't imagine a world without social media -- it's both increased our opportunities to share stories with journalists, and then to amplify media coverage of the great things our clients are doing.
Check out Mike Robb's take on whether social media is killing journalism and tell us what you think.