Larry Weintraub on Social Media |
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OurBlook interview with Larry Weintraub, CEO of Fanscape, a digital "word of mouth marketing" firm
How do reporters use social media to send out information to people they want to receive it? Which media do they use, and is it easy? LW: Many reporters are extending their own personal brand already. They have blogs, Twitter accounts, Facebook profiles, etc. Because they are so easy to use, reporters are allowing themselves to become friends with their readers through social media and solicit feedback and answer questions. This helps the publications for which they write as well as themselves should they leave that publication, write a book, or make a public appearance. A great example of this is Rolling Stone reporter Matt Taibbi. Matt contributes to a couple of blogs including: Smirking Chimp where he elaborated on his story exposing the financial industry’s major meltdown or True Slant where he also continues to discuss the crimes of the U.S. financial institutions. Matt continues to build his own brand which is evident by cover page story headlines on Rolling Stone magazine and his television appearances on shows such as "Real Time with Bill Maher."
How do reporters use social media to receive information? If there are replies coming in from dozens or hundreds or thousands of people, how can they be screened and arranged? LW: The reality is that social media have given reporters tremendous access to news stories and leads. The old method was a phone call from a public relations person pitching a story. Then e-mail. Now reporters are pitched numerous times a day via Facebook, Twitter, etc. Investigating those leads can also be facilitated via social media by viewing videos via sites such as YouTube, reading user-generated insight via sites like Wikipedia, or seeking sources via professional social networks like LinkedIn. What would have taken days previously to source can now happen in minutes. Authentication still needs to take place utilizing the methodology engrained in a journalist, but lead generation and following trails is infinitely easier.
Do you know of any specific stories that social media have been instrumental in developing for newspapers or TV stations or online sites? LW: The best example of this in the past year would be when the American Airlines jet crashed into the Hudson in New York . The story was broken via Twitter. Within minutes people all over the country were alerted to this near-tragedy. The human network of spreading this news led to places like CNN, which immediately jumped on the story that was started on Twitter.
Do you foresee much impact from social media in major news operations such as newspapers and TV news, or in the future of journalism generally? LW: Yes. The impact is already significant. “Citizen Journalism” already exists. Every day, people become more used to hearing news from people they trust, oftentimes not a professional, just a friend or family member. That person may be originating the news or just re-posting something they heard from another source. There is a certain level of trust from within your circle if the news comes back to you multiple times, you tend to believe it. For example, when Michael Jackson died, many of us didn’t hear about it from an established news source, we were alerted by a friend. If we checked our Twitter feeds, multiple voices were stating the same news, “Michael Jackson has died.” Thus we tend to believe it. When the news turns out to be true, it continues the validation of the Citizen Journalism concept. So news becomes free. Why do I need to go to the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times? Aren’t they just re-posting the same information I already know? Do they write it better? Do they have more experience reporting? Sure. Do I need that? No. I just need the basic facts.
Which forms of social media do you think will endure, and why? Are there any you see as fads that will fade away? LW: The headline will remain. Whether it is Twitter that will dominate is unclear. But what it has proven is that we are busy people with a ton of information coming our way. We only need the headline. If we want to know more, we’ll investigate and follow the link. But the Twitter methodology of delivering short bursts of information is here to stay. The major social networks will not fade away. Facebook will not disappear in the near future. It will continue to grow until it hits the highest penetration possible and then it will level. There are only so many people in the world and its user base can only grow so much. Meanwhile, someone will create something else. Someone will study what Facebook does wrong and build something that is better. This has happened repeatedly (Friendster to MySpace to Facebook). But Facebook will not disappear. Additionally, people will start to splinter off from Facebook. Facebook is huge and people will look for something smaller. Something more focused. Niche social networks. Social networks that concentrate in areas that are important to that person. A plumber will migrate to a social network where plumbers congregate to talk about plumbing. Dentists will congregate at social networks about dentistry. Moms will congregate around social networks for moms. This is something that is already happening.
Is there anything else you'd like to say about social media? LW: My belief is that all websites will have a social component. Many product and brand websites will become social networks. Traditionally most corporate websites have been locations where the user can find the information that the company chooses to share. If you wanted to know more, you could seek out the contact information and e-mail a question. But as companies such as Starbucks dedicate resources to engage their customer at multiple levels via social media and have success, others will follow.
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Comments (4)
  written by ClubPenguinCheats, April 08, 2010
Different points of view on data or information, certainly. But knowledge is the result of an educated mind sifting through data and information and converting it into the rich combustible material we truly require: knowledge.
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written by Thad McIlroy, October 03, 2009
I think that Mr. Weintraub offers some interesting and informed commentary on social media. But I disagree with his statement: "Why do I need to go to the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times? Aren’t they just re-posting the same information I already know? Do they write it better? Do they have more experience reporting? Sure. Do I need that? No. I just need the basic facts."
I always make a distinction between data, information and knowledge. Most media sources can impart data (whether accurate or otherwise). Many can impart "information" (although tremendously subject to bias). What we all need on a daily basis is more knowledge, and that's the toughest product to offer. I don't think that small samples of social media can ordinarily provide knowledge. Different points of view on data or information, certainly. But knowledge is the result of an educated mind sifting through data and information and converting it into the rich combustible material we truly require: knowledge. The enthusiasm for social media is laudable, but overstated.
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