Matt Hinckley on Social Media

OurBlook interview with Matt Hinckley, assistant dean for journalism & student media at Richland College in Dallas

What are the advantages of social media for journalists?

MH: Social media allow journalists to have more frequent two-way communication with news consumers. Twitter, Facebook, etc. are additional "streets" for reporters to canvass for stories. In addition, social media allow reporters to participate in staff meetings and general newsroom conversations while simultaneously being "in the field."

What are the drawbacks?

MH: Too much information bouncing around at the speed of thought leads to too much information erroneously being "reported" or accepted as "fact." This has only accelerated the pressure to be "first," often at the expense of being "right." But perhaps even more dangerous is that the increasing proliferation of choices means that news consumers can choose to focus exclusively on "infotainment" and thus disengage from serious coverage of critical issues.

Will social media play even more of a role in the future of journalism, or do you see this trend slacking off?

MH: The role of social media in journalism will increase significantly in the coming years.

Many more journalists in the years ahead may be free-lancers or contract employees instead of staff writers. Do you see any differences in the uses of social media for them as opposed to staffers?

MH: If anything, social media may help reduce the disadvantages free-lance or contract reporters historically have faced. Specifically, social media like Skype can allow free-lancers and contract reporters to participate in staff meetings and general newsroom conversations even when they are not inside the building. In turn, this may blur the lines between staff and contract employees, and perhaps cause news organizations to reduce staff and replace them with contract reporters.

You have a "superlab" concept in your curriculum in which you integrate social media platforms with print, radio and TV. Do you find that there's anything difficult or tricky for your students in learning how to use social media?

MH: Our students are quite adept at using social media. The challenge is to get them to understand what news is, how to judge newsworthiness, how to evaluate sources, how to verify information, how to ask good questions and how to turn that information into useful stories. In short, we still must teach journalism "basics," and by extension to leverage their social media skills to gather reliable information instead of merely communicating with their friends about the latest "bread and circuses."

While social media may improve the quantity aspect of a journalist's story, how do they impact the quality if time that normally would go into more reporting is devoted instead to social media requirements?

MH: At its essence, good reporting is critical thinking (finding reliable information, developing and asking good questions, etc.). Studies have found that humans do not naturally think critically, but are most likely to do so when they are writing. Twittering is writing and editing, so the act of Twittering news forces the reporter to think more critically about the story. Blogging about an interview with a newsmaker forces the reporter to recognize what questions remain, and what to ask during the follow-up phone call. Consequently, if it is used properly, social media can increase the quality of reporting.

Do you see any one form of social media as being more important to journalists than others?

MH: Blogging can help sharpen critical thinking skills and thus improve the reporting and writing process. Twitter can help the reporter recognize the lede of a story and edit it to 140 characters. YouTube allows more coverage of stories that traditional TV news often omits due to time constraints. Facebook provides another means for reporters to connect with newsmakers. Delivery of news content to mobile devices can allow citizens to choose to remain informed. In a converged news environment, I don't think any one social media outlet is more important than any other, however.

Is there anything else you'd like to say about social media and journalism?

MH: The proliferation of social media does not replace or diminish, but rather increases the importance of, the basic journalism skills of research, reporting, writing and editing.

(Matt is also co-chair of the Council for Teaching and Learning and adjunct faculty member in history and cultural studies at Richland College. Richland is one of seven individually accredited institutions in the Dallas County Community College District, which serves more than 80,000 credit and 25,000 continuing education students; DCCCD is the largest undergraduate institution in Texas.)

(Here's how he describes his Journalism SuperLab ... "an individual class section consists of a cohort of students, each of whom is enrolled in different journalism courses, working together to report and write news for multiple news media platforms.

("For instance, some students are enrolled in “News Gathering and Writing.” They practice the skills and learning outcomes for this course by conducting research and writing news stories. Students in “News Editing and Copy Reading” edit those stories. Students in “Editing and Layout” take those stories and upload them to web pages and place them on print pages along with photos that students in “News Photography” shoot.

("Students in “Radio/TV News” re-write those stories for broadcast style. Students in “TV Production 1″ shoot video for the TV versions of those stories, and students in “TV Production 2″ edit that video for TV news packages. Students in “Audio/Radio Production” extract and edit the audio for radio airplay, while students in “Writing for Radio/TV/Film” write the transitions for anchors, who are in “Radio/TV Announcing,” to read on the air.

("Students in “News Gathering and Writing 2″ research and write more in-depth investigative stories, and also make story assignments. Students in “Interviewing” conduct on-air interviews with newsmakers.

("Put together, a SuperLab section includes students who fill all the major roles in a convergent newsroom. The very best journalism schools ... Missouri, Northwestern, Columbia ... all practice a form of this model, but Richland is the only community college we know of to have implemented it to this extent.")

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