How Do Social Media Affect News Gathering?
Location
CSU Ballroom
Start Date
9-4-2012 1:00 PM
End Date
9-4-2012 2:30 PM
Student's Major
Mass Media
Student's College
Arts and Humanities
Mentor's Name
Amy Lauters
Mentor's Department
Mass Media
Mentor's College
Arts and Humanities
Description
In this age of ubiquitous technology, the traditional practices of journalism are changing. News gathering isn’t done entirely in person anymore; journalists make use of the internet and other technology to supplement their stories. My research project focuses on (1) how social media affect news gathering compared to traditional news gathering and (2) how journalists can learn to use social media to gather information more effectively. I realize journalism has changed greatly throughout the years. Reporters no longer interview sources in person, scribbling down notes on notepads. Now, journalists sometime conduct lengthy interviews entirely through e-mail, without ever seeing their sources. I want to see how this can be taken even further through social network sites such as Facebook.
I plan to interview professional journalists who’ve been in the field for several years and ask them questions about how social media have changed the way they gather news. I will ask them how they started gathering news and interviewing sources and then ask them how their journalism practices have changes in light of new technology. In addition, I want to ask them how they would suggest younger journalists make use of these new technological outlets to gather news and information more effectively. My hope is to find ways for journalists to become more effective in their field. I will present my findings to the public at the MSU Undergraduate Research Conference and also publish an article in a journalism journal.
How Do Social Media Affect News Gathering?
CSU Ballroom
In this age of ubiquitous technology, the traditional practices of journalism are changing. News gathering isn’t done entirely in person anymore; journalists make use of the internet and other technology to supplement their stories. My research project focuses on (1) how social media affect news gathering compared to traditional news gathering and (2) how journalists can learn to use social media to gather information more effectively. I realize journalism has changed greatly throughout the years. Reporters no longer interview sources in person, scribbling down notes on notepads. Now, journalists sometime conduct lengthy interviews entirely through e-mail, without ever seeing their sources. I want to see how this can be taken even further through social network sites such as Facebook.
I plan to interview professional journalists who’ve been in the field for several years and ask them questions about how social media have changed the way they gather news. I will ask them how they started gathering news and interviewing sources and then ask them how their journalism practices have changes in light of new technology. In addition, I want to ask them how they would suggest younger journalists make use of these new technological outlets to gather news and information more effectively. My hope is to find ways for journalists to become more effective in their field. I will present my findings to the public at the MSU Undergraduate Research Conference and also publish an article in a journalism journal.
Recommended Citation
Webb, Grace. "How Do Social Media Affect News Gathering?." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 9, 2012.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2012/poster-session-B/23
