I’m conducting a quick survey in advance of a presentation I’ve been talking into giving to Dublin Freelance NUJ members tomorrow on using social media.
Naturally, no presentation on social media is complete without reference to crowdsourcing, so this post is an attempt at garnering the Wisdom Of Te Crowd. What advice would you give to newcomers (in particular, freelance journalists) dipping their toes in the social media pool for the first time?
Should they blog, open a twitter account, or would Facebook be a better option? Is Google Plus a ghost town, or an exciting new development? Is LinkedIn worth it, or a haven for Make Money Fast spam? Or is social media simply an unproductive timesink?
Should posts and updates be limited to news (with occasional forays into identifying and contacting source) or should the also contain personal information? Should a journalist express personal opinions, or confine all their online communications to the strictly professional. Can a medium based on “conversation” ever be compatible with the professional obligations for balance, impartiality or neutrality? Are those Reithian concepts even valid any more, or part of an outdated “dead three thinking” mentality?
Answers on a postcard (or in comments below).
