Maynard Twitter Presentation

Why Journalists Shouldn’t

Snicker About Twitter @stevebuttry

Gazette CommunicationsMaynard Institute Multimedia Editing Program

June 23, 2009steve.buttry@gazcomm.com

How Twitter helps journalists

1. Quickly locate eyewitnesses & participants in breaking news

2. Connect with sources, journalists3. Monitor community discussion4. Promote content5. Write tight (no lead longer than a

tweet)

Uses for copy editors

1. Crowdsource headlines (tweets are kind of like heads)

2. Feedback on news judgment3. Breakouts for stories4. Proclaim authorship5. Edit tight (no lead longer than a tweet)

Copy editors to follow

1. @johnemcintyre2. @TheSlot, Washington Post3. @pasadeirdre, LA Times4. @vtuss, Star Tribune5. @dvdlee, The Gazette

Twitter’s value in breaking newsnot happening in Iran, Mumbai

1. DC Metro crash yesterday2. @jkrums on Hudson emergency landing3. @2drinksbehind on Denver plane crash4. Fargo flooding5. @MissRFTC on California earthquake

Wrapping up

• These slides at slideshare.net/stevebuttry

• Follow me on Twitter: @stevebuttry• Read “Leading Your Staff into the

Twitterverse” and other posts about Twitter use by journos on my blog: stevebuttry.wordpress.com

• Email me for links: stevebuttry@gazcomm.com