Journalists should be allowed to use social media, as long as they retain their integrity
There has always been one principal requirement in journalism — integrity.
Integrity within the realm of journalism is about accuracy, dedication to the truth and objectivity. But some news organizations think that social media is jeopardizing journalists’ ability to maintain objectivity.
This is not the case, though.
The primary goal of social media is to spread information and create a conversation about said information.
The privilege to engage in social media should not be taken away from journalists, but it is.
I first discovered about the restrictions on social media for journalists use on Shannon Paul’s Very Official Blog.
Paul discusses how the Los Angeles Times has issued a new social networking policy for its journalists and has essentially taken the ability to be personal on a social network.
Paul states the rules say a reporter cannot “friend” or “follow” an interest group unless he does the same with a group with the opposing point of view. Also, the Times suggests that professional contacts should not be added to social networks because they could be revealed as a potential source.
According to Editor and Publisher, the rules state “When transmitting information online — as in re-tweeting material from other sources — apply the same standards and level of caution you would in more formal publication.”
I agree that it is important to maintain some consistent level of professionalism on social networks, but that professionalism should not completely remove the social and personal side of using those networks.
In the comments on her blog Paul says, “I think the difficulty here is that in the past, trust was built on professionalism, big brands, and institutional power distances but, now with the Web, trust is built on personal engagement and interaction.”
This switch in how trust is built with people is essential to understand how social media should be used. I agree with the Times that journalists should not post anything on social networks that could jeopardize their or the Times’ integrity, but social media without personality is just self-promotion.
I know that when I start following someone on Twitter and saw they were only posting links to their own material and not contributing to some overall conversation, I unfollow them.
As it has with all other technologies — the telegram, radio, television, Internet, etc. — the journalism world should adapt to the changed social media brings to the scene. Social media can be extremely useful for journalists, and the use of it should be embraced by those in the field. It is an efficient way to find story ideas and see what the public is talking about.
For example, when U.S. Airways Airbus A320 had to crash-land in the Hudson River, MSNBC was pulling the most up-to-date information from people tweeting about it on Twitter.
Journalists should be themselves and give their profiles a human element, as long as they aren’t compromising themselves or the integrity of their publication.
