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Rocky Mountain News: Tasteless Tweets
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Taking feedback with a grain of salt.
Posted by
Zamna Avila
9/13/2008 3:23:37 PM
As journalists, we are watchdogs that bring information to the public that may otherwise remain stagnant or undisclosed. Agreed? Our jobs are to...
As journalists, we are watchdogs that bring information to the public that may otherwise remain stagnant or undisclosed. Agreed? Our jobs are to help our audience reach a conclusion through our perspective (not necessarily our opinion).
So, why should we be impermeable to the scrutiny of our peers?
Kudos, Michelle Ferrier for doing your job. Shame, Rocky Mountain News for being unable to handle the criticism and not taking it with a grain of salt.
To blame technology or the reporter for tasteless tweets IS, I agree, short sighted.
New mediums of dissemination are sometimes hard to grasp in terms of best usage. Nevertheless, where how and when it is appropriate to use such technology lays on the laps of overzealous editors, who arbitrarily send reporters on assignments with certain directions that may not make sense, not reporters.
On the other hand, reporters also have the responsibility to challenge those directions. Albeit, challenging authority is often hard during hard times.
Rocky editor responds
Posted by
john temple
9/12/2008 8:46:54 PM
I find it odd that a Poynter blog criticizing a decision by a newspaper would find it adequate to ask a reporter for comment. Note...
I find it odd that a Poynter blog criticizing a decision by a newspaper would find it adequate to ask a reporter for comment. Note to Poynter: Reporters don't decide newspaper policies. It may make the blogger feel righteous to have said she tried to get comment. But really....This isn't the first time I've had a problem with Poynter writers on this account.
Nevertheless, I think the topic of the appropriate use of Twitter or other new technology that allows reporters to file instant reports is a good one. I wrote my column about it. Here's a link.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/sep/12/temple-new-tech-raises-taste-questions/
Criticize live coverage, but not Twitter
Posted by
Steve Outing
9/11/2008 6:14:30 PM
You can argue that this child's funeral should not have been covered live, but don't blame Twitter. It's more likely a story that needed to...
You can argue that this child's funeral should not have been covered live, but don't blame Twitter. It's more likely a story that needed to be handled sensitively. If it's so high profile, a reporter being in discrete attendance and filing a report afterward is all that was necessary or appropriate. So that means no live TV coverage, no live blogging, no live radio reports. This live-tweeting is just another method for disseminating news. The idea that it's unseemly because it was Twitter is just a silly reaction. If a TV reporter was at the funeral broadcasting live during the ceremony, that should be criticized as well, if you take the point of view that this Twitter reporting is sleazy.
I suspect many people don't "get" Twitter yet. While it's a kind of social network, it's increasingly a super-fast medium for disseminating news, as well. To criticize this just because it's on Twitter -- I guess because Twitter is seen by the uninformed as "frivolous" -- is off base. Criticize any media outlet that live-reported this funeral. Don't just target the Rocky Mountain News' report because they happened to use a live-reporting medium that isn't part of the typical old-media toolset.
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