Twitter FirstChanging TV News 140 Characters at a Time

by Dale Blasingame, Texas State University-San Marcos

“Web First”

Rallying cry for newspapersAlso applies to TV newsThis process is admirable, but not good enough

anymore

“Twitter First”

Twitter has emerged as go-to tool for journalists

Twitter is perfectly suited for breaking news coverage

News happens in real time - not at 5, 6 or 10 pm

GatekeepingThe decision process that determines why one story

makes air or print and another does not. This study focuses on the flow of information during a breaking or spot news story.

Assignment Desk

Photograph

erRepor

terProdu

cerAncho

rAudience

“Gatejumping”Phrase coined by Brogan and Smith (2010) in

relation to marketing oneself in a new way on the Internet Radio stations vs. podcasters

This study uses the term in a much more literal sense

Twitter allows traditionally early gatekeepers to jump gates and deliver news directly to the audience

“Gatejumping”

Assignment Desk

Photograph

erReport

erProduc

erAncho

rAudience

Research Questions

RQ1. How has Twitter changed the levels of gates and allowed non-anchor newsroom employees to become de facto reporters, particularly during breaking or spot news situations?

RQ2. What are the main functions of the Twitter accounts in television newsrooms?

MethodologySan Antonio selected for purposes of this study

Precedence set by Berkowitz (1990), who used Indianapolis for his gatekeeping study

Personal and professional ties Good, bad and ugly – other stations/markets may relate

Qualitative case study approach used for RQ1: coverage of a triple murder-suicide

Quantitative analysis used for RQ2: coded 2,293 tweets from 60 newsroom employee accounts

RQ1: Case Study8:32pm: “SAPD scanners say officers are heading out to the 17000 block

of Fawn Crossing for a multiple shooting scene.” - @KABBDesk

9:04pm: “On scene at shooting in The Woods Of Deerfield subdivision http://twitpic.com/29l9h6” - @Grace__White

RQ1: Case Study9:20pm: “BREAKING: Shooting at Woods of Deerfield

neighborhood. Location: http://j.mp/9QGaxD http://twitpic.com/29ldij” - @doublepunching

RQ1: Case Study

9:23pm: “What's going on in the Woods of Deerfield neighborhood off Bitters & Huebner...4 pple said to be shot” - @SarahLuceroKENS

10:26pm: “Police: children of one of the victims were playing outside when they heard gunshots. Kids went indoors and saw shooter with gun.” - @Leila_Walsh

RQ1: Case Study

Illustrates the potential of Twitter as a tool to deliver breaking news

News was delivered quickly and effectively by gatejumpers

Foolish to suggest this happens on a daily basis

RQ2: Quantitative AnalysisBreakin

gPromotion

alChit-Chat Participati

onNon-

Breaking

KABB 70 134 20 2 32

KENS 24 122 164 2 5

WOAI 11 308 83 2 23

KSAT 219 297 728 11 36Tweets from ten randomly selected days

RQ2: Quantitative AnalysisBreakin

gPromotion

alChit-Chat Participati

onNon-

Breaking

KABB 26 122* 1 0 1

KENS 1 104* 0 0 0

WOAI 0 296* 0 0 0

KSAT 36 257* 4 2 1Tweets from ten randomly selected days*Links from Twitterfeed

So What? Pew: TV viewership is on the decline, down 10%

from 1991-2010, and online news consumption is up 10% from 2002. Online is now a more popular source of news than radio or newspaper

Stations must go to where the consumers are and give them reasons to become viewers

So What?

“The key is to respect the relationship with users. I like the 80/20 rule, where 80% of the time you add value, 20% of the time you promote.” – Mark Briggs

This could be the standard stations use as they begin to embrace Twitter