Virtual Journalism. Those two words come to mind this past week with the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. Every time I get on Twitter or Facebook I feel it’s all I see, hashtag this hashtag that, so-and-so retweeted this @DNC2012 #drivingmecrazy. Whatever happened to reading news or watching news on television, or your laptop, or even your smartphone; which I think I’ve come to the conclusion that almost everyone has a smartphone #getwiththetimes. Sarah Radwanick, marketing communications manager at comScore, reports social networking accounted for nearly 1 in every 5 minutes spent online globally in October 2011, ranking as the most engaging online activity worldwide. Social networking sites now reach 82 percent of the world’s Internet population representing 1.2 billion users around the globe. I think it’s safe to say that we’re being sucked in. A few minutes ago I stood up here in the library at Queens and walked around to see how many of your were sidetracked. Nearly half of the students I observed were on Facebook or Twitter! #timetodohomework. But maybe you all weren’t wasting away time, just maybe you were doing homework or reading up on a link posted through tweeter... or maybe viewing a photo your friend posted at the DNC via Facebook. Why can’t you just emailed me a link of the news report or email me the photos your took?! This is why..
Why should I sign up using Twitter or Facebook! What’s wrong with the old-fashioned way! I remember a time when I got on Facebook and I noticed this girl’s status was updated more times that it should have, but what I noticed was that it was technically her tweets... Why am I seeing her tweets on Facebook. I wasn’t even a member of twitter at that time!! It drove me crazy! Eventually, I de-friended her from my virtual circle of friends, it’s okay because I haven’t seen nor spoken to her in 6 years; makes sense that we were friends on Facebook to being with #bff
Getting back to what we were talking about in the beginning, social networks have sucked us in to the point where I don’t even have to watch news on television or read the paper. I can simply go on a website and see if it’s somehow linked to a social network or read up on news on the social networks themselves. See below here:
Please don’t get sucked in. Spend some time reading a print version of a newspaper, turn on the radio and listen to news stations, turn on the TV and watch the news. Don’t get sucked into doing everything on social networks. I’ve noticed that people generally get side tracked much easily when online. On that note, I’m going to get on Facebook now and waste two hours before I do homework for another class. #winning.
Krisztian Martin-
Social Media is a bigger way for us to stay in touch. More and more business and large companies are seeking younger people that are good with social media. Yes not everything should be posted on twitter about what you ate or why your mad. I never had a twitter account till I was required to get one for COMM 360 here at at Queens. I Now have five companies following me and some asking me to apply for internship. They see and understand that it was great that I had feedback to post about the DNC. How involved I was with what was going on. They liked that. You are the only one that can control what you post and when you get onto these sites. Yo are not required to spend a lot of time on these sites. Most people don't have time to pick up a paper anymore and just read it. The way everything is working now is not as much through news paper. It is so much quicker to just post on twitter or Facebook. Look at channel 9 news. They post on Facebook all the time. More people are leaning to internet instead of paper it is quicker.
ReplyDeleteSavannah
I agree with you in the sense that social media has dictated our way of life. Though I do not see it all as a bad thing. If you think about it with social media we hear news quicker, catch up with long lost pals, and even know the latest celebrity gossip. Social media is changing and evolving the population but in a sense to where people are more alert with what's going on around them. I honestly did not pay that close attention to the news until they came out with their twitter apps. I now follow and hear up to date reports from ESPN, CNN, and FOX news.
ReplyDeleteSarah
I see what you're saying. It does seem as if social media had made news, reconnection with friends, and celebrity gossip, quick and easier to access but does that necessarily mean that social media has made better?! What ever happened with actually getting together, writing notes (remember back in the day), reading the newspaper over coffee in the morning... what happened to all of these things. Communication has been so shortened, diluted, and stupefied, in my personal opinion. I was sitting outside of Starbucks a few nights ago doing homework and noticed multiple pairs, groups, and even a family sitting outside chatting over coffee. This is what I'm talking about... Why do people have to have a twitter app to be in tune with the news? (as a general statement)
DeleteKrisztian
During the DNC even, I am international student dont really know all the things as everyone around me do. But I see all the things they post on facebook and twitter post online just like this article said. I am agree with the writer. When I want to know about the news around here, I just read the facebook or twitter. I don't hardly read the Newspaper or watch the News on TV. I agree the writer said:"social networks have sucked us in to the point where I don’t even have to watch news on television or read the paper".
ReplyDeleteJUN