Local News Reporting and Early Adopter Social Media

Twitter _ Amy Wood CW WSPA TV _ @JIMDEMINT WHAT IS YOUR RE ....jpg

Local news anchor Amy Wood is doing something amazing. She’s going beyond just sending out links for WSPA news stories or features over a Twitter account and she’s actually getting her hands dirty in all of this social media stuff.

Plus, she has a nifty blog called TheRibbit.

Tonight I noticed she was sending questions to SC Senator Jim DeMint via Twitter (Amy can be found @tvamy and Sen DeMint is @jimdemint).

This is intriguing because more traditional media is really beginning to use services like Twitter and FriendFeed to both broadcast and converse with their early-adopterish audiences.

For example, Amy is using a very early and geeky platform called 12Seconds (a site that’s still in pre-release alpha mode) to do quick vids, such as a few about the soaring gas prices here in the Carolinas this past week. That’s geeky and that’s very cool to see happening.

TheRibbit.com-1.jpg

There’s also an interactive element of the 10pm newscast she anchors that allows for viewers to participate via a chat room. While that’s interesting, it’s her use of social media for engagement of viewers that is the most interesting thing to observe here.

Way to go, Amy. I hope more professional press follow your example. You’ve just gained a dedicated household of viewers.

posted: 08 September 18
under: Twitter, technology

  • Wow. Sam. Thanks for the post. Really appreciate it. Love what I'm doing. Always looking for more followers and friends on facebook, myspace, twitter, 12seconds and more. So glad you are watching AND participating!
  • I agree that she is blazing a great trail with twitter. I think we will start seeing more and more public uses of this medium if only for the instant availablity of feedback. Nice post.
  • Annette Peksa
    Very cool and well-deserved!
  • Rhita
    I love the chat room Amy set up during her 10 pm news. It's informative and gives common folks like myself an opportunity to vent, or comment. Amy's news presentations, whether serious or lite, make her my only choice for local news.
  • Dang! Nice work Ms. Wood! In a time and age where 'traditional' media has one foot in the coffin, it's great to see journalists taking the bull by the horns and blazing new paths and embracing new technology rather than shunning it. Great Job Amy!
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