Twitter and Social Media: Tools for Journalists

Blog entry by Lisah Silfwer, journalist, TV4 Stockholm

My name is Lisah Silfwer and I work at TV4’s local Stockholm news station as an anchor and reporter. As an anchor, I cover news for Uppsala, Gävle and Dalarna. As a reporter I usually cover news segments for Stockholm.

I’ve been working as a TV journalist for 6 years now. Apart from TV4, I have worked at various local stations and at state-owned SVT as well. Before this, I worked with radio and magazines, but I have always been interested in journalism using “moving images”, so to speak.

The TV industry is perfect for social media. We work quickly to spread the news, often with extremely short deadlines. I have used Twitter and Facebook to find stories or sources for quite some time. For example last year, when the ash cloud from Iceland paralyzed Europe’s air traffic:

Translation: Need help finding Stockholmers stranded abroad because of canceled flights. For TV interview! Anyone?

Because of this tweet, I received dozens of tips, of which two I used in a report about stranded Swedes that same evening. I have also used YouTube to find news tips and have my own Facebook Page where anyone can contact me.

I have used social media for a long time and it has worked quite well for me – I have a significant amount of followers on Facebook and Twitter, and I’m included in several Twitter lists. Furthermore, I write regularly in my blog – all this means that I can easily be contacted. Social media is like real life; it takes time to build relationships and you have to think long-term.

If you’re in Sweden, start with following the Twitter hashtag #jourtips to find news stories and tips. It’s also a great tag to follow for those that want to keep an eye on what journalists are after. The #jourtips tag is used daily by Swedish journalists that are looking for sources, spokespersons, or suggestions for reports. Try to find hashtags in your country or area that fulfils the same purpose and follow those!

I have also started mentioning my Twitter address during broadcasts to increase the interaction with the audience – and the results are positive. The more active I am, the more viewers engage and offer additional tips and information about particular reports I’ve done. They ask questions and suggest new stories to cover. I hope more journalists start using social media as an integral part of their resources.

All the best,

Lisah

Contact me on:
Twitter
Facebook
Youtube

My Twitter lists:
TV4
TV4LTV
SVT
SR

Related posts: