April 06, 2011
Social networks and communities: new report offers useful insight for journalists
Social networking—whether enabled by technology, or not—is a key tool that helps people accomplish just about anything. Understanding how social networks function also can help journalists better engage communities. A new report explores how social networks are affecting communities…
The report, Connected Citizens, was created by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Monitor Institute. It explores what emerging social networks mean for community change, as well as how philanthropy can support social networks that help strengthen communities or achieve positive social change.
Here’s what Knight means by “network” in this report: “A group of people who are connected through relationships. ...We are focusing on loose networks of individuals that are coproducing information, knowledge and action; integrating online and offline strategies; and, bridging differences across communities. We are looking at both networks that are place-based and those that cut across geographies.”
Although this report isn’t specifically about professional journalism or the news business, the act of sharing news is a core part of what social networks do. In that sense, learning more about how social networks function is a way to get back to the roots of journalism and news—and to spot new opportunities for the future.
Understanding how social networks create, use, and share news also can help redefine what a news hook is, especially for local media.
This Knight report offers insight that might help the next generation of journalists and other news producers get past the ingrained newsroom cliche of “If it bleeds, it leads”—an approach that succeeds in getting attention, but also tends to hurt communities if overdone.
UPCOMING WEBINAR: April 20, 2 pm EDT. Learn more about this report and ask questions. Speakers include: Mayur Patel (Knight Foundation), Diana Scearce (Monitor Institute), Conor White-Sullivan (Localocracy), and Dana Jackson (Making Connections Louisville). Register now.
The News for Digital Journalists blog is made possible by a grant to USC Annenberg from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Comments (9) • Permalink • Tell-a-Friend
Tags: knight foundation, research, local, communities, society, social networks
Comments
Facebook, Twitter, and Blogging have taken over. Thank you for the information. The digital world is not going anywhere. It is the future for my business as well as many others.
By Levitanrealtors, 04/08/11 at 3:09 am
Social networking is very useful for everybody.
By make money online, 04/09/11 at 1:54 am
this message usefull for me.thanks
By thomas sabo shop online, 04/11/11 at 9:15 pm
Social networks are great tools for journalists to get updated quickly.
By hyip monitor, 04/12/11 at 7:14 am
Great blog always offer the best and authentic information without creating exaggeration. This blog has given me opportunity to learn many things regarding products and services.
<a >Craigslist Boston</a>
By sara, 04/13/11 at 10:53 pm
Great blog always offer the best and authentic information without creating exaggeration. This blog has given me opportunity to learn many things regarding products and services.
<a >Craigslist Boston</a>
By sara, 04/13/11 at 10:54 pm
Great blog always offer the best and authentic information without creating exaggeration. This blog has given me opportunity to learn many things regarding products and services.
]http://marialist.com/-1/posts/3_Real_Estate/18_Homes_/825_find_classified_like_Craigslist_Boston.html] Craigslist Boston[/url]
By sara, 04/13/11 at 10:56 pm
Great blog always offer the best and authentic information without creating exaggeration. This blog has given me opportunity to learn many things regarding products and services.
http://marialist.com/-1/posts/3_Real_Estate/18_Homes_/825_find_classified_like_Craigslist_Boston.html
By sara, 04/13/11 at 10:57 pm
We are currently doing a study of social groups to see how fast information is transferred from person a to person z. Looking at what the factors cause news to travel faster E.g. what type of info, what type of person, how large a group. Were getting interesting results looking to see if topics are delivered to certain individuals first will spread it faster.
By emster, 04/14/11 at 3:52 pm
Page 1 of 1 pages
Commenting is not available in this section entry.
RSS Feed
