The results of Middleberg Communication’s second annual “Media in the Wired World” survey of 341 journalists indicated that the majority of journalists find social media is changing the profession of journalism in a positive manner. Jen McClure, founder and president of the Society for New Communications Research stated “This study indicates that there is now a large and growing percentage of journalists who view social media and the participation by the public in the journalistic process to be a necessary, and in most cases, positive step in the evolution of journalism.”
The results of the study also revealed that the use of social media by journalists provides new opportunities for companies. Although many companies are turning to social media for revenue generation, many have yet to understand “the true scope and depth of these new communications tools for journalistic usage” and are loosing “share of voice” among journalists to their competitors. According to Don Middleberg, CEO of Middleberg Communications “social media presents a new opportunity to communicate and develop relationships with a whole new generation of journalists through these new channels of choice.”
Here are some key findings from the Middleberg survey:
- Nearly 70% of journalists surveyed are using social networking sites, a 28% increase since the results of the 2008 Survey of Media in the Wired World were released
- 48% are using Twitter or other microblogging sites and tools, a 25% increase since 2008
- 66% are reading blogs
- 48% are viewing videos online
- 25% are listening to podcasts
- Nearly 80% of journalists surveyed believe that bloggers have become important opinion-shapers in recent years
- 91% of journalists surveyed agree that new media and communications tools and technologies are enhancing journalism to some extent
Tags: bloggers, communicatons strategy, journalism, new communications, social media
