Social Media and the New Breed of Journalists

Lately in class we've had several discussions about the presence of social media in the newsroom and its use as an aid for journalists. We know that it can be useful for distributing news quickly and sharing links to important stories and news, but an article in The Economist examines the benefits of social media, and how it is turning regular people into journalists and editors.

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter level the playing field, making it possible for nonjournalists to share information, sometimes even faster than traditional news sources, as in the case of President Obama's announcement about the death of Osama bin Laden.

This shift of the masses to the media is even more pertinent with the launching of the new social networking venture, Google Plus, which is said to be similar to Facebook; possibly better.

As more and more social networking sites emerge, some news will be easier to come by and more accessible.

Could social networks eliminate the need for online journalists?

Could the social networking sites that started as a friend to journalists everywhere be their downfall?

--Ifeoluwa Olujobi