Yesterday, Reuters released what could be called a “reverse step” in social media policy, which instructs their journalists to avoid bias and specifically instructs them not to scoop the news wire by breaking their stories on social media sites first.

While it’s understandable that Reuters seeks to uphold the trust placed in them by their readers, the policy is moving in the wrong direction as many other online content providers strive to provide information in real-time. Indeed, the past year has seen Facebook, Google, and other online mediums provide real-time results in their search content. Additionally, search aggregators, such as LeapFish, not only provide results based on the major search engines, but access to real-time results as well, all from a single query.

The instructions make it clear that journalists are to release stories via the wire first, and then on social media outlets, including Twitter, secondarily.

The policy advises Reuters’ journalists to seek approval from their managers before using Twitter for any professional purpose, and also suggests that someone within the Reuters organization check the tweets before they’re posted so that personal bias is not disclosed. Reuters also suggests that journalists separate their personal accounts from their professional accounts.

Jennifer Bruin at Mashable states clearly what seems to be the news organization’s major concern:

“[Reuters] is torn between encouraging employees to use social media and the realization that the online behaviors of their staff put them at risk, a sentiment expressed in the comment that these tools, if misused, could ‘threaten our hard-earned reputation for independence and freedom from bias or our brand.’” Read the rest of this entry »

Mixed messages abound regarding the relevance of Social Media applications for business, and especially the value of using Twitter to promote business endeavors. Media Buyer Planner recently released bleak statistics regarding Twitter‘s use in the business space. In fact, the online media site reports that only 8% of businesses see Twitter as a viable option for promoting their business…which means that the remaining 92% of businesses are either stubborn, stupid, or simply have no idea how Twitter could take their business to another level.

The survey, a joint LinkedIn Research Network/Harris Poll states, in the raw:

The research, which included surveys of both advertisers and the U.S. public at large. It showed that among advertisers:

• 45% think Twitter is in its infancy and its use will grow significantly over the next few years
• 21% believe Twitter will not move into the mainstream and will remain something mostly young people and the media will use
• 17% believe Twitter’s five minutes of fame are already over and it’s time to find the next big thing
• 17% of advertisers say they don’t know enough about Twitter to have an opinion.

Among consumers, the study found a different picture:

• 69% say they do not know enough about Twitter to have an opinion about it
• 12% think it’s in its infancy
• 12% say it is just something that young people and the media use
• 8% say it is already over

Wow. It’s enough to make one wonder whether people even pay attention anymore, let alone read, watch TV, or use the internet. When major news outlets ask for feedback and tips via Twitter, it would seem to me like the micro-blogging site has become a permanent fixture…call me crazy. Maybe these are the descendants of early humans who thought fire would never catch on… Read the rest of this entry »