Passionate about technology, media and chocolate eclairs, I've worked in web and print for over twenty years and now run a digital media consultancy in Scotland.
If you’re a journalist you’ll be in one of two camps. Those that are allowed to use social media tools while at work and those that aren’t.
There’s no doubt Twitter is a useful tool for newsgathering and distribution, but employers have been slow to allow them into the workplace for fear of abuse from staff.
But Sky News has just announced it is installing Tweetdeck on the PCs of its newsroom staff, following its increased use of Twitter as a publishing and newsgathering tool. So that’s a big thumbs up to micro-blogging from one of the world’s leading providers of news.
Journalists using Twitter is nothing out of the ordinary, but having the wholesale backing of the boss and the tools to do it is less common.
And we can also expect some more serious social media developments at Sky News, such as Facebook Connect integration and live blogging.
In an interview with journalism.co.uk, executive producer of Sky News Online Julian March, said: “The big change for us in 2010 is evolving how social media plays a role in our journalism. We no longer ghettoise it to one person, but are in the process of embedding throughout the whole team.â€
The fact it has adopted Tweetdeck as its application of choice is a bonus not only for Sky in terms of managing their tweets, but for the app too. In 2009, Tweetdeck came of age. It won just about every app award going, and in 2010, we can expect to see it supporting geotagging too, which is a bonus for journalists looking for location-based data.
And as social media website Mashable points out, the vetting of Tweetdeck as an application worthy of a serious news organization is one that should not be overlooked
