Twitter: Fad, Frenzy or For Good?

News networks, like CNN, have spent years developing an image, building their credibility and striving for ratings. And, now – CNN strives to have more twitter fans than Ashton Kutcher? The question many people are asking themselves - should CNN, a valued news network, be twittering?

As CNN itself reported,

Ashton Kutcher has challenged CNN to a popularity contest on the social media site twitter.

Although a charitable twist was added to the challenge (Ashton Kutcher will donate 10,000 mosquito bed nets to charity if he beats CNN, and 1,000 if he loses, and vice versa) – is it prudent for CNN to participate in the "evolution" of twitter? Was this one of those times where there was a “news lull” so twitter took over?

Twitter is clearly an “of the moment” social networking tool that has consumed modern day society through the likes of television networks, businesses (large and small), celebrities and everyday people. Is our common ground found in the twitter frenzy?

Even Twitter itself is capitalizing on its own frenzy (by "capitalizing" I don't mean financially, but rather on the brand) – they developed Twitter TV. As they say, “If it Ain't on Twitter, It Ain't on Twitter TV LIVE.” Twitter TV is the first 24 hour Internet TV network. It airs from its website, www.twittertvlive.com, five days per week.

So the important question becomes: is twitter a fad, a frenzy or here for good?