Online newspapers already have enough trouble developing successful marketing models for their webpages. Now, with the current demand for up-to-the-minute news, the same newspapers are scrambling to keep up with the reporting of social networking sites. As more and more social networking sites penetrate society, many are finding that the sites are developing a speed and reach that rivals some of the best news outlets. PaidContent.org's Brian Solis even referred to Twitter as TNN, the "Twitter News Network," because it is continuing to break news and trends faster than more traditional media outlets.
While better access to news may be good, it also poses some problems. Social networking webpages may have the latest news, but is the "reporting" always accurate? Can a website edited by any individual with an online account really rival the quality of a true staple of the news world like The New York Times?
Interestingly enough, many reporters are now turning to social media sites in their reporting. 55% of journalists sited social media as being either "important" or "somewhat important" in developing their stories, with blogs coming in as the #1 social media info source for reporters and Twitter coming in at #3. Does this mean that the social media users are actually reporting to the reporters? And when putting together their advertising campaigns, where will advertisers choose to put their money--in the struggling online newspapers, or in the blossoming social media industry?
Check out "The Information Divide Between Traditional and New Media" here:
http://paidcontent.org/article/419-the-information-divide-between-traditional-and-new-media/
