We have all seen how much social media can play a part in spreading news around the world. It has been used everywhere from Iran to UK general election. Now the traditional media outlets are realising that they can either go with the tide or risk losing their viewers. This is especially true for news programmes as it is now becoming normal for people to seek up to the minute information from the web and not television which is often behind. Not all news providers are willing to sit back and be usurped; some are saying that if you can’t beat then join them.
ITV news now plans to have a social media element to their news bulletins. This will be called ‘Cuts: your stories’ and will involve allowing users of social media to ask questions of the people in the news. The plan is for the project to run a year, but if it is successful then it is sure to lead onto a bigger role for social media in the future.
The one thing that I really love about social media is that it has given a voice to many of us who previously felt a bit disenfranchised. Now all of us can get our voice heard and it seems that there are plenty who are willing to listen. This new initiative by ITV will be just one more way in which those in power will get to really hear the views of the people. It also means that the news will be far more factual and up to the minute. Hopefully the news will eventually include updates from the millions of roving internet reporters around the world. The power of social media is growing all the time and who knows where it will all lead.
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