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How do you get your news right now? How does it differ from 10 years ago?
As things seemingly get crazier in the news I have noticed myself less likely to seek out the news. Getting updated on the latest world happenings is important to me, however, too many horrible things continue to happen and I can only consume so much of it at a time. Even though I do not actively go looking for it, news stories do eventually make their way into my life.
If I look back 10 years I believe that I was still occasionally reading newspapers and watching the nightly news. Outside of that friends, family, co-workers and the radio were usually the sources that gave me the most information. When I was working customers would also bring events up in conversations. For example: when Michael Jackson died it was customers that brought it to my attention. I thought it was some type of hoax and it wasn’t until later that evening when I did some research that I found out it was true. I often didn’t hear about major events until days or even weeks later.
Using the internet and social media more frequently – especially Twitter and Facebook – I am constantly updated with news from not just local or national outlets, but from around the WORLD. Twitter plays a HUGE part in how I get information. With so many users from all over the world news travels super fast. Major events become trending topics and it is super easy to find out the information that you are seeking by clicking on a couple of tweets or links.
Not only do users share what is happening live in their local area, they are often sharing stories and events that would often have little to no news coverage. With platforms like Twitter, something can happen 2,000 miles away and I can hear about it within minutes. When using Twitter as a news source you instantly get the raw information. You get the personal perspective of someone that is witnessing the event right at that moment. You get the inside scoop which often comes with commentary, pictures and even video clips. Twitter gives users the power to choose what they feel is news-worthy.
What is really amazing about using Twitter as a news source is that it just takes 1 person to share a tweet or re-tweet something before it spreads. The information gets shared and soon becomes a discussion among users. Hashtags are often created as a way to keep track of updates and are useful for people that may not be online at the moment the news is being shared but wants to be informed about what happened. Many times these discussions can turn into anything from debates to social movements.
I am on Twitter a lot and I am always introduced to events that 10 years ago I never would have heard of. Using Twitter as a news source gets me in touch with issues and events from around the world and I enjoy discussing them with other users that I usually refer to as my Tweeps. In my opinion it is one of the best sources available to get news on any topic – old or new. You can search for hashtags, names, locations, events and so much more and find what you are looking for.
I know that many people prefer to use Twitter as a news source instead of major news stations. They feel like they can get the information they need without the unnecessary fill-ins meant to cause shock and fear. If news outlets gave us the information that we desired, in the way that we want it then maybe we would not use Twitter as a news source. But there is no turning back and going forward I will continue to use Twitter as a news source.
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+ Twitter Is the 21st Century Newspaper
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This post is a part of NaBloPoMo March 2015
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How do you get your news?
Do you also use Twitter as a news source?
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