Social Media Expert?

I conducted the third 'Social Media' session to my internal team last week mainly focusing on the benefits and power of twitter along with recommendations of how we as a communications department can use the tool. In the afternoon I held a catch up session with my Director of Communications to get him up to speed on how we are currently using it, my research and my recommendations for the future - this generated some positive feedback which I am still contemplating. As I am a placement student I will be leaving the company before September sometime and due to the economic climate they will not be replacing my position. My Director has asked before I leave if I can pass on 'my knowledge and wisdom' to the rest of the marketing and corporate communications associates to ensure that the department continues to move with the times. He expressed that having youth on my side helps with my eagerness to learn and understand social media. As mentioned before his comments got me thinking. All though I am very appreciative of the compliment what qualifies anybody to be a social media 'guru' or 'expert' ? There are no set qualifications to pass nor are there any particular guidelines to follow. An article on ft.com explains how in the current financial climate many organisations and agencies are utilising the use and cost effectiveness of social media tools but "A recent poll of members of the US-based Chief Marketing Officer Council found that a third did not have the internal talent within their marketing departments to engage in new media programmes." What do you determin at internal talent? Someone who can set up a twitter account or someone who uses it effectively? I am sure this is a discussing topic I will have to continue to explore but if anyone can please enlighten me as to how you graduate from the knowledge of social media then please do get in touch. In the mean time I'm off to pack my bags for social media freshers week!

Local Newspapers on the Way Out?

Interestingly enough, last year while at university I enjoyed a talk by the ex-business editor of the Yorkshire Evening Post. He was explaining in depth how the traditional print newspapers may soon be on the way out. At first I was outraged – why would we never want to pay an interest in the news but the more he explained the more it made sense. While sitting at our desks – if we are seen to have an open paper in front of us we are deemed to be wasting time where as if we are looking at our computer screens, searching through Facebook for all our employers know, we are seen to be working. Now, more and more people are receiving their news from the internet – google homepage, the newspapers own websites with far more interactive material. That was a year a go.

Now, I am the first to admit that I gain most of my newsworthy knowledge not only from newspapers own websites but from sources such as twitter and RSS feeds too. I very rarely buy a paper copy of the paper in the week any more simply collecting news items throughout the day electronically.

I was shocked and saddened by the recent announcements of redundancies at Archant’s offices in Norfolk who publish the Eastern Daily Press(EDP) and the Evening News not just because of the obvious negative impact on the people involved but because this is my local paper. Was the editor mentioned previously above right? Is print fading away and fast?

A group was set up on Facebook by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) regarding the amount of redundancies originally announced. On the 16th March Archant retracted their statement and reduced the redundancies by 20 people all due to the support raised from the group. The power of the latest media trend really does fill me with hope. Not only has it got so much power behind it but it was used to support an industry supposedly it is replacing which brings me on to my final point? Is there not enough room for both mediums?

I joke with my mum how the major headline on the local paper never reflects what is happening in the outside world, in the BBC News it will be ‘Interest rates drop to 1.5%’ where as the local paper will lead with ‘Dolly the sheep found live and well’ but all joking aside does it need to? it does fulfil a purpose, It delivers local news to local people. I am the first to believe that this recession will end businesses which should probably end anyway (I am awaiting a barrage of abuse as I write) allowing other businesses to get stronger -a business law of nature if you will but in this case I have to say...Long live the local paper!

Media Guardian has published an interesting podcast involving discussion around the death of local media., to listen to it please click here