Is Twitter the future of breaking news?
omgg , my aunt tiffany who work for whitney houston just found whitney houston dead in the tub . such ashame & sad :-(
— Aja Dior M. (@AjaDiorNavy) February 12, 2012
My sources say Whitney Houston found dead in Beverly hills hotel.. Not in the news yet!!
— Big Chorizo (@chilemasgrande) February 12, 2012
BREAKING: Publicist Kristen Foster says singer Whitney Houston has died at age 48
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 12, 2012
Does this further enforce the suggestion that Twitter is the future of breaking news?
News organizations don’t seem to want to accept this idea. Some, such as Sky News, made headlines recently for new, strict Twitter policies. Part of the reason might be because breaking news on Twitter is tricky.
Sure, it allows reporters to share a scoop with their readers but if you’re inaccurate, watch out. Look at the fiasco that ensued after CBS Sports falsely reported Joe Paterno had died. A reporter lost his job and the network was harshly criticized.
What do you think? Should news organizations utilize Twitter more for breaking news or
is it better to play it safe?
— EZ
