Brodeur, along with its partner Marketwire, recently announced the results of a study that examined journalists’ relationships with new media. The survey showed that reporters’ perceptions and participation within social media sites and blogs correlates with their beats.
A total of 451 interviews were conducted about reporting in the areas of politics, lifestyle, technology, health care and travel. Among the findings:
• Nearly half (47%) of all technology reporters and more than one-third (38%) of political reporters said they blogged as part of their reporting;
• Over half of all reporters from all beats said social media and blogs are having a positive influence on the editorial direction of reporting;
• More than two-thirds of political reporters (77%) and half of lifestyle reporters (53%) felt that social media had a negative impact on the tone of coverage in their area;
• Health care, travel and tech reporters were more likely to say that social media had a net positive impact on the tone of coverage in their area;
• More than two-thirds (67%) of lifestyle reporters said that social media was having a negative impact on the accuracy of reporting in their area; and,
• About the same percentage (64%) said it was having a negative impact on the quality of lifestyle reporting.
Source: Brodeur