New BBC Director Mandates Journalists Use Social Media  

Peter Horrocks assumed the position of director of BBC Global News last week, and he’s not wasting time with niceties. The self-proclaimed technology enthusiast is telling journalists to get with the social media program or get out.

The new director told the Guardian, “This isn’t just a kind of fad… I’m afraid you’re not doing your job if you can’t do those things. It’s not discretionary.”

On the social media front, Horrocks appears to take the stance that Twitter (), RSS readers and other social media tools are extremely valuable news-gathering resources essential to the output of journalists working in these digital times.

Read more here.

It is true that there is a lot of information to be found via social media. It will keep most people up to date on what's going on around the world. But, is that to say that a journalist, someone who is paid to disseminate accurate information, should rely on it? Should their job status be based on it if they can dig up the same information in a timely fashion in other ways? Technology has come far enough to suggest that one does not absolutely have to use Twitter to be on top of things. It may come quicker but at what expense? Oftentime when something is heavily tweeted, some of the information is wrong and at some point, there is a wave of people who have to come in and refute it.

Social media is definitely a great resource and should be used. It gives you information quickly, however I think in a professional arena, more precaution should be taken before abandoning trusted resources.