Social media is a phrase being tossed around a lot these days, but it can sometimes be difficult to answer the question of – what is social media?
The best way to define social media is to break it down from a newsroom perspective.
Media is an instrument of communication. Like a newspaper or a radio, social media would be a social instrument of communication.
Its a platform that does not just give you information, but also allows you to interact. This interaction can be as simple as asking for your comments or letting you vote on an article.
Think of regular media as a one-way street where you can read a newspaper or listen to a report on the radio or watch news on television, but you have very limited ability to give your thoughts on the matter.
Social media on the other hand, is a two-way street that gives you the ability to communicate too.
Social media is a very broad term, but it has become a very versatile platform to communicate breaking news fast and effectively. A breaking story can be onto the website within minutes of it breaking, no more waiting for the daily newspaper or the news broadcast on TV. It also allows you, the reader, to report local community news to us immediately, and to interact with us.
What are your thoughts on social media? Are you actively involved in social media? Do you use Facebook, Twitter or any other social media platform? Do you have any questions regarding social media that you would like answered?
Are you aware that the Randburg Sun has a website, Facebook page and a Twitter handle?
Our website not only carries local news, but national and international news, it’s your one-stop news information site.
Our website can be found at www.randburgsun.co.za, or you can follow us on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/randburgsun, or you can follow us on Twitter @randburg_sun
Until next week, keep those social media comments coming in..
