BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media

by Bill Ives

February 18, 2010 at 4:00 am · Filed under FASTforward'09

According to the Guardian (BBC tells news staff to embrace social media), BBC news journalists have been advised to use social media as a primary source of information by Peter Horrocks, the new director of BBC Global News. He took over last week and said it was important for editorial staff to make better use of social media and become more collaborative in producing stories. They quote him, “This isn’t just a kind of fad from someone who’s an enthusiast of technology. I’m afraid you’re not doing your job if you can’t do those things. It’s not discretionary.”

I would agree and have written a bit about how mainstream media does need to get more creative with its use of social media (see Mainstream Media versus Social Media? Not Really the Right Question.). Getting material for articles is one of several ways that traditional television news media needs to make use of social media to survive the social media onslaught.

For BBC news editors, Twitter and RSS readers have now become essential tools and aggregating and curating content with attribution have become essential skills. In addition, BBC’s journalists have to integrate and listen to feedback for a better understanding of how the audience is relating to the BBC brand, another important use of social media for mainstream media.

The BBC also created a social media editor post in October. This is another related trend we have reported on here (see Mainstream Media Take on Social Media Directors).  The Guardian concludes by noting that as technology is changing the nature of journalism, the BBC is trying to keeping up with the pace. Horrocks is quoted again, “If you don’t like it, if you think that level of change or that different way of working isn’t right for me, then go and do something else, because it’s going to happen. You’re not going to be able to stop it.” Ahem.

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laterdazenewsFebruary 10th, 2010 at 2:40 am

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ffblogFebruary 18th, 2010 at 4:00 am

New: : BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media http://www.fastforwardblog.com/2010/02/18/bbc-tells-staff-to-get-with-social-media/

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SEOSpyFebruary 18th, 2010 at 4:02 am

RT @ffblog: BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media http://bit.ly/dnXF6U

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SEM_SEO_PPCFebruary 18th, 2010 at 4:12 am

#socialmedia RT @SEOSpy RT @ffblog: BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media http://bit.ly/dnXF6U

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SocialListenFebruary 18th, 2010 at 4:29 am

BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media http://goo.gl/fb/umRj

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ChrisManet22February 18th, 2010 at 7:20 am

fast forward.. BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media – According to the Guardian (BBC tells news staff to embrac… http://ow.ly/16BHYC

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LibraryStuffFebruary 18th, 2010 at 7:58 am

BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media http://bit.ly/9A6xkn

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JohnFMooreFebruary 18th, 2010 at 8:56 am

Good info @BillIves, BBC staff told to use#social sources: http://bit.ly/bYJOHX

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RussMKFebruary 18th, 2010 at 8:57 am

RT @JohnFMoore: Good info @BillIves, BBC staff told to use#social sources: http://bit.ly/bYJOHX

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danavanFebruary 18th, 2010 at 8:57 am

RT @JohnFMoore: Good info @BillIves, BBC staff told to use#social sources: http://bit.ly/bYJOHX

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constantnosFebruary 18th, 2010 at 9:04 am

RT @JohnFMoore: Good info @BillIves, BBC staff told to use #social sources: http://bit.ly/bYJOHX

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tweeter909February 18th, 2010 at 12:35 pm

The FASTForward Blog » BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media … http://ow.ly/16BNXE

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BillIvesFebruary 18th, 2010 at 1:45 pm

RT @JohnFMoore: Good info @BillIves, BBC staff told to use#social sources: http://bit.ly/bYJOHX thx John

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beingsocialnowFebruary 18th, 2010 at 2:50 pm

BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media – FastForward (blog) http://bit.ly/ahpnlX

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Danne_HotchkissFebruary 18th, 2010 at 3:48 pm

This just in: Guardian reports that BBC journalists have been advised social media are a primary source. http://bit.ly/dchFke

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chantalyFebruary 18th, 2010 at 7:19 pm

@BillIves interesting article on BBC using social media sources http://bit.ly/979Von Blurring lines of journalism/citizen journalism?

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SocialMediaXprtFebruary 18th, 2010 at 7:36 pm

RT @chantaly: @BillIves interesting article on BBC using social media sources http://bit.ly/979Von Blurring lines of journalism/citize…

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BillIvesFebruary 18th, 2010 at 7:38 pm

post on BBC Tells Staff to Get with Social Media http://bit.ly/cI88f2

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SPECKmediaFebruary 21st, 2010 at 11:28 am

BBC to embrace social media http://tinyurl.com/yf6×8cb

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PRwiseFebruary 22nd, 2010 at 1:40 pm

FASTForward Blog: BBC tells staff to get with social media and become more collaborative in producing stories – http://ow.ly/19EKc

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newswiserogerFebruary 22nd, 2010 at 1:40 pm

FASTForward Blog: BBC tells staff to get with social media and become more collaborative in producing stories – http://ow.ly/19EKb

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victordlaminiFebruary 22nd, 2010 at 1:43 pm

RT @PRwise: FASTForward Blog: BBC tells staff to get with social media and become more collaborative in producing stories – http://ow.ly …

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wiseprFebruary 22nd, 2010 at 1:43 pm

RT @PRwise: FASTForward Blog: BBC tells staff to get with social media and become more collaborative in producing stories – http://ow.ly …

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juliettemfFebruary 22nd, 2010 at 1:45 pm

RT @PRwise: FASTForward Blog: BBC tells staff to get with social media and become more collaborative in producing stories – http://ow.ly …

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GagaDjermanovicFebruary 22nd, 2010 at 1:49 pm

RT @PRwise: BBC tells staff to get with social media… http://ow.ly/19EKc

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GramosliFebruary 22nd, 2010 at 2:14 pm

RT @PRwise: BBC tells staff to get with social media… http://ow.ly/19EKc Што е со нашите?

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CBiddleFebruary 22nd, 2010 at 3:04 pm

RT @PRwise: FASTForward Blog: BBC tells staff to get with social media and become more collaborative in producing stories – http://ow.ly …

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citygirlwritesMarch 5th, 2010 at 8:43 am

RT @mednewswise: FASTForward Blog: BBC tells staff to get with social media and become more collaborative in producing stories – http://ow.ly/19EJr

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