tweets and truth
DESCRIPTION
Journalism as a discipline of collaborative verification. Presentation to the Future of Journalism conference, Cardiff University, September 2011.TRANSCRIPT
Tweets and TruthJournalism as a discipline of collaborative verification
Alfred Hermida
Future of Journalism 2011Cardiff University, 8 – 9 September
Social awareness streams• “They disrupt
established concepts of communication, prevailing notions of space and time and the distinction between public and private spheres.”• Arceneaux and Schmitz
Weiss, 2010
Photo: Tasayu Tasnaphun Legay http://www.flickr.com/photos/tasayu/
Facts, truth, realityVerification as the essence of journalism (Kovach and Rosenstiel, 2001)
Photo: MeganMorris http://www.flickr.com/photos/megangoodchild/
Networked architectures• “Journalists must find
tools that will enlist a methodology of verification in a more citizen-oriented way.”• Kovach, 2006
Photo: Haags UitburoTasnaphun http://www.flickr.com/photos/haagsuitburo/
Twitter users as network of news sensorsSakaki et al, 2010
Emerging practices: “Live updates” pages“The unfolding truth in all its guises,” Herrmann, 2009
Photo: United Nations http://www.flickr.com/photos/un_photo/
Discussion• “Facts are messy,
difficult to determine and they are often dependent on interpretation.”• Brennen, 2009
Photo: Rudoni Productions http://www.flickr.com/photos/rudoni/
Discussion• Reporter-curators
“will take advantage of novel ‘verification technologies’ that will be increasingly faster and more reliable and advanced.”• Bruno, 2010
Photo: Greekadman http://www.flickr.com/photos/papazimouris/
Conclusion• Journalism as a
tentative and iterative process where contested accounts are examined and evaluated in public in real-time on social awareness streams.
Photo: Patrick Hoesly http://www.flickr.com/photos/zooboing/
Thank you
• [email protected]• @hermida
• New book out now• All royalties go to Reporters Without Borders