Rules of Engagement

Social media is a powerful force- breaking down barriers of discussion that were at one time insurmountable. Cruising the Cayman Islands and want to to share your pics with family? Post them on your blog. Or post them on your Facebook wall. Or now, share it almost instantly with a community of squid lovers as a TwitPic. Innovation has changed the rules of engagement. For the better.

What makes Twitter a different breed of social media cat is the instant, direct dialogue platform it creates. Take the Roger Clemens interview on ESPN yesterday. As soon as the disgraced former pitcher was on the air--continuing to deny he ever used steroids--reaction was flying all over in the form of Tweets. The dialogue was not what you would see in a discussion board or comment section of a blog posting. No, it was real time, Q & A back and forth just as if you were knocking back a few barley molds with your buddies at the tavern.

Even the media was engaged-- reporters were Tweeting with each other, commenting on the absurdity of Clemens continued non-mea culpa but also making suggestions about story angles/takes on the news.

Innovation is taking on many forms in this era of digital journalism. Be on the lookout as it may be under your nose. And if so, be sure you Tweet about it.

Social Media Scientist

I've always been a big believer in "educational equity". To me, this is defined by the accumulation of knowledge from continued exposure to new ideas. This weekend, I attended the Society of Professional Journalists' seminar in Indianapolis. After sitting in on 4 sessions Saturday, I've got enough equity to buy a 4 bedroom condo in Manhattan.

I'll have posts related to the seminar all week, but up first is one on Dr. Victor Hernandez.

Full disclosure- Hernandez is not a doctor, nor does he have his P.H.D. No, he is an executive with CNN in charge of domestic newsgathering. A heavy hitter. Hernandez gave an hour or so presentation titled "Journalism 3.0" where he shared his viewpoints on social media and it's impact on the media industry. His message- if you are not engaged via social networking in some capacity, you will cease to become relevant. He talked extensively about Twitter, which is growing faster than any social networking site. Here are some quick tips shared by Hernandez--or tweets for those of you hip to the twit-lingo--on using Twitter:

1. For acquiring new and useful information. This was Hernandez's favorite reason for using Twitter.

2. For crowd sourcing. Hernandez heads up logistics for CNN's hurricane road shows and uses Twitter to not only organize these massive live events, but for connecting with their audience.

3. As a tool to further promote great work or endeavors. If you read something online, or happen to come across a terrific piece of video, Twitter is a useful platform to virally spread this information.

Hernandez made a point of emphasizing to separate the technology from the content. Sure, use social media devices such as Twitter to vet a story. But we still need skilled journalists to write and report.

How to Start Your Own ESPN

If you watch ESPN as much as I do--what is exactly on the other 300 channels anyway?--you understand the power of branding. ESPN is a content factory, a media behemoth that not only delivers news, it frames the daily dialogue about the news. It got me thinking- how can someone without the ESPN brand behind them have the same reach and market penetration? Just because you don't have millions of cable subscribers or PTI, doesn't mean you can't have an impact. Here are 3 quick steps journalists can take to develop their own ESPN brand:

1. Understand and Use Technology More journalism schools are finally catching about the importance of inserting technology into curriculum's. I am in grad school now just for this reason. The tech skills I learned at Michigan State in the early to mid-90's--how to shoot on a 3/4" camera--would be like giving your child an abacus to teach them how to count. Take an editing or web design class, subscribe to blogs like Tech Crunch. Read BreakingTweets. Don't be afraid of technology, embrace it.

2. Harness the power of Social Media OK, so you are on Facebook and maybe you are Twittering by now. But how are you using them both? There is a difference between being on both and actually getting value. Reach out to other journalists you like and offer to Tweet one of their articles. Join a Facebook page such as the In Denver Times and show support for their new business model. Giving before you receive is a lockstep creed in social media. Provide value first, then you will get it back. Many times over.

3. ABM- Always Be Marketing One of the things that makes ESPN so powerful is they have acquired "top of the mind awareness". When A-Rod admits to juicing, when T.O. pops off, where is our cable landing strip? ESPN, without blinking. This didn't happen overnight. They've been around for 30 years. Thanks to technology, you don't have to wait that long. When you publish content, be sure people know about it. Check out sites like RyanStephensMarketing.com and this one on how to virally market your content.

In today's media, your shelf life is no longer dependent on just your ability to be a good journalist. You must also think like an entrepreneur.