Carla Correa is the community coordinator for entertainment at the Baltimore Sun. She signed up for Twitter last year. (Photo: Carla Correa)
Carla Correa, community coordinator for entertainment at The Baltimore Sun, uses Twitter daily and urges students to utilize the social networking tool.
Just some background: What is your position at the Baltimore Sun? How long have you been working there? When did you first sign up for a Twitter account?
I am the community coordinator for entertainment at The Baltimore Sun. I’ve held this position since May; before that, I was a copy editor and slot editor. I started working at The Sun in 2004, after I graduated from school. As a community coordinator, it’s my job to promote Sun work and the Sun brand via the Web and social media. So Twitter is a big part of my job. I believe I signed up for Twitter last winter.
How do you use Twitter in your job as a journalist?
I use Twitter every day on the job. I have a personal account, but I also help to maintain the @BaltSunArts account, which I use to promote the arts and entertainment stories posted on baltimoresun.com. We have almost 1,500 followers on that account; @baltimoresun has several thousand more than that. Depending on the day, we’ll link to up to seven or so stories. I also use the account to make connections in the community (I follow many arts-and-entertainment types, as well as almost everyone in the area who follows me). Furthermore, I use it to promote events that the community coordinator/social media team hosts and to find sources for reporters. If I see something interesting being talked about on Twitter, I might pass that along to others in the newsroom. Finally, we can “live tweet” events that people may be especially interested in following in real time.
Has anything about using Twitter (or other social media sites) surprised you?
I’m surprised at how much news I find out via Twitter (for example, Michael Jackson’s death). I’m also pleased about how friendly and knowledgeable people are. Some dismiss Twitter as a place for mindless chatter or self-indulgent people who report on what they ate for dinner. But if you follow the right people, you discover worthy information. A big part of Twitter is sharing interesting links. There are also several meetups, or “tweetups,” every year. It’s a great way to meet people who are interested in The Baltimore Sun and what we do.
Do you think it’s important for student journalists to understand and utilize social media?
It is vital for student journalists to understand social media. How many young people do you know who pick up a daily newspaper? Probably not many. We click on Facebook links, read blogs, etc. Also, I think young journalists should be open to learning about any new and innovative ways to share their work. In the past, stories were published in print, and maybe people would remember your byline. Now, student journalists can promote their multimedia work (writing, video, photo) on several different platforms. Social media is a great way for journalists to build a community and a personal brand.
What is the most important advantage of using social media in journalism?
The most important advantage of using social media in journalism is that it brings new users to your site; it increases the potential that your stories will be read and discussed.
Follow Carla on Twitter
