Now, the impulse to use a cool, new toy before we really understand it is universal. But it’s a particular danger in the Fourth Estate — especially for those of us who labor, at least partially, in an old-media environment. If you’re a newspaper employee, for example, you know that your old mode of information delivery is dying. You’re anxious about the future. And this anxiety can make every big technological advance — podcasting, Facebook, Twitter, whatever comes next — look like a potential savior.
In other words, what happened to the Rocky Mountain News’ Morson could have happened to any number of reporters. So let’s not judge him or the paper too harshly. Instead, let’s use their misstep as an opportunity to think hard about when Twitter is an asset and when it’s a liability. As for where reporting sightings of greasy-haired celebrities falls on that continuum, I’ll reserve judgment.
To read the “Don’t Quote Me” blog, go to thePhoenix.com/medialog. Adam Reilly can be reached at areilly[a]phx.com. And yes, you can follow the Phoenix on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bostonphoenix.
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