One difficulty I've found for broadcasters using social media is an industry-wide unwillingness to recognize/promote content from other local affiliates.

The golden rule of broadcast media is to never, ever mention the competition. If you do, they'll change the channel, of course.

On the Web, I think it's much easier for one newspaper to link to another or a TV station to link to a newspaper, than a TV station to link to another.

TV stations have only go so far when it comes to really embracing social media, but they're great as a way of promoting talent, getting stories before others -- especially if the local newspaper isn't active on the social Web -- and connecting with an audience that will only continue to shrink.
Daniel | Homepage | 06.22.09 - 8:11 am | #

Daniel; You make a really good point here. Television is necessarily, by its model, competitive. The collaborative model of social media is antithesis to its culture. However, it can participate in the community model and this station has done that very well in my view.
Kami Huyse | Homepage | 06.22.09 - 9:54 am | #

If the times are changing, will you bend to change willingly or break in resistance?

Broadcast is changing as the media that people use change. Savvy organizations plan for and welcome this. Many others cling on dearly to what's familiar.

I don't blame them!

Great tips for navigating the waters of "the divide" where it might exist.
Steve Broner | Homepage | 07.15.09 - 10:48 pm | #

Thanks Steve,

Even more than that, I don't think the new ways necessarily completely do away with the old ways. In this case one to one and one to many (broadcast) communication are combining into a many to many model, which is social networking.
Kami Huyse | Homepage | 07.16.09 - 5:06 pm | #