Sohaib Athar, or @ReallyVirtual as he is known in the world of Twitter, was in the right place at the right time. When he posted on his account about hearing helicopters circling Abbottbad, Athar became the first reporter to cover one of the most impactful news events in recent memory.
The Osama raid is just one example of an event that the majority of college students were first made aware of via Twitter or other social networking sites, if only from seeing friends posts. The accessibility of Twitter means people everywhere can receive news quicker and from a wider array of sources. But Jack Dorsey, Executive Chairman of Twitter, first created the site as a communication tool.
“I use Twitter more because it’s entertaining,” says Alicia MacDonald, a sophomore at Gordon College. “It doesn’t really change the way I access news, except for sometimes when I check something out that’s trending that I maybe wouldn’t have otherwise.”
There’s no denying the advantage this real time reporting tool can provide for the news industry. It allows journalists to share their thoughts, stories, articles, pictures, videos instantly with anyone who cares to see them. For busy college students with little to no free time, speed and accessibility is everything.
“I would definitely say that Twitter has changed the way I get my news,” says Dave Hanson, a Gordon College sophomore. “In todays day and age all sorts of information is available at our fingertips. Twitter definitely keeps me more informed on whatever is happening in the world.”
Local newspapers like the Salem News are fully embracing this reporting revolution. Their twitter profile @salemnewssports provides regular sports updates and in-game coverage of both high school and college level teams on the North Shore.
The immensity of Twitter means there is something there for everyone. The site will continue to thrive because so many enjoy the ease of sharing information with each other.
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