In lieu of Weekly Roundup today, I'm going to sum up a bit about what was discussed at Social Media Breakfast (SMBMSP) this morning. This was my first trip to SMBMSP and it was a lot of fun. Coffee, food and smart minds talking about social media. Today's topic was on the Public Media and if these folks have to behave any differently than those people and organizations whose bottom lines are mostly financial. They also talked about the pull and balance between personal and professional duties (is there even any difference?).
The speakers: David Brauer (MinnPost), Mary LaHammer (tpt), John Daenzer (tpt), Jonathan Kealing (Public Radio International), John Moe (American Public Media) and Julia Schrenkler (MPR). Phil Wilson (RemainComm) moderated. (Disclosure: American Public Media is Greenspring Media's, which produces this magazine, parent company.)
While the topic of today's breakfast may not necessarily have to do with meetings and events, I'm sure many of our readers follow the speakers, or at least the speakers' organizations, on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc. It's very interesting to hear their thoughts on why and how they do the things they do.
Some highlights:
+ "Social media enhances my work as a journalist. It doesn't diminish it." John Moe.
+ "There's no separation between Mary LaHammer the anchor and Mary LaHammer the person." Mary LaHammer.
She includes pictures of her daughter on Facebook because viewers watched her on the air "grow this child." Her 6-year-old even gets stopped on the street for her autograph! She's also non-partisan in life just like she is at work. She never tells anyone who she votes for.
+ Mary said that she can get way more responses to her personal, not-relevant-to-the-job posts/updates/tweets than she ever does on a political blog post she writes. (We understand, Mary!)
+ David Brauer says he puts a lot of work into Twitter (his favorite form of social media). "It's about creating an honest relationship with the people you cover and who follow you." He also used the phrase "radical transparency." He will use quotes/sources in his stories that he finds on Twitter.
+ Event related! Julia with MPR talked about how they encourage people to tweet during concerts and events. She said it's important to "give your audience permission" to use social media, or else they won't, too afraid it's taboo.
+ Jonathan Kealing's favorite form of social media is Twitter, particularly the search function. It's a way for him to "tap into a collective thought process" and find information. "My best sources are the people I've never met before."
+ John Daenzer also likes Twitter for the hashtag. He like the way you can incorporate that into TV and other forms of media. "We don't think of social media as a separate entity."
+ Mary also talked about the multitasking that comes with social media. She can be at a speech or a meeting and be taking notes, asking questions, listening(!), tweeting, updating to Facebook, blogging and more. She was on this panel and still following people on Twitter and tweeting while up in front of the room. It's a busy life.
All in all, a very interesting discussion. Audience members tweeted and RT'd throughout the discussion. The host facility, tpt, even created a Twitter Mad Libs (#tptmadlibs) game to distracts us from the speakers. We sat in a sound proof staging room, which was kind of cool. (My toddler would've loved the huge Big Bird and Elmo on the walls in the hallway!) A great chance to get out of the office and learn a little something. The next SMBMSP will be in March.
-- Amanda Fretheim Gates
Managing Editor
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