Which news sites use Twitter well, and how do they do it?

September 14, 2010 2:02 PM

Have you seen any sites -- mainstream media or other -- that use Twitter in an innovative way relating to breaking news? I'm especially interested in ways that readers participate, but would also look at ways the sites get the news out to their users. Examples might be the site asks readers to tweet reactions to an earthquake from the scene, or to tweet their picks for an upcoming football game, and the site then uses this information in some way. (Facebook and other social media innovations are also of interest, but mostly looking for Twitter info.) Thanks!
posted by GaelFC to Media & Arts (3 answers total)

Etsy is very good at this, as it relates to "Etsy news", anyway. Right now they're asking those who follow them on Twitter to tweet (to Etsy) shop items available at Etsy that Nancy and Ann Wilson of the band Heart might like, for a contest. They do things like this often using Twitter - asking their followers to chat with a celebrity guest poster or put together collections inspired by a celeb guest or something of that sort. Heart link, Etsy Twitter, Etsy Twitter Feed on Etsy
posted by iconomy at 2:31 PM on September 14, 2010

Fark sends out news flashes if you are a member and ask for them. I just got one (follows, with my info x'd out) they're still the snarky/funny FARK comments, but it's still something.

-------------snip--------------------
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/8003126/Eiffel-Tower-evacuated-after-bomb-alert.html
Eiffel Tower evacuated due to bomb threat. Reporting live from the scene is Fark's correspondent mime. What's happening there, Marcel? ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ." Thanks for the update, Marcel
http://www.fark.com/cgi/comments.pl?IDLink=5621071
http://www.fark.com/
This time, it's not Fark, it's news.
(Fark.com sent this news flash email to: [e-mail])
-------------snip--------------------
posted by ChefJoAnna at 2:47 PM on September 14, 2010

The various local stations of the ABC in Australia (list here) often do this quite well - they ask for feedback on Twitter on breaking news, and report the responses on the radio. And they actually pay attention to the people they follow. A few weeks ago, I tweeted that it was snowing in the suburb where I work. Two minutes later, I see a tweet from my local ABC station (936Hobart) saying "We've read reports it's snowing in Sandy Bay - has anyone got any photos?". It warmed my cockles.
posted by Jimbob at 4:22 PM on September 14, 2010