How do I know what I know?

I’m pretty lucky I get to learn a lot every day as a journalist and social media addict.  In fact, I essentially get paid to learn.  Granted some of it is ridiculous, but some of it really racks my brain.   Due to my ambitious nature I am going to name two things I learned on social media today.  Now, I do understand this may come across as brown-nosing (are you reading Dr. T?), but no one gets ahead in life doing just enough, right?  I’m also hoping my snarkiness comes through in the digital text so you know I’m not being serious!  The truth is I see so much great stuff and so much ridiculous stuff on a daily basis that it's worth pointing out one of each.

  

Championship Branding

Let’s start with something I thought was a fake document, but turned out to be funny and brilliant.  Twitter was on fire last night and this morning with a “get out of work” letter from the U.S. soccer coach.  If you missed it, a picture was spreading quickly on Twitter Wednesday night.  It was a form letter supposedly from U.S. Soccer Coach Jurgen Klinsmann for you to give your boss and beg for time off to watch the critical game against Germany on Thursday.   

I admit it, I thought it was something created by some 15-year-old kid who knows significantly more about computers than I do or probably ever will.  After some searching and going directly to the U.S. Soccer website, I discovered it was created by U.S. Soccer.   In addition, they had posted some videos from comedian and actor Will Ferrell and went on a huge Twitter campaign to garner more than one million followers.  Someone in U.S. Soccer clearly deserves a raise.  Let’s be honest, soccer in the United States is still trying to become of one of the “cool” sports.  Sure, kids play it, but it is not on the same playing field (pun intended) as football, basketball or baseball.  However, with clever social media gimmicks and celebrity content, U.S. Soccer is clearly making the most of World Cup fever, and there’s a chance this branding effort on social media will lure in some long-term fans.

Denied Chicken? 

  

Now for something I learned that lends to the more ridiculous side.  I’ve had a number of friends on Facebook link, like, or share a post related to a girl with permanent facial scarring from a dog mauling who was supposedly denied service at a chain chicken restaurant.  Granted, several news reports covered the alleged incident but after poking around and snooping around, it appears it was never proven accurate.    Yet, I see people continue to post the story and make comments to the effect that the restaurant is “disgusting”, “hateful”, and “I will never eat there again”.  It’s possible it happened, but the problem is people spread the story as if it was a proven fact when it looks more like a he said, she said story.

The Moral of The Story

The moral of the story with these two examples is that new media creates the need in some cases to seek multiple confirmations that information is true.  It’s more and more difficult with social media users spreading misinformation and making judgments without investigating the truthfulness, but it’s the digital world we now live in.  However, social media is also a great way for obtaining credible information if you are getting it from trustworthy sources or are willing to check the reliability of it for yourself.  Basically, my rule is I trust nothing until I can confirm it with multiple trustworthy sources. 

Compact Discs Will Never Last, Sort Of

     When I was 12, my friends were buying this amazing new technology.  You could listen to music and skip to the next song without waiting for it to fast forward.  Compact discs were pretty neat, but I decided to stick with my cassette tapes and not waste my money on this expensive technology that wouldn't last.  Yes, I can hear you laughing at me as I write this post. 
     Needless to say I was wrong and that experience has always played a crucial role in my decision to keep up with the latest technology ever since.  Today, I use a number of new media tools and social media platforms on a daily basis, both personally and professionally
      I admit it, I’m a device junkie.  I own two smart phones, an iPad, a laptop, a smart TV and satellite radio.  Personally, I use cloud computing like ITunes to get my music and documents.  I use the internet to send and receive email.  I use Facebook to keep in touch with family and share my children’s daily lives with their grandparents.  I use apps like Candy Crush and Words with Friends to unwind at the end of the day.  I also use my iPad to read books. 
     Professionally, I use Twitter extensively to produce news, consume news, expand my professional brand, and interact with viewers of my political show.  We use an extensive cloud computing system as well to write and manipulate scripts, edit audio and video, and interact with co-workers. 
     In the “old days” I used to feel naked without my keys in my pocket.  Now, I feel that way without my iPad and smart phones.  It’s fantastic but it’s also created a need to not let it rule my life and take away precious time with my family.
     Social media has greatly changed my perspective of events.   With notifications and the instant nature of Twitter, I find out news faster than ever before.  Ironically, it has made my job tougher as well.  The evolution of social media has created a news consumer that wants accurate and updated news instantly.  Mischievous social media users have created the need for an even stronger system of verification.  Most of all, even with access to millions more around the globe, we are often still isolated in our own circles of contacts.  Instead of visiting dozens of news sites, I get most of my news from clicking on links within Twitter.  I have made it my mission in recent weeks to expand those circles and resources of knowledge.
     In the end, I think new media and social media offer more information and entertainment than ever before, but it also creates the need for strong media literacy skills for new media users, regardless of profession.  By the way, CD's are on their way out but they did survive for 25+ years, so I guess I am still wrong!