WSU Newsline: Social media leads communication revolution

The scripts are available for printing and for sound bite identification.

 

Go to http://www.wichita.edu/newsline to get the current Wichita State University Newsline. If you cannot access the Newsline at the Web address above, contact Joe Kleinsasser at (316) 978-3013 or joe.kleinsasser@wichita.edu. Newsline cuts may be edited to suit your needs. If you have additional questions for Lou Heldman after listening to the WSU Newsline, please contact him at (316) 978-6077 or lou.heldman@wichita.edu.

 

Background:

There's no doubt that social media is affecting journalism. Newspaper readership on the Web is growing, but revenues are declining. No one knows for sure where this communication revolution is headed. Lou Heldman, a communications strategist at Wichita State University and former publisher of The Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, talks about the impact of social media on our lives and the media.

 

Voice wrap:

Announcer: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media are having a dramatic impact on the way people get information. Online newspaper readership is growing, but revenues are declining. Lou Heldman, a communications strategist at Wichita State University and former publisher of The Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, says we're seeing the most dramatic shift in journalism since the printing press.

Heldman: "We're in the very earliest stage of the digital revolution. Think of this as 1777. We don't know what kind of country we're going to have. We only know it's going to be different than what we had before."

Announcer: Heldman says the challenge for newspapers is to find a business model. People still want the information that newspapers provide, but now they're getting it for free on the Web. This is Joe Kleinsasser at Wichita State University.

 

Sound bite #1

Heldman says we're seeing the most dramatic shift in journalism since the printing press. The sound bite is 13 seconds and the outcue is "in Philadelphia."

Heldman: "We're seeing the most dramatic shift in journalism since the invention of the printing press. I think Benjamin Franklin would be fascinated to see what's happened since he used to publish his paper in Philadelphia."

 

Sound bite #2

Heldman describes the impact of social media on our lives. The sound bite is 12 seconds and the outcue is "in America."

Heldman: "Social media is being integrated into every aspect of human communication. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn are entering into the mainstream of discussion in America."

 

Sound bite #3

Heldman says the social media has led to freedom of the press for everyone. The sound bite is 9 seconds and the outcue is "streets of Iran."

Heldman: "With social networking we've gone from freedom of the press for those who own one to freedom of the press for everyone. We're seeing that played out right now in the streets of Iran."

 

Sound bite #4

Heldman says we're in the age of continuous partial attention. The sound bite is 12 seconds and the outcue is "run in place."

Heldman: "We've entered the age of continuous partial attention, because it's so hard to keep up with every bit of information coming at us. We strive all day long just to run in place."

 

Sound bite #5

Heldman looks at the challenge of getting news and information via social media. The sound bite is 16 seconds and the outcue is "for themselves."

Heldman: "In a world with millions of sources of information, the hardest thing will be to decide who to trust. The journalism of verification has given people a certain comfort level that information was checked out by professionals. Now it's every person for themselves."

 

Sound bite #6

Heldman says the challenge for newspapers is finding a business model. The sound bite is 12 seconds and the outcue is "pay for it."

Heldman: "The challenge for newspapers is to find a business model. People still want the information that newspapers provide, but now they're getting it for free on the Web. So, who's going to pay for it?"

 

Sound bite #7

Heldman says the communications revolution is going mobile. The sound bite is 10 seconds and the outcue is "to the world."

Heldman: "The communications revolution is going mobile. The most important tool will be the smart phone you carry in your pocket, both for receiving and sending information to the world."