Twitter launches 'best practice' service for news-gatherers

Post by Steven Cox on 6th February 2012
 in Social media, Twitter

Twitter has set up a new account on its service which sets out to exemplify some of the best examples of use of its service by journalists.

The @TwitterforNews feed shows examples from major publishing houses of the ways in which they are harnessing the microblogging site's potential, for both their own and more general use.

Ironically, the launch of the feed comes just days after Twitter CEO Dick Costolo denied his company was a media organisation, saying: "We don't create our own content; we're a distributor of content and traffic".

Among the first content strings to be highlighted on @TwitterforNews was a list compiled by Reuters news agency of the 50 most influential business leaders in the tech sector. The list was topped by Pete Cashmore of Mashable.com, who edged out two true media heavyweights, Oprah Winfrey and Rupert Murdoch.

Analysing Twitter's new function, Gordon Macmillan of Brand Republic magazine, said: "Considering the close relationship that Twitter has with many media companies some might find [Costolo's remark] a strange one.

"It often feels like a media company, but maybe it is more accurate to describe it as a media channel," he added.