User Video and Photo Submissions
Social media allows for access to more content then we've ever had. Much of that content is video. Ask any t.v. news photog who is the busiest in the newsroom and they'll tell you it's them. Why, because every story requires video. Why not open up the box and look for more ways to incorporate user video? Set up a segment designed specifically for online submissions (This will help explain away less-than professional video production) and begin to use sources from the community. Allow users to upload video directly to your website and share it from there. imagine how easy you just made finding video and photos of events.
Newscast Follow Up
It's been proven online time and again that news straight from the source is far more believable. Take your t.v. website to the next level with comments and forums surrounding the major stories of the night. Registered users can comment on stories, police officers or featured people can give their two-cents about what happened - i.e.the school strike, the new town hall construction, etc. More content will grow from furthering the conversation. Someone will have another perspective, and they won't be as guarded with information when sharing via the web. Set the ground rules- anything posted here is property of "Insert station name here".
Open Up Conversation w/ Real-Time Viewer Comments
We've all seen the scaled-down, edited comments that make the air, but what if they were real-time? Perhaps filtered for bad, or vulgar content and then posted live on a ticker, or in an update box in the corner of the screen. Think Twitter or FriendFeed directed at specific stations or viewing areas. Maybe limit the Tweets to reporters who are out in the field. They could use Twitterfone to send real-time updates from the scene of a fire, or post the local university's next touchdown as it happens.
Experiment Now and Be Better For It
Perhaps social media will add to the chaos that is t.v. news, but maybe it will set your station apart from the next. Maybe you'll discover more applications for social media in your newscast and more importantly, maybe you'll find a way to generate revenue from adding social media to the mix? Now is the time to start experimenting. Your audience is open to new things and will appreciate your willingness to include them in the conversation.
Blogger's Note: Early on in my career, I was an anchor and reporter for the CBS affiliate in Montana. It was a crash course in shooting, editing, reporting and anchoring every element of news, sports and even weather. I'm not a television expert, just a social media and PR fanatic who wants to see every element of news media adapt to new media.
Knowing what I know now, it's just a matter of time before social media makes a visible impact on television news too.
Original post on PitchEngine