#SMCakl 3 - Social Media in Journalism

On Tuesday 13 April, Social Media Club - Auckland had its third catch-up.

The theme for the evening was 'Social Media in Journalism' with 4 keynote speakers quite well-known within media circles and very well-informed:





Glenn Williams, an Radio Disc Jockey at Kiwi FM
While its still early days, and we are all learning more about it everyday, Social Media has helped me build a community and get closer to my listeners. As you know, radio is all about audience feedback.

Ben Gracewood, Software Developer/ Gadget Reviewer, TVNZ
Social Media is all about the people. It's about doing what we normally do as humans. Used correctly, it can be a powerful tool but at the end of the day, it's just that... another tool. And yes, be honest!

Chris Keall, Head of Technology and Digital Editor at NBR
Nowadays, it's always a race against time about who's breaking the news first. While Social Media cannot replace quality journalism, it's sped things up a bit. Keeps us on our toes. Much busier too!

Nigel Horrocks, Radio NZ Tech Speaker/ Consultant, AikenStix
Social Media is evolving and as yet does not offer a tried, tested revenue model. Transparency is double-edged. Corporates need to strategise and be prepared for negative response.
 
 

The evening was hosted by Simon Young
 
The talks were followed by an interactive Q&A round where audience members shot back some loaded counterpoints. Click here to watch more videos on Justin Flitter's blog.

While the evening went off very well, it raised an interesting point:
 
Is Social Media too vast, undefined and amorphous to be discussed under one theme? Is SM too thinly spread to be discussed under one specific industry, in this case journalism? SMC Auckland's founder, Alex Erasmus has neatly blogged it up here.

Fast forward to Monday 19 April, the SMC committee met to discuss topics, venues and to work out the admin & logistics for upcoming events. A productive one hour, the brainstorm included Vaughn Davis, Nigel Horrocks, Alex Erasmus, Nicholas O' Flaherty and yours truly.

As an avid blogger, ardent advocate and keen observer of Social Media, I'm happy to note that attendance to the Auckland chapter of the Social Media Club is steadily growing. So is the community.

The next catch-up (#SMCakl 4) is on May 11 (always the second Tuesday of the month). Visit the Facebook profile here to join in. Keep an eye out for updates on future events.