Journalist Roles on Twitter

Annual conference of the Swiss Association of Communication and Media Research (SACM),26 - 27 March 2010

at Lucerne School of Business

Jana Ebermann1, Matthes Fleck1, Miriam Meckel1, Thomas Plotkowiak1, Katarina Stanoevska-Slabeva1,2

1 Institut für Medien- und Kommunikationsmanagement, Universität St. Gallen2 AJM, Universität Neuenburg

2

Introductory Video – Tagesschau on Twitter and Iran

3

Agenda

• Background on Twitter

• Theoretical Background of the study

• Research Methodology

• Results

• Limitations, Discussion, and Outlook

4

How Conversation on Twitter looks like

5

Emerging Media Ecosystem (Bowman & Willis 2005)

6

Theoretical Background

Theory (Author) Context Conceptualization within Twitter

Original "Two-Step flow of communication"(Katz & Lazarsfeld 1948/1955)

Media impact studies, Psephology

Information flow via opinion leaders

Opinion Sharing Model (among others: Grefe & Müller 1976, Troldahl & Van 1965, Wright & Cantor 1967)

Media impact studies Information via linked opinion leaders

Brokerage and Closure (Burt)Intra and inter group communication processes (Weimann 1982)

Network Science

Search patterns for opinion leader within networks (in and between groups)

7

Methodology | Operationalization

1 • Which Twitter accounts refer to Iran?

2 • How is Mackey linked to accounts referring to Iran?

3 • How does Mackey forward the information from the sources to his readers?

4 • Which of Mackey's readers are interested in Iran?

5 • How is Mackey connecting sources on Iran with his readership?

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1. Which are the most relevant twitter Iran accounts? Starting with 2 Mio tweets, we extracted the 100 most relevant Twitter Iran sources.

*Webecology Project (Beilin et al. 2009)

Period of data collection 07.06.2009 - 26.06.2009:

1

Over 2.000.000 Iran related tweets*

480.000 Twitter accounts

200 most active users

100 most relevant users

#iranelection, #neda, #mousavi, #gr88and keywords: Ahmadinejad, Rafsanjani,

..

most tweets, most retweets

at least 1 Iran keyword / tweetstrongly Iran related

user generated content

9

2. How is Mackey linked to accounts referring on Iran?Analysis of Mackey's friends (sources) on Twitter

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2

Iran sources

Robert Mackey

10

andrewbaron

boonspoon

cyclingfansanon

dangerroom

dansaltzstein

drewvigal

gabrieldance

iranelection09

iranriggedelect

irondukes

jimbradysp

jimsciuttoabc

jkny

jodikantor

jodyrosen

julietmacur

laraabcnews

madyar

mousavi1388

nyvelocity

oliviama

omidhabibinia

persiankiwi

reuters_iran

reutersflash

robertmackey

rueby

silencematters tehranbureau

thelede

travisfox

vschn31d3r

worldnewsblog

zahra_sethna

NY Times

Washington Post

Wired

Iran sources

Other

Reuters

2

Robert Mackey's friends (sources) on Twitter

2. How is Mackey linked to accounts referring on Iran?Mackey has chosen 12 highly relevant Iran twitter sources.

11

robertmackey

theledeThe Lede

Blog

.. NYTBlogs & sections

… dedicated NYTtwitter outlets

@ mention

friends on twitter

New York Times context

automatic tweet

twitter account Blog orsectionlegend:

automatic tweet

3

Robert Mackeys Twitter Account(s)

3. How does Mackey forward the information from the sources to his readers?Mackey uses his blog to post about Iran and then links to his postings on Twitter.

12

• The blog contains over 51 entries related to the Iran election• Almost 60% of those blog entries show mentions of Twitter users.• 469 tweets on the twitter account thelede link to the blog• Mackey's personal account robertmackey contains mostly (92%) tweets

mentioning the twitter account thelede

• Some examples:– "More from the Twitter feed of Persiankiwi, apparently finding a way to get online in

Tehran: “We have heard what sounds like gunshots in distance. still have people on streets we have not heard from.” (Date 15.06.2009: Updates on Iran´s disputed election.)

– "Earlier on Sunday one Iranian Twitter user, using the name Change_For_Iran, tweeted: “according to rumor mousavi requested all people to gather near his office at 12:30 pm today.” (Date13.06.2009, Landslide or Fraud? The debate online over Iran´s election results.)

33. How does Mackey forward the information from the sources to his readers?Almost 60% of his Iran related blog entries show mentions of Twitter users as sources.

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4

not interested

interested

4. How interested are his readers in the Iran topic?Analysis of Mackey's followers (readers) on Twitter

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3va8j6

7homaslin

adriant123

ahess247

alsfoundation

amyoleary

andyshawchicago

andytarradath

ankerostek

ann1388

arartplatform

arieljojo

arielkaminer

ashantiomkar

azadehensha

azadi_iranemanbenwikler

billhorn123

biziwoman

bkatzoom

blakehounshell

brianstelter

bubba_rocks

cabara

cadabler

calblooms

catrineinhorn

charleswmwilsonchriss_huetter

chuckdizzle78

ciberjosh

ckopf1

clementinenyc

cliffordlevy

crca

cseresnyescullengifford

cvvalencia

dailytracy76

damiencave

danellepugh100

dansaltzstein

davidjlowe

dayshaeaddknyt

democraticiran

denverbutson

drjjoyner

dubailife

eavidanegoode

esquiremag

eva5g

faghatfreedom

fczion

fionaspruillfirstdigg

flora283

flownjoe

frasere

freeiran17

gabrieldance

gelatinous_cubeginger_jul

gmolepske

godlovesiran

gogreenstudentsgood_egg

gus4mayor

heathercmoore

heradelhizadeh

hspr_public

huffpolitics

hyattbass

imperialprops

innovativeinter

iranlaya

iranloveforever

iranriggedelect

irondukes

janetkim

jazzzhand

jcklaus

jdavidgoodmanjellisy

jesdewi

jewel1361

jfknyc

jigarmehtajimbradysp

jodikantor

jodyrosen

joelindsey

joemasa

jollyjodi

josephbtreaster

joshhaner

jrahbar

julesbm

julietgo

kankiknight

katieobnyc

kesuram

lawasserman

leroytexas

lilliensternus

lindayy2001

lindyroman925

lisaiaboni

lisatozzi

lizettek

lmanly12

loesvandokkumlovelljoel

lowrycrook

lpcoger

lydiapolgreen

madnycmadyar

magdamaemaggiedebarra

magicpopcorn

marcossalazar

mariliamartins

mericson

metaschultz330

michaelluo

mikekfoley

mikesalzburg

mikesheehan

mirz1

mixedmagazinemoniquesavin

msilvacosta

mswisstooth

muckrack

nadaudi

nancydonaldson

nerory_

newmaria

note_wellnph

nyt_jenpreston

obrien685

okc_misssass

oliviama

oliviertesquetpanama08

pateisemann

patrickdevenny

paty_r07

paultough

persepolitan

plunkplakzum

rashantha

raydoustdarrealize_ink

rebeccagates

rhjournalism

rmschneiderman

robertmackey

roessler

rueby

rworth43

sarahk11

saraivry

sashakselasielove

sewell_chan

sheydajahanbin

silencematters

skip1776

snigdhak

speakhealthssangbarta

stacygreen

superstringer

taghreedgaza

tamildiaspora

taraparkerpope

thegarance

thereseborchard

tigerbeat

timothypost

tokyoshopping

travisfox

troll100

turidemotix

tyronerubin

ukinusa

vasugi

wirecooper

world_united

wscs2010

xoix

yoda718

zahra_sethna

not interested

interested

Size by keyword count

44. How interested are his readers in the Iran topic?Based on keyword usage, we identified non-interested, interested, and very interested readers.

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5. How is Mackey connecting sources on Iran with his readers?Analysis of linkage between Iran sources and Mackey's Iran interested followers on Twitter .

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5

Iran sources

Iran interested readers

Very Iran interested readers

16

adriennevergara

ahess247

ahuramazda

akhormani

alyssa_milano

amadril

amnesty

ann1388

anncurry

arartplatform

arieljojo

ashantiomkar

austinheap

azadi_iraneman

azarnoush

b2020

barbradbenwikler

blakehounshell

breakingtweets

brianstelter

cabara

cally8

cbn2

change_for_iran

christmasfairie

chuckdizzle78

ciberjosh

ckopf1

clementinenyc

cnnbrk

cvvalencia

damiencave

dansaltzstein

davidjlowe

dayshaea

dcb23

democraticiran

deskprotestor

dominiquerdr

dputamadre

dreadedcandiru

drjjoyner

dubailife

eavidan

eforsaith

elizrael

eruanne

esquiremag

eva5g

faghatfreedom

fingertipnews

firstdigg

flowersophy

frasere

freedomist

freeiran17

gabrieldance

ghibliblog

godlovesiran

good_egg

greentips1388guardiannews

hardknoxfirst

henksijgers

hizadeh

huffpoliticshyattbass

iran

iran09

iran88 iranbaan

irancomment

irandemokratia

iranelection09

iranliveupdates

iranloveforever

irannewsnow

iranrevol

iranrevolution

iranriggedelect

irantweet

iranwwp

jadi

janetkim

jewel1361

jigarmehta

jilevin

jimbradysp

jimsciuttoabc

jkslouth

joannemichele

jodikantor

jodyrosen

joelindsey

jollyjodi

josephbtreaster

judyrey

jurassicpork59

kankiknight

katrinskaya

katriord

laraabcnews

lawasserman

lilymazahery

lotfan

lowrycrook

lpcoger

m47713

madnyc

madyar

magnolia_tree

mariliamartins

metabolica

michaelluo

mikesalzburg

mikesheehan

mirz1

mitrajoon

moniquesavin

morajameslaw

motoko_nl

mousavi1388

msilvacosta

msvfab

muckrack

mumke

mwolda

naseemfaqihi

neosin

nerory_

newmaria

nihonmama

noexpaffiliates

note_well

nph

nyt_jenpreston

octavianasrcnn

oli2be

oliviama

oliviertesquet

oxfordgirl

patrickdevenny

persepolitanpersiankiwi

plunkplakzum

protesterhelp

raydoustdar

realize_ink

rebeccagates

robertmackey

roessler

saeedjabbar

sarah_onweb

saraivry

sashak

sashakane

shahrzadmo

sheydajahanbinsp4rrowh4wk

stacygreen

stavasoli

stopahmadi

stopahmadi2

susanneure

tajaviolettatamildiaspora

tedchris

tehranbureau

tfsalomon

thefatherland

thegarance

thereseborchard

thetilo

tigerbeat

timobriennyttimothypost

tollwut

turidemotix

ukinusa

unstrung

vasugi

veganswines

void00110000

westandas1

winston80

xoix zahra_sethna

Iran sources

Iran Interested readers

Very Iran interested readers

5

Iran sources, Robert Mackey and his Iran interested followers on Twitter

5. How is Mackey connecting sources on Iran with his readers?For interested readers Mackey plays an intermediate role, but very interested readers prefer to use the original sources instead.

17

5.1 How is Mackey connecting sources on Iran with his readership?Can we find a group where the pattern of a broker is more emergent?

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5.1

Iran sources

Iran interested NY Times colleagues

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5.1 How is Mackey connecting sources on Iran with his readership? Robert Mackey acts as a broker for his colleagues, the NY Times journalists.

ahuramazda

akhorm ani

amadril

amnesty

austinheap

azarnoush

b2020

brianstelter

cabara

cally8

cbn2

change_ for_ iran

christmasfairie

damiencave

dansaltzstein

dcb23

deskprotestor

dominiquerdr

dputamadre

dreadedcandirueforsaith

elizrael

eruanne

flow ersophy

freedom ist

gh ib lib log

greentips1388

hardknoxfirst

henksijgers

iran

iran09iran88

irandemokratia

iranelection09

iranliveupdates

iranrevol

iranrevolution

iranriggedelect

irantw eet

iranw w p

jad i

j igarm ehta

j ilevin

jkslouth

joannem ichele

jodikantor

josephbtreasterjudyrey

jurassicpork59

katrinskaya

katriord

lilymazahery

lotfan

m47713

m adyar

magnolia_ tree

m etabolica

m ichaelluo

mitrajoon

m orajam eslaw

motoko_ nl

mousavi1388

m svfab

m umke

m w olda

naseemfaqihi

n ihonmama

noexpaffi liates

nyt_ jenpreston

oli2be

persiankiw i

protesterhelp

robertm ackey

saeedjabbar

sarah_ onw eb

sashakane

shahrzadmo

sp4rrow h4w k

stavasoli

stopahm adi

stopahm adi2

susanneure

tajavioletta

tedchris

tehranbureau

tfsalomon

thefatherland

thetilo

to llw ut

unstrung

void00110000w estandas1

zahra_ sethna

NY Tim es Iran Interested

Iran Sources

ahuramazda

akhormani

amadril

amnesty

austinheap

azarnoush

b2020

brianstelter

cabara

cally8

cbn2

change_for_iran

christmasfairie

damiencave

dansaltzstein

dcb23

deskprotestor

dominiquerdr

dputamadre

dreadedcandirueforsaith

elizrael

eruanne

flowersophy

freedomist

ghibliblog

greentips1388

hardknoxfirst

henksijgers

iran

iran09iran88

irandemokratia

iranelection09

iranliveupdates

iranrevol

iranrevolution

iranriggedelect

irantweet

iranwwp

jadi

jigarmehta

jilevin

jkslouth

joannemichele

jodikantor

josephbtreasterjudyrey

jurassicpork59

katrinskaya

katriord

lilymazahery

lotfan

m47713

madyar

magnolia_tree

metabolica

michaelluo

mitrajoon

morajameslaw

motoko_nl

mousavi1388

msvfab

mumke

mwolda

naseemfaqihi

nihonmama

noexpaffiliates

nyt_jenpreston

oli2be

persiankiwi

protesterhelprobertmackey

saeedjabbar

sarah_onweb

sashakane

shahrzadmo

sp4rrowh4wk

stavasoli

stopahmadi

stopahmadi2

susanneure

tajavioletta

tedchris

tehranbureau

tfsalomon

thefatherland

thetilo

tollwut

unstrung

veganswines

void00110000westandas1

zahra_sethna

Iran sources

Iran Interested NY Times colleagues

5.1

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Wrap up and Results

• Out of 480.000 Iran twitterers, we extracted the 100 most relevant Twitter sources contributing to this topic.

• Mackey himself has chosen 12 highly relevant Iran twitter sources.• Almost 60% of his Iran related blog entries show mentions of twitter

users as sources.• He uses his blog to post about Iran topics and then links to his

postings on twitter.• Based on keyword usage, his Iran interested twitter followers can be

categorized into interested and very interested readers.• While Mackey plays an intermediate role for interested readers, very

interested readers prefer to use the original sources instead.• For his colleagues - the group of Iran interested NY Times journalists

- Robert Mackey acts as strong intermediary.

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Limitations & Implications• Limitations

– Single-case design, – Other sources than Twitter exist

• Implications – Practical

• Twitter as an outlet for journalists (binding element among social media platforms)• Interconnected media ecosystem with varying roles in media production and

consumption processes• Journalists can save cognitive work for their readers by selecting the right sources and

professionally filtering content.• Building one's own brand as a trusted expert becomes more relevant.

– Theoretical• Social Media Journalism allows for new roles• Opinion leader theory provides search patterns for roles in networks• Roles are not as strict as with original formulated theory (Burts)

– Methodological• Twitter is a valuable source to researchers• Closed platform architecture allows easy and complete data acquisition.

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Thank you for your attention