Breaking News: Twitter Beats Mainstream Media
Today … Monday morning at JFK International Airport in New York – just eleven days since the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks – and a suspicious-looking package is seen at the airport’s Jet Blue terminal. TSA personnel examine the contents, and find two hand grenades.
News was flashed around the world instantly, reported not by the mainstream news media but by two people who actively use Twitter. Using their mobile wireless devices, they tapped out minute-by-minute updates from the scene as the airport terminal was evacuated, and the situation was brought under control.
This is the headline: the news on Twitter – the online instant social networking site – beat all of the mainstream news media by fully an hour in breaking the story.
Geraldo Rivera at Fox tried to take credit, “Few details are available, but FOX News correspondent Geraldo Rivera reported that two pilots told him the Jet Blue terminal was evacuated after two grenades were found.” Predictable try, Geraldo, but we are living in a different era, pal.
More on the incident at 60 Second Marketer.
[UPDATE: COMPLETE TIMELINE OF TWITTER POSTINGS ABOUT THE EVENT LISTED HERE: http://twemes.com/jfkevac]
Filed Under: Reputation management
About the Author: David is a veteran communications strategist ... writer ... blogger ... online publisher ... and Emmy Award winning former CBS Network News correspondent. He lives in the Washington, D. C., area, and works worldwide.
