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Social media can be a funny thing in the news business.
In journalism, we often use these platforms to reach out to the communities we cover, communicate with sources and, of course, deliver our work to a potentially wider audience than what we have locally. (For that matter, it helps to deliver our articles to local people who don’t consume our product…at least theoretically.)
Essentially, social media platforms are tools we have been able to add to our kits over the last 20 years. They assist in some ways, can be detrimental in others, but are not, by any means, the final product of our work.
I’ve often used social media to showcase pictures or video of news events while I’m on the scene, or to help issue alerts for traffic closures, water line breaks and boil orders, or other issues of which the populace needs to be aware more quickly. We usually post the alerts to our website, but full news coverage of the events we are covering often come later after being fully developed.
It also can be interesting to see the type of reactions we receive through these social media platforms.
Personally, I would think residents would have an interest in the actions of their local or state government, whether it be their town or city council, county commission or school board, or the state’s Legislature or governor.
We’ll get a few comments here or there about some of these, but not many.
This past Tuesday, we published an article providing an official announcement of the planned opening of a Chipotle in Weirton. It included comments from Jesse Krieg, who has been working over the last year or so to redevelop the area previously known to many of us as “The Kmart Plaza.” (It’s admittedly a struggle to not call it that, so if anyone knows what the official name actually is I would appreciate a call or message)
Part of those efforts have included construction of a new 7,000-square-foot building. In January, we reported a portion of that building (about 4,000 square feet) would be for Primanti Brothers. Now, Chipotle is taking up the remaining 3,000 square feet.
It’s Friday morning as I’m writing this piece, and we’re still getting responses on one particular platform. At the current count, I’m seeing 644 reactions, 199 comments and 333 shares of the article. Granted, looking through the responses, it’s obvious not everyone actually read the article itself as there are some who are confused as to how the building could be for two restaurants. Others opted to comment just to be contrary and say how they would prefer such-and-such restaurant instead, or how Weirton needs this place rather than these ones.
Then, there are those who ask why these businesses aren’t going downtown. Believe me, that’s a whole other issue. All I will say is look at where empty buildings are sitting and who owns them, then look at where development is happening and who owns those properties.
Our coverage of Teapot Day in Chester this year received 42 reactions, seven comments and three shares.
An article about Sen. Joe Manchin allegedly considering switching to “Independent” received two reactions and three comments.
The OVAC Hall of Fame induction has 67 reactions, nine comments and three shares.
The announcement of a local resident arrested last week over allegations he threatened through social media the jury involved in the recent Tree of Life Synagogue mass shooting trial has two reactions and two comments.
There are some out there who would try to use this to push news coverage in a certain direction. “Go cover the things people respond to,” they would say. I feel every bit of news, no matter the response they receive through social media or online portals, is important and should be covered. The big challenge is whether our staff can get to it all.
It’s just interesting to look at all of this from a societal and consumption point of view.
(Howell, a resident of Colliers, is managing editor of The Weirton Daily Times, and can be contacted at chowell@weirtondailytimes.com or followed on Twitter/X @CHowellWDT)
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