Nick DiMarco is a digital content producer for ABC2 News, the E.W. Scripps affiliate in Baltimore, Maryland. DiMarco has six years professional experience working exclusively for online news organizations as a digital media maven and multimedia journalist. He has previously worked at MarylandReporter.com as a staff writer covering the Maryland General Assembly, and a local digital editor for Patch, covering communities in Greater Baltimore.
How often do you use social media?
Every minute of every day. Social media is one of the cornerstones of journalism these days. It’s how I’ve been able to get my name out there and more importantly the stories that I and my colleagues cover. It’s probably the most important tool that you will ever need to survive in this field.
But there is a caveat. Someone who has a strong social media presence and a large following doesn’t necessarily make someone a good journalist. I can’t underscore enough that understanding the essentials of writing, reporting, interviewing and editing are the most important things a journalist must have.
But here’s where it gets tricky. The traditional titles of “reporter” and “photographer” are changing to things like content producers, multimedia journalists and community managers. So modern newsrooms are looking for people who have a solid mix of all the necessary skills.
Which social media platform do you find to be the most effective for reaching your audience?
Everyone knows that Facebook and Twitter are the big ones. Twitter allows you to reach a wider audience. Facebook allows you to reach a more local audience. Anecdotally, my boss pulled me into his office and asked me “How do we make Snapchat work for us?” Then there’s Instagram which has more users than Twitter does. Really it’s about how you use them. But the two that you need to know are Facebook and Twitter.
I should add that microblogging sites like Reddit, Imgur and Tumblr have become increasingly popular tools to generate meaningful conversations.
Do you see a shift in journalism being more of a conversation with the audience?
Somewhat. We’re the ones who generate a conversation. We’re the ones producing something worth talking about. But it’s difficult because you still have to be objective in dictating the story. The conversation should be started among your readers or viewers depending on your position. Social media allows for criticism and the ability for a reporter to defend his or her story, for example.
In your opinion, does social media’s immediacy help or hinder news coverage?
Both. You want to be first, but you also want to be right. We sometimes get lost with the immediacy. If you look at news organizations, some get the stories out before they can check their facts. Nobody can disseminate a story that quickly. News organizations put too much emphasis on getting stories on Facebook and Twitter when they should be focused on getting the stories right. Social media allows you instant access to 1,000 eyes and 1,000 ears. But if you’re not reporting accurately, you’re hurting journalists as a whole.
I can’t recall a major breaking news event in the last five years where at least one news outlet released information that wasn’t 100 percent accurate. This hinders trust and damages the journalism industry as a whole.
That said, not since the introduction of live video have we had the ability to reach audiences instantly and engage with viewers/readers/users just as quickly.
So if what you’re reporting is true, and I mean a substantiated fact, then social media is a Godsend.
Do you suggest having separate social media accounts for your professional and personal lives?
Yes and no. I have two Facebook accounts: one for personal use and one for professional use. I also manage professional accounts for the TV station I work for. That being said, I know people who only have one. And that works for them. Brian Stelter, for example: he’s who he is on social media. Ultimately, that transparency is important for any journalist.
I should add that journalists need to always be mindful of what they’re posting at all times. Some media outlets, like the E.W. Scripps Co., which owns ABC2 News, enforces a policy that all social media accounts of its employees fall under the purview of its corporate parents and are subject to a strict social media policy.
How do you gain and maintain your readers’ attention?
The way we gain readers’ attention is giving them something they won’t see anywhere else. So, posting stories that are unique and engaging, that have a direct impact on their life, that are timely, basically all the criteria of what is newsworthy.
Serial made national headlines. It was trending worldwide. So what do you do next as a journalist? You localize it. You relate it back to the community. And the information has to be accurate. Above all, it has to be airtight. You have to be honest with your reporting.
How do you predict social media will change (or hope it will change) in future years?
It’s really tough to say because we’ve already come a long way. There will come a day when every journalist has a Twitter account. Right now, I work in a newsroom where some people still don’t use email. However, I have more of the radical point of view. I believe we’ll become so inundated with digital connectivity that we’ll go through a backswing. I believe you’ll see more people picking up magazines and newspapers more.
Marcus Dieterle 