Twitter Requirements Fading?

As social media came into the forefront as an alternative to – or an addition to – our regular news sources, media outlets embraced the opportunity to connect with their viewers, listeners and readers.

Reporters began getting incentives for the number of “likes” or other engagements they were getting on various social media channels.  Posting on social media became an everyday part of the job.

It’s still that way.  News anchors regularly encourage viewers to follow them on Twitter or Facebook.  Print reporters post links to their stories on social media which may not appear in print until a couple days later.

But now, one media outlet is changing course.

According to a recent report from the Society of Professional Journalists, in an effort to shield reporters from online harassment, The New York Times is encouraging reporters to limit the time they spend on Twitter.

The article cited a memo from Times’ Executive Editor Dean Baquet to the paper’s employees stating that the use of Twitter and other social media platforms is optional and the organization will support anyone who decides to stop using Twitter entirely.

SPJ noted that this change in social media use comes as a result of the harassment former Times’ staffer Taylor Lorenz faced while she worked to cover internet culture.

Will this be the start of print and broadcast media trending away from social media?