Recently, I was interviewed by a graduate student at my alma mater about the changing social media landscape in journalism.

One of the biggest things I stress as a journalist is being human.

As local reporters we need to be interacting and engaging our viewers on our social media platforms–I think that builds trust with our community.

Q: What are some of the positives to that instantaneous feedback from viewers?

A: Social media has helped the news media industry to be a little more empathetic. If people feel like we’re glorifying an incident or a certain issue or sensationalizing something, that two-way conversation lets people say those things. Sometimes that feedback helps us to shape our stories in a good, sensitive, thoughtful way. In difficult stories that hit close to home for people, I watch social media to see if we’re being sensitive and respectful.

READ THE STORY HERE: Social media fosters “empathy” in journalists