Usage of Social Media For News Gathering by Journalists at Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL)

Abstract

The study's aim was to determine the usage of social media for news gathering by journalists at Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL). It was designed using the survey method to investigate the influence of social media in the newsroom as well as the organization's attitude towards social media use in line with global trends where social media over the last ten years has seen a significant influence on the way in which news is reported and digested by all parties within journalism, with traditional journalists taking on a developed role utilising social media as both a way to deliver and to promote their work. The findings revealed that majority journalists at Graphic (94.3%) and their organization were largely open to using social media as part of their news processes however half of them (57.9%) thinks that social media negatively affects journalistic standards noting that social media had to an extent impacted on the way they go about their work. The majority (82.6%) were also of the opinion that social media had affected gatekeeping.