(R)evolution: Katie Couric on Social Media and Real-Time Journalism

Thank you Brian for putting this together

Amazing interview Brian! I love Katie and it’s so cool to see how she is embracing Social Media.

Brian ~ I absolutely loved this piece and have shared it with my Communication faculty colleagues at Curry College. If you’re ever in the Boston area, please come to Curry and talk to my troops!

Brian,

Great interview, and definitely something that needed to be done. As you know I worked as Director of Interactive for the nations 5th largest newspaper company. Even now, 4 years removed from that world, I stay in touch with the industry quite closely (my wife @carmenb now holds a version of the job that I used to).

While there are a few that are energetic about moving forward, there are still so many that refuse to address the landscape change, and for those that do, a large percentage of them view twitter and facebook as another broadcast medium rather than a listening tool, or at least a conversation tool.

When the Rocky Mountain News in Denver closed it’s doors, interviews with those in the newsroom truly and genuinely believed that the closure was completely related to the economy and not the change in dissemination of information.

I fully appreciate the ‘risk’ of citizen journalism and the ability for them to CQ their sources and content, but the reality is that it is happening and will continue to happen. To those that say “the REAL journalists CAN’T die, the world cannot survive without them!” I offer up this: the exact same argument was made my thousands in regards to the Wooly Mammoth, Mastodon and Sea Cow. The world has a way of improvising, adapting and overcoming.

So refreshing to see Katie stepping up to the plate and recognizing what needs to be done. Hopefully many other media personalities will see this because of your exposure and follow suit.

Brian, fantastic interview with Katie Couric. I just finished reading over another predictions list for 2011, and much of it was focused on female perspective and influence. To me, this parallels nicely with Ms. Couric’s rise within TV journalism, and her entry into and continued use of social media. Much of what i have read implies we’ve entered a She-conomy. I do believe that is the case, and who better to represent this movement than Katie Couric. She’s a model for both women and men to follow with respect to transparency and professionalism. But what really stands out in mind, is how personal she has always been and continues to be as she relates to everything from her own personal challenges to what she believes everyday people would want to see, hear and learn. Brian, your interview rocked as you’ve engaged one of the best. Thank you!