Journalism loves to dismiss social media as a breeding ground for misinformation and clickbait.  
Yet, behind the scenes there is a growing reliability on these very same platforms for sources, breaking news and audience engagement.  The contradiction could not be more evident, journalists preach neutrality while clinging to an outdated elitism.  

As a journalism student all I hear is how social media should be avoided at all costs.  

We are taught how to dodge the algorithms and rise above the digital cloud on a proverbial high horse of media superiority.  

Journalists are incredibly biased regarding social media and how they discuss it. In spite of consistent lecturing on how imperative it is to remain unbiased and neutral, when speaking about social media they seem to contradict their own ethical code.   

I am so over the boomer-esque, World War II-like, anti social media propaganda! 

HOWEVER  

Despite its disdain – traditional journalism now has an ever-increasing reliability on social media, not only for engagement purposes but also for breaking news. Many journalists use social media platforms to stay up to date, find sources or even to get footage from firsthand encounters. 

This has been especially noticeable in political events across Europe. 

EU 💙 SM 

During the Paris attacks in 2015, journalists relied heavily on platforms like Facebook and X for eyewitness updates and footage. New York Times journalist Rukmini Callimachi, for example, used X (formerly Twitter) to track the situation during the terrorist attacks. 

Similarly, in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, news organizations across Europe used social media to verify on-the-ground information. 

European journalism certainly cannot function without its forbidden fruit, social media. So, let’s acknowledge that this is a symbiotic relationship. 

Enemies to lovers 

It’s time that journalism etches a place for itself in social media.  

We have been seeing an increase in news platforms presence on social media.

They try to utilize platforms like Spotify with podcasts;

Instagram with structured grid posts;

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Reuters (@reuters)

and TikTok with short-form videos in an attempt to stay relevant. 

@hln_be

For many traditional news brands, the social media push comes too late. In an already saturated social media news landscape, it’s hard to establish a well-known presence.  

‘It’s not a threat, it’s an evolution. […] Print media has, in a lot of cases, missed this train.’ Kevin Lau– De Morgen. 

‘Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.’ 

Gen Z favors a bargain. It makes sense that the majority would prefer to get their news from social media.  

Yet many news sites hide their content behind a paywall, relying on subscriptions for profit. This makes information barely accessible if, like in the case of The Brussels Times, you have already used up your free 5 articles. 

Reuters, the New York Times and many others are good examples of how reputable news is seemingly inaccessible to the Gen Z market. 

The paywall barrier incentivizes younger consumers to seek free and easily accessible alternatives, *cough-cough* social media. 

If you can’t beat them, join them. 

Modern journalism often bashes social media for a variety of reasons. The lack of fact checking, mis/disinformation, clickbait, sensationalism… the list goes on. On the other hand, even the most reputable news platforms are guilty of the same misdemeanors.  

While I agree these are valid reasons and that social media can be dangerous, is it not our responsibility as journalists to provide accurate insightful information?  

Is social media not the perfect environment for that? It’s time we utilized digital platforms and colonized the ‘for you’ page. 

As Jim Morrison said, ‘Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.’ 

It’s evolution, baby! 

Text: © Milan Meyer
Feature Image: © Milan Meyer