Just Because it's On Social Media, Doesn't Mean it Should be on the News

Yesterday, FTVLive told you how Meredith’s WGCL in Atlanta did a story about the rumors that NBA star Dwight Howard was being accused to having sex with a man dressed as a woman.

The Atlanta station aired the story in their newscast and even admitted, “We don’t even know if these claims are true or not?”

But, they said the story was blowing up social media.

A news executive sent this email to FTVLive and it is one that all News Directors and Managers should read and heed:

“If this is a story that is “burning up social media,” I assume it is not burning up traditional media. So, why would they let it cross over onto TV? Why not just address it through their social media platforms where it is burning and leave TV for real news? This is where executives go wrong. They think every story is for every platform. Clearly, this story had no business on the broadcast platform. The reporter looked like a complete fool.”

This is great advice! Just because a story or event is trending or viral on social media, does not automatically make it a story for broadcast. Maybe, if WGCL really wanted to approach this story that was “burning up social media,” they should have done so in the digital space and not for air.

Trying to turn your newscast into TMZ might not be the best way to go.

Just saying…

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