SOCIAL NETWORKS AS A SOURCE OF NEWS AND TOPICS FOR JOURNALISTS (USING THE EXAMPLE OF THE NEWSPAPER “FREE REPUBLIC”)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of social networks as a source of topics for journalists of the socio-political newspaper “Free Republic”. It is noted that the popularity of social networks as a source of information is increasing. They are used on a par with traditional methods of obtaining information (observation, interviews, document processing, survey, questionnaire, experiment). The positive and negative sides of the use of social networks by journalists in their professional activities are noted. So, the positive side is the close connection with the audience, the study of their problems and interests in order to further reflect them on the pages of the newspaper. Journalists do not just inform about existing problems, but analyze the event, the situation, the process in order to determine the cause-effect relationship. Either the purpose of an analytical publication is to identify the significance of an event, predict or formulate an action plan. The negative side can include a large amount of unverified information on social networks. A number of requirements related to the verification of data obtained from social networks are outlined. Ignoring the rules of working with social networks can lead to serious consequences. Special attention is also paid to the ethical side. The article is based on the analysis of a large number of materials from the newspaper “Free Republic”.