Social Media in the Sports World

Even above politics, the sports world may have been impacted the most by journalism venturing into the realm of social media. The do's and don'ts and people acting them out have contributed to some of the biggest stories coming out of the sports world. The line of ethics is hazy and what line there is seems to be crossed continually. Then benefits have been wonderful and -at times- wonderfully terrible.

When used properly social media is a terrific source and a way to connect and directly interact with community. Remembering that nothing is ever private is a great start, always being straightforward about who a journalist is and who they are affiliated with leads to a more honest relationship with community. Credibility is key when using social media, a thousand accurate posts can be discredited by one that is proven false. Given the skepticism surrounding authors of online posts, online reputation is all one has. Immediacy is a wonderful aspect of social media but without careful thought, a hasty post can crush a reputation. A person should never post anything without verification of its accuracy or at least a disclaimer of the source. Ethics need to be remembered since there are no "editors" in most social media forums. A quick tongue is a double-edged sword and a harsh word against another could cut you worse than its subject.

Twitter has been amazing within the sports media genre. Now, not only can you get instant updates of scores, videos, or behind-the-scenes information; but you can get instant reactions of fans and- more interestingly- players or coaches. Some of the most amazing quotes have come from the unbridled fingertips of players. And as quickly as these players were able to spew their guileless thoughts over the web, they learned that nothing that goes out can truly be erased. With the use of hashtags any subject, any quote anything will be near instantaneously connected and transmitted throughout the world. Twitter has taken the rapid speed of media over the Internet and doubled it. Now instead of searching for the top stories, they search for you and call it a trend. The limits are endless and the information is at everyone's fingertips, the key is to know what is and isn't of value.

Social media has been a great tool for all people and in the sports world especially. Every trade, every analysis, scores, rumors, quotes, etc. Everything is available. Connection to coaches, players, agents, reporters, news sites its all there. In our world knowledge is power and communication is key... Social Media made it easier and faster to attain both.

Update:
Well isn't this perfect timing. Just as I pointed out above, with the addition of Twitter, things can be said and taken in and out of context with immediacy like never before. Then from that tweet, poor blogs or articles can be written and the cycle begins again. Here is an example of a professional athlete saying something a little uncouth and a blog writer voicing his opinion on the matter, something that 10 years ago wouldn't have been possible.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/roddy-white-apologizes-bizarre-tweet-sexual-preference-054422911.html;_ylt=AtfTCoCXsHrQ7B_ZE.6QzwlDubYF