There’s an excellent report at Poynter Online that looks at how the Seattle Times is using tools like Twitter and Qik to provide faster, more comprehensive coverage. The article points out that the Times used these tools in its Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of four police being shot to death last year. Tiffany Campbell, lead producer for SeattleTimes.com, told Poynter in an email:
“During the coverage of the Lakewood, Wash., (police) slayings, we used Twitter as a critical platform not just to report news updates in real time, but also to talk to and track what community members were saying. Using hashtags like #washooting, we were able to become a town square and clearing house for tips, updates and conversation.”
Campbell also talks about the importance of using video from iPhones, Ustream, Qik and Twitvid in getting out the message as soon as possible.
