Over three quarters of reporters get story ideas from blogs

Here's yet another reason to get into the corporate blogging game in 2008...

According to a survey by communications firm Brodeur (announced at the CES in Las Vegas last month), journalists are heavy users of the blogosphere for research and quick reporting. [Download PDF of the survey.]

" ...New media (social media and blogs) is having an impact on many different aspects of reporting, particularly the speed and availability of news," according to the Brodeur press release.

Journalists are using blogs to get tone, nuance and story angles. No, they don't believe everything they read in blogs but social media is a great source of additional information when a reporter is on deadline.

So get yourself into the blogosphere if you're not there yet. And be sure to put your company or contact phone number in a visible spot on your blog. Reporters on deadline tend to pick up the phone and call, rather than email. And if your company blog is revealing and useful, you may find yourself quoted in the Wall Street Journal.

Big Blogs Meet Big Media: Wall Street Journal quotes Google corporate blog

The WSJ quoted Google's corporate blog in a story earlier this week (sorry, can't find the article) about Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Yahoo. The Google blog entry was written by David Drummond, a Google senior VP and Chief Legal Officer, and - of course - put the Google spin on the story: the acquisition could stifle competition and innovation.

This is exactly what I talk about in The Corporate Blogging Book (I even used Google as an example): why put out a press release when you can say something more directly (and often, more credibly) in your company blog?

Comments

[laura]

It's interesting that reporters are turning to bloggers as sources. I think the blogging is only going to continue to grow in legitimacy over the next few years. Perhaps one day soon as many people will get their news from blogs as from other sources.

[Warren Whitlock]

This is exactly what I've been looking for. Hard numbers to quote when I tell authors to blog instead of hoping the media will call.

I'll be referring them to this for sure

[Lisa]

I have been writing a personal blog for years and have only just started to participate in business blogging. I agree that it is an incredible tool for networking, researching, and frankly, for marketing.

[yuju]

good article

thank you for informations.