The power of Twitter as a tool for producing great journalism
Sunday, June 27th, 2010If you have any doubt as to whether or not Twitter can be an important tool for journalism, let that doubt be resolved today.
Canadian TV reporter Steve Paikin witnessed a peaceful demonstration of the G20 last night in Toronto. Granted, there are riots and all sorts of thug-like activity going on there. But the folks involved in this particular protest were peacefully resisting, Paikin reports.
But then the police moved in. And brutality ensued. Paikin reported from the scene, as it unfolded, via Twitter. While thousands clung to every word.
A sampling:
- here come the cops again. weapons drawn. ppl sitting again. middle of esplanade
- police in full riot gear moving closer. ppl still sitting in middle of street
- crowd surrounded. cops on both sides now
- don’t mind saying it…this is scary. one dumb person on either side & this could get dangerous.
- suddenly 20 cops is now 100
- can’t tell what kin[d] of weapons are being pointed. can’t be live rounds, can it? new riot squad now here. why? this is peaceful.
And that’s before he was escorted away by police, only to witness another reporter brutally beaten by police.
Run over to Open File to read Steve Silberman’s reconstruction of the whole thing.
Find Paikin’s Twitter feed here.
A couple of today’s front pages, illustrating some of the rioting going on in Toronto this weekend:
On the left is the Toronto Star, circulation 335,680, with a huge, poster-sized photo by staffer Lucas Oleniuk.
On the right is the Toronto Sun, circulation 166,123, with lead art by staffer Stan Behal.