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Twitter: Journalism and the formation of online communities

A case study by A Brun and J Burgess on the 2010 Australian Federal Election and the use

of Twitter.

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Introduction

• Twitter has become a standard element of general Internet usage in Australia.

• It’s involvement in the 2010 Australian Federal Election became a space for the general Internet users in Australia to provide commentary on political events and the media.

What was Twitter used for? #ausvotes

• People provided commentary on political events, the media and largely focused on the personalities of the race rather than policy.

• Communicate and engage with political parties, politicians, politics, journalist and other like-minded Australians.

• A space to share feelings and opinions.

• Creation of a community based around a mutual interest, where people with the same intentions have come to share their opinions on the Australian Election, as well as seeking information.

A professional space? #ausvotes

• An increase of journalists signed up to Twitter such as @LaurieOaks, @michellegrattan and @ lenoretaylor

• Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott both opened Twitter accounts for this election (both are still active today). – A tweet from Gillard during the election wrote “"The

election will be on 21 August. With your support I will move Australia forward. JG”

Examples of #ausvotes Tweets:

• ''i don't want to vote for either of them after watching this crap #middleclassnightmares #ausvotes”

• crazyjane13: “Dear Mr Speaker, Please excuse Wyatt from Parliament today. He has a cold. Signed, Wyatt’s Mum. #ausvotes.”

• benbirchall: “Nobody’s in charge, Australia! Let’s eat the condensed milk out of the can! #ausvotes.”

• adzap: “It will truly be the death of chivalry if none of these independent men offer their seat to a lady. #ausvotes.”

• RT @mikfrawley: “RT @oldspace Hello Australia. Look at your parliament, now back at me. Sadly, it isn’t me, but it is hung like me. #ausvotes.”

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Brun and Burgess

• “explicit form of publicness”, which invites attention from other participants in the #ausvotes conversation.

• A conversation that engaged 36 287 unique Twitter users and 415 009 Tweets

Class discussion:

• Is providing commentary a form of journalism in the microblogging sphere?

• Opinion writing is journalism so is this form of microblogging in 140 characters not a form of journalism too?

• Is the Twittersphere considered a form of citizen journalism?

Just a platform to throw around what’s on your mind?

• It’s a platform where people are able to interact with the process of journalism rather than journalism itself.

• Mapping the on-goings of the campaign rather than reporting news.

• One tweet can undermine what is being said by a politician, giving us an honest perspective.

Activity

• Spilt the room down into FOUR groups; journalists, general public, Jane Jones and John Smith.

• We want you to REACT the way your group would do so in the following situation, using the Twitter format of 140 characters. Add #mdia5003 and @reply or reTweet at least one other Tweet made by someone else.

• Pretend it’s the lead up to a Federal Election in our fictional country “land”, it’s John Smith up against Jane Jones once again. During the public debate John Smith swears, not in a derogatory way towards anyone in particular, he simply says the F-word. He is talking about his views on the proposed National Broadband Network, and how they should be scrapped to pay aid to those affected by the “Northern State” flood.

References:Websites:• Birmingham, J (14th August 2010), In cyberia, all the twitters is not gold, Sydney Morning Herald online; http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/in-cyberia-all-that-twitters-is-not-gold-20100813-1239q.html• Bourke, L (29th July 2010), Twittersphere Day 11, Sydney Morning Herald online; http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/twittersphere-day-11-20100729-10wih.html• Bruns, A., (27th July 2010), All a-Twitter on the campaign, Sydney Morning Herald online; http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/all-atwitter-on-the-campaign-trail-20100727-10tl9.html#ixzz23lyljmWr• Delaney, B (29th July 2010), Our virtual selves linger on, long after we’ve shuffled off, Sydney Morning Herald

online;http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/our-virtual-selves-linger-on-long-after-weve-shuffled-off-

20100728-10w1w.html• Maley, J (7th August, 2010), Twitter, the new kid in town with all the hot goss..er, news, Sydney Morning Herald

online;http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/twitter-the-new-kid-in-town-with-all-the-hot-goss--er-news-

20100809-11rmu.html• Menzie’s House, Top 5 #ausvotes Twitter Posts, Menzie’s House blog online:http://www.menzieshouse.com.au/2010/08/top-5-ausvotes-twitter-posts.html

Articles:• Bruns, A. and Burgess, J. (2011), ‘#ausvotes: How Twitter covered the 2010 Australian Federal Election’ in

Communcation, Politics and Culture, Volume 44, Issue 2, RMIT Publishing: Australia, pages 37 – 56. • Java, A. Song, X., Finin, T. and Tseng, B. (2007), ‘Why we Twitter: Understanding microblogging usage and

communities’ in Proceeding, ACM Publishing: New York, page 56 – 65. • Lasorsa, D. L., Lewis, S. C. and Holton, A., E., (2012), ‘Normalising Twitter: Journalism practice in an emerging

communication space’ in Journalism Studies, Volume 13, Issue 1, Routledge: UK, pages 19 – 36.