Because geek is cool and clever

Twitter FTW January 23, 2009

When that American Airlines Airbus made its miraculous landing on the Hudson River last week, it delivered more than one amazing conclusion.

Primarily, of course, was the simple fact that a plane can come falling from the sky with no active engines, land on a freezing cold river and all but one passengers on board – who had the misfortune to break both legs – can literally walk away from it.

But secondly – and most importantly for a column dealing in technology – was the way that news and pictures of this incredible event were circulated around the world.

I have the feeling that my colleagues, the professional journalists of this fine publication, may not like what I’m about to suggest but, if it’s the job of journalism to get to the news first, on this particular occasion it was beaten by a bunch of regular Jo(e)s with mobile phones and Twitter accounts.

Twitter (twitter.com), in case you spent 2008 with your head in a bag, is the hugely successful ‘microblogging’ website that allows you to quickly publish mini articles including links to photographs.

Anybody who is following your account on Twitter will instantly receive your article. It’s a bit like text messaging to more than one person who has decided they want to get your texts.

The main and probably most dramatic picture taken of the plane event which showed the two wings of the floating aircraft jammed with people who had clambered out, was taken on a iPhone.

The person responsible had snapped the picture from onboard a ferry that was heading to the rescue and had immediately posted it to his Twitter account.

What is clearly happening is that we are becoming accustomed to two types of reporting and journalism.

The first, that of the citizen with a mobile phone or other means of instant communication who happens to be close (physically or emotionally) to the event or issue is usually written or photographed in a style that can best be described as ‘acceptable’ but is very quick to get out.

The second style of journalism is the more traditional type, written or photographed with skill and experience but which is only available some time later.

Both have the potential to be Earth shattering; both are incredibly important in this day and age and neither are going away any time soon.