Forbes notes that about 200 newspapers, book publishers, magazines and television station news departments have lined up for the “marketing crap shoot” of hiring a social media director.
Most have been hired in the last two years to “to tweet, ping, blog and friend-find throughout the day, building and interacting with new audiences, promoting media brands and sometimes breaking news.” But they’re not bringing in any money.
As newsroom layoffs, budget cuts and bankruptcies continue, “Maybe it’s time marketers stop hyping social media as a newsroom moneymaker and admit it’s just a great conversation starter,” Dirk Smillie says of “journalism’s hottest job.”
Tags: social media