AP union says no tweeting

[Omaha Steve]

Source: CNN

By Mark Milian,

In dicey union negotiations, it seems the modern silent protest is an embargo on tweeting.

Representatives for the News Media Guild are urging union employees of the Associated Press not to promote their stories on Facebook or Twitter early next week.

Reporters often volunteer to spread links out of good will for their employer or for obvious narcissistic reasons. The labor union is discouraging people whose job explicitly entails using social-networking services from participating in the boycott.

Executives for the AP wire services and the News Media Guild will reconvene starting on Monday to resume contract negotiations, said Tony Winton, the union's president.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/04/08/ap.boycott/index.html?hpt=Sbin

[nashville_brook]

1. employers are under the delusion that tweeting doesn't take any time or effort

i have to tweet for my job -- I'm a "Social Media Manager" now. on top of all the other hats i accumulated during the "downtown." I did some research into what the company would have to actual PAY a company to take on this role (complete social media management for 2 separate brokerage firms, total of 22 brokers + corporate) and it would be in the neighborhood of $30,000 a year. I have to tweet for each broker...each broker team...the offices as whole...the company as a whole. That's all transactions, all research publishing, all initiatives, all community affairs, all new hires, all promotions, all awards, etc etc. Then there's the Facebook pages, and the LinkedIn bullshit. It's overwhelming.

[pnwmom]

2. Who follows all those tweets? Is it really worth it? Wouldn't it

be like following a bunch of ads?

[nashville_brook]

3. it's business community stuff -- brokers follow brokers b/c they want to know

who's doing what deals. also, vendors follow us. and media. we actually do a lot of research that's useful for determining the economic health of the area. i'm really sensitive to not being advertise-y. i tweet useful information or i save my energy. i tweet a lot of statewide business news that's relevant to our industry.

i'm constantly amazed at the power of social media -- and business networking is a really good use for it. when done correctly, it's more about forming relationships than pushing messages.

[pnwmom]

4. Interesting. When I think of tweeting, I think of Demi Moore.

(Obviously, I'm not a partaker.) Guess it's expanded a bit beyond that!

:)

[nashville_brook]

8. i do training sessions where i characterize it as "customized news"

there's a lot of good to get from twitter without ever having to tweet. follow people who interest you, and you'll be amazed the stuff you learn.

[abqmufc]

9. That is what it has become but not what it was intended for.

It was conceived to be a way to get Amber Alerts out and other similar information (severe weather) quickly and to many people at once. In my work it is used to send out air quality alerts in rural communities. Sadly it has been "misused."

[Zephie]

5. Your job sounds like my dream job

[nashville_brook]

7. heheh -- if only i were tweeting/pitching/designing

stuff that wasn't evil.

[HankyDubs]

6. here's an idea

START BEING JOURNALISTS!

[No Elephants]

10. I can't get over AP hiring union people..