How Twitter Changed Sports Journalism

Twitter quickly became one of the world’s most popular social media sites after its launch in 2006. Anyone can publish their thoughts using tweets of up to 140 characters. Athletes, coaches and sportswriters use Twitter to break news and interact with the fans. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King and Green Bay Press-Gazette’s Rob Demovsky said their publications directed them to use Twitter as part of their daily reporting. Players speak their mind on Twitter, but they must be careful because the messages are visible to millions of people. Some NFL figures tweeted their criticism of Jay Cutler during a playoff game. A few Packers started a controversy when they complained about a team photo. Zach Greinke was traded to the Brewers during 2010, and most of the story broke on Twitter. Sportswriters use the social medium because it provides instant information to their followers. Twitter activity continues to increase at a high rate, and the site’s simplicity makes it the most popular source for sports news.