Clay Travis on why every writer/journalist needs to be active on Twitter

[Versatile]

I don't follow him because I cant' tolerate it. But more than 160,000 apparently can. And everything he posts gets 10 or more retweets.

I don't know how you can say he hasn't significantly developed his brand on Twitter. I am sure he would admit to having Twitter to thank as a big reason for him getting his own show. If nothing else, he's proved to his bosses that there is interest in sports business.

 

[21]

On the scale of media people being sizeable Twitterpricks, Rovell isn't even in the top 100. Long list of those.

Hard to imagine anyone who works in any kind if media not finding value in Twitter. If you're in the business of collecting and distributing news/ideas/information, how can you not appreciate the sheer volume of data that flies through there every second?

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

I don't know anyone who doesn't find some value in Twitter. I just have a problem when people go to extremes in extolling its virtues without recognizing some mileage may vary for "every writer/journalist."

The sheer volume does not escape my notice. From Clay Travis: "I read all the news from the 170 or so people I follow and then I read every single thing y'all send my way."

 

[Johnny Dangerously]

On a side note, why does every thread about digital journalism end up sounding like it's all or nothing? We love our extremes here, don't we? There is middle ground.

 

[Double Down]

I agree with JD. People who think Twitter has no value sound as silly as those who think it will run the world. You still actually have to have substance behind those links you tweet out. It's just become a highway to get the information in people's hands.

 

[playthrough]

I don't follow him because I cant' tolerate it. But more than 160,000 apparently can. And everything he posts gets 10 or more retweets.

I don't know how you can say he hasn't significantly developed his brand on Twitter. I am sure he would admit to having Twitter to thank as a big reason for him getting his own show. If nothing else, he's proved to his bosses that there is interest in sports business.

I'll give Rovell props all day long for being a pioneer in that field. But I think less of him every time I see his Twitter feed (which is in a list run by my employer, so I can't not look). He needs to say more of substance, but in half the posts.

 

[Lugnuts]

I am sure he would admit to having Twitter to thank as a big reason for him getting his own show.

Exactly. Twitter was a means to getting a TV show.

TV > Twitter

 

[Versatile]

I am sure he would admit to having Twitter to thank as a big reason for him getting his own show.

Exactly. Twitter was a means to getting a TV show.

TV > Twitter

Has anyone in this entire thread suggested otherwise? You can actually make money being good at TV. And people will always want to watch things. This isn't a competition.

I think that mentality has people taking sides, as Johnny was talking about. Twitter isn't a competitor to other forms of media. They all work together. Print's struggles stem from the fact that it doesn't follow that rule; it's inflexible. If you're reading a book or magazine or newspaper, you can't click a link on it. And it requires your full attention.

 

[Lugnuts]

My point was simply that people like Erin Andrews were big somewhere else before they were big on Twitter.

Twitter doesn't birth stars, as Travis seems to suggest. Nor should any journalist quit his day job to Tweet.

Rovell has been 'branding' himself forever. I've read his stuff for years. Had no idea he was big on Twitter.

 

[Versatile]

My point was simply that people like Erin Andrews were big somewhere else before they were big on Twitter.

Twitter doesn't birth stars, as Travis seems to suggest. Nor should any journalist quit his day job to Tweet.

Rovell has been 'branding' himself forever. I've read his stuff for years. Had no idea he was big on Twitter.

I don't think Travis ever would suggest someone quit their day job just to tweet. Twitter can help your career. Peter Casey is the best example. A story from The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/sports/ncaabasketball/30seconds.html

 

[Lugnuts]

Here's what Travis suggests:

Twitter is going to lead to more writers going it alone.

If people are following you and reading you, what benefit is being an employee of a major site really providing?

He's lost perspective. His brain has been Twitterfried.

 

[playthrough]

"What benefit is being an employee of a major site really providing?"

Perhaps this gentleman is allergic to money.