Twitter reporting

Once again, this is not really an idea I had but rather a trend that seems to be emerging. But it seems to me that there is some potential...

When I first heard about Twitter several months ago, my first reaction was: Why would anybody want to post 160-character messages on the web just to tell the world what he or she is doing? The site seemed to be just another proof that Web 2.0 is all about shameless self-promotion and digital exhibitionism. And I still think that there is no need for an average person (for example, me) to use Twitter on a regular basis. But I think it could be a very powerful tool for online journalism.

Twitter, of course, is already used for liveblogging from (mostly tech) conferences. There are media companies that are posting there headlines to Twitter (which is very easy using Twitterfeed). The site would be a perfect tool for journalists all over the world reporting on current affairs. At the moment, for example, the correspondent of the Zurich-based Neue Zürcher Zeitung is (as far as I know) one of the few German-speaking journalists in Rangun, where tensions between protesters and Burmas regime are growing day by day. He could - in addition to his articles - send regular updates and informations to Twitter (and his newspaper could integrate the feed into its website). Twitter could also be used for communication between reporters and the newsroom. And, with Twitters just launched tracking feature, users can create personalized mobile news feeds.

UPDATE: Just read this very interesting post on how a pharma company could use Twitter for a marketing campaign. Not sure if this would work, but the idea is quite cool.