I’ve just read an interesting article in PR Week on how frequently MPs and other opinion formers are now using Twitter for their top source of information at the expense of TV, Google and newspapers.
This doesn’t surprise me in the slightest as it’s the quickest way to be kept up-to-date with the latest goings-on in just 140 characters or less.
Journalists are also using Twitter as story source to keep track on the thoughts, views and actions of politicians and famous folk alike.
According to a survey, the proportion of MPs and opinion formers turning to Twitter as their daily source of information rising significantly from 29 per cent in the same study in 2011 to 55 per cent in this year’s survey.
Use of other social media platforms also increased, including Facebook, blogs and specialist media online and even LinkedIn got a look in this year with 13 per cent using it every day. According to the survey however, not every digital platform saw an increase in consumption with Google dropping from 83 per cent to 74 per cent, online national news sites dropping from 65 per cent to 60 per cent and even hits to company websites dropping from 33 per cent to 25 per cent.
Other more traditional sources of information also saw a fall in consumption with national newspapers in print dropping from 86 per cent to 74 per cent, TV dropping by 7 per cent to 81 per cent and radio dropping from 90 per cent to 88 per cent.