SA: BBC Global News chief gets Web 2.0 news via Facebook, not Beeb

The head of BBC Global News has told an industry conference that social networks can provide a faster source of news than his own organisation.

Speaking at the World Editor's Forum, Richard Sambrook added that amateur contributions to news have most potential as part of networked journalism collaborations where the expertise of the audience can be used to inform better reporting.

"Any subject you want to write or broadcast about someone in your audience will know a lot more than you do," he said.

"So how do you tap into that knowledge and expertise to inform your journalism? ... There are a number a ways to tap into that expertise, what I think is exciting about that idea is that it both gets real focus to journalism and also drives up standards and quality.

"You can make sure what you are doing is right, more relevant, and that it’s much better journalism.

"One of the things coming out of networked journalism are social media sites like Facebook and MySpace that are about networks of colleagues and of professional experts and friends, and for a lot of people they are a source of news.

"In my case I have a network of friends that have an interest in social media, in the internet, and new developments. I find out much more about what is happening from them than from the traditional media. Generally, BBC included and the print media as well, tend to be about six months to a year behind what is happening on social networks.

"I think they will be an important part of news consumption going forward, but they are not yet fully developed and we don't really understand them yet, but it is networked journalism of some form."

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