Is Social Media Making Journalists Lazy?

When I was a newspaper reporter, a key part of the job was finding and interviewing sources who could offer information, perspective, insight and, of course, some good quotes. It required legwork and the ability to build relationships and trust with people.

While talking to sources is still an integral part of journalism, I’ve noticed a growing number of newspaper articles recently that cite or quote blog posts, blog comments or tweets. For example, the Toronto Star’s story about Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams going to a U.S. hospital for heart surgery included a quote from “Matt” taken from a U.S. Politics Online forum: “Canada keeps its costs down, in part, by neglecting the expensive business of advanced specialty care knowing that the U.S. is next door to help”.

I don’t think the reporter, Tonda MacCharles, has any information about “Matt” and his area of expertise but it must have struck her as a colorful and relevant enough to use in the story. While she did interview a Conservative Senator, Wilbert Keon, for the story, you would think she could have gotten the same kind of quote by interviewing another person rather than quoting “Matt”

So, the question is whether this kind of “reporting” is lazy journalism? Rather than having to talk with someone, all you need to do is a Google or Twitter search to find a comment, tweet or update that fits the bill. While it could also be argued that using these type of quotes is smart because it reflects what people are talking about, I wouldn’t describe this activity as journalism.

What do you think? Is using blog comments, tweets, etc. lazy journalism or a good use of social media conversations?