An excellent analysis of the role of social media in news coverage is presented by Antonia
Zerbisias in the Toronto Star on July 11.

She aptly describes how Twitter became a news sources for untold numbers of people as journalists on the front lines used social media as an instant news wire, sending valuable, pertinent information streaming out to audiences.

She also notes the transformative nature of Twitter and other forms of social media by comparing more traditional forms of coverage to new ones.