What is CNN?
CNN is an acronym for a multinational news company which stands for Cable News Network. This media company was founded by Ted Turner in 1980 and owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. They use visual journalism through a website and TV network to capture a plethora of topics ranging from politics and climate to health, sports entertainment and so much more. With a headquarters in Atlanta, it is now one of the most popular new organizations, broadcasting 24/7, with high-quality cable news industry standards. This includes considering dimensions, filters, and layers in addition to inputting data, generating algorithms, and making predictions about audience and engagement. However, CNN has developed a unique model that has allowed it to be so successful, and social media has played a crucial role. Especially with the rise of digital journalism, using various digital platforms has allowed CNN to amplify its engagement, distribution, outreach, influence, and even monetization. Today, we will explore how CNN has effectively strategized to develop as successfully as it has and consider its strengths, weaknesses, and greater media implications.
Social media platforms
Much like other news networks, CNN is available and has a popular account on several social media platforms thereby allowing it to leverage the various types of content to make audiences present to exponentially increase the distribution of their information and reach Target audiences. Some of these platforms include Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Linkedin.
Twitter is CNN's fastest-reaching platform, with 63.7 million followers, especially for breaking news. They release approximately 50 to 100 tweets daily to maintain regular output and use effective hashtags and live Events on threads, and also investigate audience engagement through polls and retweets. CNN also has 40 million followers on Facebook which offers summary videos and live streaming. Additionally, news articles can be posted with captions that encourage discussions, various events such as presidential debates can be captured live, and many stories can go viral, so they are posted about five to ten times daily. On Instagram, CNN has approximately 20.5 million followers and offers both photography and video-style content for storytelling. CNN posts on Instagram about 5 to 7 times per day which is most effective using both posts and reels (videos). Their content includes a mix of infographics and news coverage, and sometimes live broadcasting with high engagements. Similarly to Instagram CNN caters to younger audiences through TikTok where they have approximately 8.6 million followers. TikTok is more video-based and includes shorter explanations of traditionally longer storytelling to educate viewers. They may effectively use this platform by especially using viral trends and they post here approximately 2 to 5 times a day. YouTube is likely CNN's second most effective social media platform as they have 17.8 million subscribers who post about three to five longer-length videos per day and broadcast live. This allows full segments from CNN cable TV as well as interviews and summaries of their major headlines. YouTube is ideal for audiences that prefer lengthier analysis of what they typically broadcast. CNN also uses LinkedIn to Target more professional audiences in the business world and posts approximately 1 to 3 times a day. This platform is effectively used to disseminate information about the economy or various Industries with content such as market trends or articles and interviews. Although this one has fewer engagements it does provide the most credibility amongst all of the social media platforms.
What's effective?
CNN engages with the audience through various mechanisms. Firstly, they use certain social media that have a live broadcasting option such as Twitter YouTube Instagram, and TikTok to prioritize timely updates making them a reliable source for quick information. Additionally, they integrate various types of media such as pictures, videos, And other elements such as captions, Likes, comments, polls, Q&A sessions, hashtags, trends, and sharing. Social media is extremely pivotal to the success of CNN because of its wide dissemination and how well it encourages both influence and discourse as well as discussions around various topics and industries. Although audience engagement is effective for the production of content, it's important to know that not only audiences are effective predecessors, because it's difficult to control misinformation, especially with the live broadcasting misinterpretations and pressure to create narratives quickly. Furthermore, especially as prevalent on platforms such as Twitter there's a lot of political polarization and even trolls that manipulate information or purposefully heighten emotional responses. Moreover, according to each platform, the audience is extremely relevant for visibility and Outreach as well as response are drastically different, which significantly impacts the framing and type of content produced and distributed. Ultimately, this circle's back to how CNN has chosen to address many of these components that make social media unique by offering choices with diverse content on various platforms which are curated to specific audiences including visual or video text and even according to length. CNN encourages conversation by hosting Q&As, and polls, allowing comments on all types of videos, etc. They also curate content depending on what is trending whether that's a topic or hashtag, and generate algorithms based on the audience. Additionally, CNN creates content exclusive to specific platforms using different kinds of visuals and storytelling as well as collaborating with different experts or Everyday People to gather accurate and credible information.
Conclusions
The strengths of CNN's social media presence include its fast and timely reporting/ posting schedules, the various types of content that it produces depending on the social media they're using, and how well they encourage engagement and conversation.
Some of CNN's weaknesses on the other hand include that it is difficult to moderate discussions which can sometimes catalyze the spread of misinformation or hostile discourse, and that platforms like Instagram and tiktok which require shorter length content may lack the depth and Analysis required for audiences receiving the information.
Some of my ideas for how CNN can improve is by including more Interactive and direct replies as well as providing fact-checking and more live discussions so that people are aware of potential misinformation. Ultimately, I believe that CNN can be used as a great resource, but much like any media, it's important to recognize what we're consuming and be responsible with media literacy to ensure that we don't spread misinformation. Fact-checking across various social media platforms and even News broadcasting companies can help us consume information and share it more responsibly.
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