Making it work when college grads move back home is easily said then done. CBS 2 News did a special on the Early Saturday Show with Dr. Janet Taylor, a psychiatrist who gave tips on how to make it work with college graduates.

1. 
   CBSNews When College Grads Move Back Home: Psychiatrist Tells Parents of Boomerang Kids It Can Be Manageable, Even Positive! http://bit.ly/acfJhv 29 May 2010 from twhirl

– this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

Dr. Taylor’s tips appeared to be very helpful and even achievable for both the parent and the college kid. For me moving back home after graduating from undergrad was a bit challenging and at times unbearable. I eventually learned that I would either have to move or I would drive myself crazy, because my mom was being too much of a parent.

I moved out on my own for two years but came back home after I realized I needed to save money and the real world proved to be tougher than I expected.  However I was pleasantly surprise to see that some of the tips and advice Dr. Taylor shared on CBS, I was already following.

Taylor Tip’s

Establish a Timetable: It’s key to establish how long this housing arrangement is going to last.

Clarify House Rules: So establishing mutual expectations for curfews, household chores, overnight guests, or even noise are important to work out early on. Parents can list three things that they absolutely cannot live with, and grown kids must respect this.

Consider Charging Rent: It is absolutely OK for parents to charge rent. This can also include utilities, cable, or other benefits they’re enjoying.

Avoid Slipping Into Old Roles: Try to avoid falling into traditional parent and child roles. This is difficult, but parents should steer clear of doing traditional things such as loaning their grown kid money, and doing their laundry.

Don’t Over-Parent: Parents should not get overly involved in their kids’ lives and personal relationships. This is not healthy for kids or parents, and parents need to respect their kids’ growing independence. Creating a dictatorship doesn’t help them grow as self-reliant individuals.

Many twitter users retweeted the CBS segment titled “Making It Work When College Grads Move Back Home”, which indicated to me that they were just as interested in the subject as I.

1. 
   GDIIncomeTeam Making It Work When College Grads Move Back Home: CBS News
   The potentially bad news: He or she has returned to the… http://bit.ly/cDroAv 29 May 2010 from twitterfeed
2. 
   Chris195j Making It Work When College Grads Move Back Home: CBS News
   And of those grown children, about a-third say they use… http://bit.ly/bah75a 29 May 2010 from twitterfeed
3. 
   247dotpt #News #Health Making It Work When College Grads Move Back Home (source: CBS News) http://bit.ly/9BhLiu 29 May 2010 from twitterfeed
4. 
   sprink281 Making It Work When College Grads Move Back Home: CBS News
   So, what’s a parent to do to keep harmony in the househ… http://bit.ly/bah75a 30 May 2010 from twitterfeed

– this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

The tips shared by Dr. Taylor are a definite benefit for parents and college kids who experience the hassle of reuniting back under one roof. These are very simplistic rules that many can live by and can prove to help accomplish a much happier relationship.

Co-hosting the Chef Cliff Rome Show “Food and Entertainment” on WVON has afforded me many opportunities and I have learned to capitalize on the opportunities when they present themselves.

This past Thursday, Dr. Ian Smith medical expert from VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club did a phone interview on our show.

www.jackandjillpolitics.com/blog/wp

Meeting Dr. Ian Smith was a pleasure and was great exposure for myself because I want to be a health reporter and not to mention I knew our listeners could benefit from his expertise.

Listen as he gives Chicago listeners great advice about health, eating right and living a happy life.
wvon Dr.Ian Smith

Twitter was the first know to that Dr. Smith would be on the show and I was hoping that users would call in as I tweeted throughout the interview.

1. 
   rashanahb Dr. Ian Smith will B on R show”food& entertainment “2nite@930pm c.s.t on 1690am Wvon, listen live@ wvon.com. chat live 7735911690 28 May 2010 from Twitter for BlackBerry®
2. 
   rashanahb Listen live to Dr. Ian Smith wvon.com as he give chicagoans health tips. 28 May 2010 from Twitter for BlackBerry®
3. 
   rashanahb Dr. Ian Smith talks live on wvon.com about his book “Happy” and tells listeners about the importance of exercising. 28 May 2010 from Twitter for BlackBerry®
4. 
   rashanahb #health on chef rome show 1690am wvon w-Dr. Ian Smith of Vh1’s Celeb Fit Club.Dr.Smith will b@borders N HydePark this sat@4p 28 May 2010 from Twitter for BlackBerry®
5. 
   rashanahb #obesity is the major health issue w-african americans.Dr.Ian Smith shares w-Wvon 1690am listeners live&what can Bdone 2 change it 28 May 2010 from Twitter for BlackBerry®

– this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

I learned that Dr. Ian Smith lives in Chicago and worked closely with State Farm Insurance to launch the 50 Million Pound Challenge. Dr. Smith shared achievable tips, strategies for dieting and insisted that loosing weight should not be a short term goal. Loosing weight should not be attempted to do so in a week or month but gradually done.

This past April Dr. Ian Smith released his seventh book entitled “Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life” which is on the New York Times Best Seller List.

Twitpic posted by @Disfunctional

Apple iPad was released on April 3, 2010 in the United States. The revolutionary tablet computer soon migrated to Japan, France, United Kingdom and Australia amongst several other countries, including of course the Twitterverse.

The iPad fever hit Twitterverse with a bang, however the search for a perfect Twitter application on iPad continues.

From TweetDeck to Twitterrific, which Twitter app best meets an iPadTwitaholic’s social media needs?

According to the Social Media Influence, Twitter is reported to have a 15 million population; including active and inactive accounts. Here’s the iPad showdown via your very own Twitterverse population.

While many Twitterers celebrated their first tweets via iPad:

1. 
   icemark Nice isn’t it. Not good outside on a sunny day though! RT @alexbfree: Woohoo, this tweet is brought to you by my shiny new iPad! 28 May 2010 from TweetDeck
2. 
   drizzled First iPad tweet! If only there existed Red Dead Redemption for iPad existed so I could do both at once! 28 May 2010 from Twitterrific
3. 
   kelvineyers First ipad tweet. Epic I could cry with joy. What’s the best ipad twitter app?? 30 May 2010 from Twitter for iPhone
4. 
   linzc Obligatory first tweet from iPad… #proudandhappy 30 May 2010 from Twitterrific
5. 
   amigastu Typing this tweet on the iPad using my bluetooth keyboard, this is fantastic!! 30 May 2010 from Twitterrific

Several others complained about the lack of a Twitter-friendly app on iPad.

1. 
   dsturnbull Twitter doesn’t even have an iPad version? 28 May 2010 from TweetDeck
2. 
   hollyalyxfinch I think I’d use tweet deck for iPad more if you could see conversations in a thread :/ 30 May 2010 from Twitterrific
3. 
   an2ony @richrocks very well my friend, tweet deck for iPad is a bit ropey though! Does your version crash? It also causes keyboard lag. 30 May 2010 from TweetDeck
4. 
   iPope What is the best Twitter client for the iPad? I am not liking tweet deck that much 30 May 2010 from TweetDeck
5. 
   zeebe @uknowirock I have a feeling the Twitter app is ignoring the iPad 31 May 2010 from Kiwi in reply to uknowirock
6. 
   TheAppZone Even though there is quite a few Twitter apps for iPad, I find myself using the enlarged Twitter iPhone app because it seems the most stable 31 May 2010 from Twitter for iPhone
7. 
   steph_reames When’s the Twitter for iPad app coming out? Currently using Twitterific for iPad cause it was free. 31 May 2010 from Twitter for iPhone

While some crowned Twittelator and Twitterrific.

1. 
   jaytrixz Twittelatoris the best twitter app I’ve used so far for the iPad..it’s the closest thing you can get for the Twitter for iPhone app..☺ 30 May 2010 from Twittelator
2. 
   davidmacvicar Twittelator is the best twitter app for iPad. Very very slick. 30 May 2010 from Twittelator

1. 
   davidwUK @dekhogan Best Ipad Twitter app? – found twitteriffic had a nice clean line to it. 30 May 2010 from Twitter for iPhone in reply to dekhogan
2. 
   Issascrazyworld I’m thinking I prefer twitterific to tweet deck for the iPad. Now that I figured it out. 30 May 2010 from Twitterrific

Others found flaws in Twitterrific’s functionality.

1. 
   gvibe Don’t think twitterific is the best app for Twitter on the #ipad Time to find an alternative 30 May 2010 from Twitterrific
2. 
   JK85 @Twitterrific Twitterrific for iPad needs to be like Twitterrific for iPhone. It doesn’t stay on the last selected tweet and other things. 30 May 2010 from Twitterrific in reply to Twitterrific

@ironkeith suggested his perfect vision of a Twitter iPad.

1. 
   ironkeith The twitter app I really want is one that will sync my activity across my Mac, iPhone, and iPad. 30 May 2010 from Twitter for iPhone

Here are “Eight Twitter Apps for your Brand New iPad” via Social Times.

Be the judge and decide for yourself which app satisfies your Twitter thirst on iPad.

1. TwitePad
2. Tweeterena 2 for iPad
3. TweetDeck
4. TweetMagnet
5. TweetBrowser
6. TweetTime
7. Tweet
8. Twitterific

Twitpic posted by @jamesmiller “Twitter looks hot on an ipad x”

Twitter might seem like a frivolous and annoying website.  Who really cares what you are having for dinner?  But, it turns out that Twitter is used for much more than just personal life updates.  It means business.

In 2009, Twitter launched a Twitter 101 website for businesses.  The article says, “Twitter is a communication platform that helps businesses stay connected to their customers. As a business, you can use it to quickly share information with people interested in your company, gather real-time market intelligence and feedback, and build relationships with customers, partners and other people who care about your company.”

Twitter does not just allow businesses to promote its brand, but its conversational nature allows business representatives build relationships with its followers.  After all, doesn’t a personal touch make a customer more likely to remain loyal to a brand?

When starting a Twitter page, Twitter recommends that businesses follow these best practices:

-Include in your Bio the @usernames of the people twittering from your company account

-Respond to questions or comments addressed to you

-Post links to articles and sites you think followers would find interesting, even if they’re not your sites or about your company

-Make your tweets valuable: include coupons, post pictures from offices or stores, share sneak peeks of upcoming projects or products

@Swirlzcupcakes posted the following tweet to attract local Chicagoans to purchase treats while cheering on the Chicago Blackhawks:

1. 
   swirlzcupcakes Support your Chicago Blackhawks with Swirlz Cupcakes! Available in a variety of flavors, place your order today! http://twitpic.com/1pr60e 21 May 2010 from Twitpic

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, a Chicago tapas restaurant, posts tweets about upcoming events at the restaurant.

1. 
   CafeBaBaReeba Come to “Party at St. Mike’s” Friday, June 11 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm http://bit.ly/9gw8Jp 27 May 2010 from Facebook

Twitter 101 provides a case study that illustrates Best Buy’s use of Twitter.  Best Buy developed @twelpforce, a Twitter account that employees have access to in order to respond to customer’s questions.  Since the inception of @twelpforce, it has responded to more than 19,000 customer inquiries.

Here is an example of a customer/@twelpforce Twitter interaction:

1. 
   KVMurphy @Twelpforce What should I buy – a Flip or a camcorder? Want to be able to watch on both the computer and make a DVD to watch on my TV 26 May 2010 from web
2. 
   twelpforce @kvmurphy A Flip camera would be better (conversion-wise) for uploading to YouTube. Camcorder is better quality, overall. via @agent1834 26 May 2010 from Twelpforce

When providing a customer service program, Twitter 101 recommends the following best practices:

-Trust your employees: give them a mission, structure and boundaries

-Find something that only your company can give customers (technical support, coupon deals, recipes, etc.)

-Respond to customers as much as possible

-Make your resources each to find: staff your Twitter account to update it and respond to questions

At this point, it should be a no-brainer to enter the twittersphere, especially if you are involved in business.  No medium allows you to instantly connect with, converse with, promote, respond to questions and gain a customer’s loyalty like Twitter.

Going green is a huge trend right now as people try to reduce their environmental footprint.  There are plenty of books and websites out there offering advice on how to green up your life. But how to weed through all the tips?  Try Twitter.

It can be a little overwhelming at first, trying to sort through the many Twitter feeds to find a feed just about green tips. But with a few tricks you can easily find suggestions for greening just about every aspect of your life. The tweets will help you connect with reliable websites and the most popular tips on the web.

The key to finding tips is knowing the right search terms to use.  Surprisingly “#greentips” produces only a limited amount of results. “#greentips” might provide a limited amount of leads, but it can provide some interesting ones, such as this one:

1. 
   EcoseedMP 11 unusual things you can compost http://bit.ly/cCfUcw #recycle #compost #greentips #greenhome 21 May 2010 from API

– this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

Searching for “tips going green” on the other hand, produces pages of results. Tips on everything from green vacations and green building suggestions to daily behavior or product changes.

1. 
   TWEET_GO_GREEN Going Green in Your Kitchen: Five Useful Tips | Oh My Apartment: Going green around the home is a great way to get… http://bit.ly/9Ye6Gp 21 May 2010 from twitterfeed
2. 
   realestatetips8 Tax Tips: Save Some Green by Going Green http://url4.eu/3dCuK 21 May 2010 from RSS2Twitter
3. 
   PlusTrees Our Daily Green Tip: Avoid Overnight Shipping http://bit.ly/dw2S0t 25 May 2010 from twitterfeed
4. 
   ionicgreen Take a Great Green Vacation! – Traveling can have a big impact, but it’s easy to leave lighter footsteps. http://ow.ly/17vuxu 26 May 2010 from HootSuite

– this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

So far all the search terms used have provided general search results. This is fine if you are just looking for general ideas that you might not have thought of before, but what if you are looking for something specific?  Say you are looking for a better way to clean your home, something without all the toxic chemicals.  As with any search you want to make your search as specific as possible. Type in “green cleaning tips” gets you pages of results on general cleaning suggestions while “eco-friendly cleaning tips” provides only two pages worth of very specific results.

While it may be frustrating to search through pages of results on Twitter, often times that is the best way to find new information. Scrolling through the search results you may find information you didn’t even know you were looking for, such as eco-friendly ways to keep mosquitoes away.

1. 
   pluslily @GazillionBubble How to get rid of Mosquitoes using a bubble machine! http://ow.ly/1PFym #greenliving #ecofriendly #green 25 May 2010 from HootSuite

– this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

Even better is finding a Twitter feed you can follow.  You will notice when searching Twitter that the same Twitter handles come up frequently, either their post is being retweeted or they are posting frequently.   If you like what they have to say, click through to their profile, read their bio and check out their tweets. Many of the feeds are from websites such as @the_daily_green, which is connected to thedailygreen.com or @ionicgreen, which tweets links to their blog Going Green…for everyday living!

Often times though, the best tweets come from individuals who are not associated with websites, especially if you are looking for overall trends in going green or the environment. One such feed is from Clifton Weatherbee who tweets @green_living_tips.

As with any search engine, the results you find won’t be perfectly tailored to what you are looking for, at least not right away. But spend some time scrolling through the various results and you are sure to find some interesting, helpful facts and useful tips.

Before writing for Twitter Journalism, I had a perceived notion that Twitter was just a fad used by self-absorbed social-media addicts interested only in news that affected them personally.

Since I could not grasp why anyone would care what someone ate for lunch that day, I just assumed that the Twitter fad would vanish just as fast as it arrived. Yet, after writing just a few short posts I was able to realize the impact Twitter has had on the journalism community.

Whether it is used to find breaking news, network or self-promote, Twitter is a tool that no journalist can afford to ignore—including myself. So I went on a quest to discover some tips on how the most successful journalists use Twitter on a daily basis, and here are the top three I found:

1. Finding News. Thanks to Mashable.com, I was able to discover Muck Rack, a Website compiled of real-time Twitter activity by credible journalists.

Since Muck Rack, according to Mashable.com, is searchable by news organization, tweets, links, and photos submitted by journalists, it is easy to find breaking news from reliable sources.

By seeking out what journalists are tweeting about today on Muck Rack, you can help predict the news for tomorrow.

Here are some examples of breaking news tweets posted on Muck Rack today:

1. 
   latimesmuskal Rahm Emanuel to meet Israeli leaders http://lat.ms/dyhNBu [D.C. Now] 25 May 2010 from twitterfeed
2. 
   benpolitico South Carolina GOPer emails: “Politico might be well served to establish a Columbia bureau. “ 25 May 2010 from Twitter for iPhone
3. 
   davidjoachim Forbes to acquire True/Slant – http://bit.ly/a7PWcv 25 May 2010 from web

2. Networking. Every Monday evening, around 7 to 10 p.m. central time, journalists, bloggers and PR folks from across the nation join together to talk about the media industry via Twitter using the hashtag #journchat.

The #journchat creator and moderator, @PRsarahevans, keeps the discussion going by posting hot topic questions about the industry roughly every 10 minutes. Any discussion participant can ask the questions by sending them directly to @journchat.

Here are some examples of questions generated from last week’s #journchat:

1. 
   journchat Q2 @AsianStig What are the necessary skills that every journ or PR person needs? (e.g. Computer science, or something else?) #journchat 25 May 2010 from TweetChat
2. 
   journchat Q3 How have you changed your daily work flow to accommodate #SM? What task(s) have gone away (or are you trying to get rid of)? #journchat 25 May 2010 from TweetChat
3. 
   journchat Q5 PER @lacajag What’s #1 prep-for-real-life thing (class, info, equip) missing in journ programs? >CC: @jayrosen_NYU @jeffjarvis #journchat 25 May 2010 from TweetChat

Not only can journalists new to Twitter use #journchat to discuss their industry, they can use it to find and gain interesting followers.

For example, just last week alone I was able to find seven media moguls to follow, and five to follow me @RKFiorentino. Just imagine how many followers a journalist could gain by joining the #journchat discussion weekly.

3. Self-Promoting. While some news organizations are developing strict rules and regulations for their reporters to follow while on Twitter, others are using social media personalities to gain readership.

Take the Chicago Tribune’s Twitter personality @ColonelTribune for example. According to Mashable.com, the voice of one of the most respected news organizations in the world is one that just wants to sit down and have a scotch with you.

Instead of just posting article links on their Twitter page, @ColonelTribune adds personality and engages with its audience members, asking and answering questions on a regular basis.

And one way to ensure that you are engaging with your followers after posting article links is to check your @ replies frequently.

If someone made a comment or asked a question regarding your tweet, it is crucial to answer them immediately. As a new journalist to Twitter, not only will replying ensure that the person will read your articles again, it can entice all of their followers to check them out as well.

For a more detailed look at how journalists can use Twitter, take a look at this YouTube video posted by BeatBlogging:

Final Episode of Lost airs in the U.S. Sunday, May 23, 2010. Picture courtesy of Flickr user netmen.

Everyone in the United States is gearing up tonight to watch the final episode of Lost. What are fans on Twitter worried about though?

Twitter users are concerned about the SPOILERS found on Twitter all too often.

People especially across the United Kingdom are fearing the spoiler alert. The final episode of Lost airs tonight in the United States and runs for 4 1/2 hours, answering many of the questions viewers have been looking for since first watching the show.

Some people in Europe and specifically in the United Kingdom that are worried about seeing spoilers online are going so far as to say that they plan to stay off the Internet for the next few days until they have a chance to watch the final episode.

Twitter users concerns about spoilers on social media networks and specifically Twitter, are felt by many:

1. 
   Westy_Shores @niallKP stop with these lost spoilers!! 23 May 2010 from web in reply to niallKP
2. 
   mulene @deadlyknitshade astro bars! No spoilers please I won’t see it till weds maybe 23 May 2010 from Echofon in reply to deadlyknitshade
3. 
   ElouiseHemour @MattEdmondson your starting a trend RT @_AGirlLikeMe_: I will not be online for the next 2days. Don’t want to read any Lost spoilers. #lost 23 May 2010 from UberTwitter
4. 
   jaymeekae @diopter Yeah I’m about 4 weeks behind… eek. Anyone who deliberately spoils it is getting a punch. 23 May 2010 from web in reply to diopter

— this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

However, it might be that Twitter has solved this problem for their users and they don’t even know it yet. Some Twitter users have a way to get past the spoiler alerts:

1. 
   TweetDeck Desktop tip: Don’t ruin the surprise tomorrow, use the global filter to remove all LOST spoilers from your TweetDeck http://bit.ly/clgho5 22 May 2010 from TweetDeck

— this quote was brought to you by quoteurl

So what is this all about, you twitter users might ask? It is simple, the creators of twitter installed a global filter so we don’t have to ruin all the surprises for people around the world. According to Twitter, a global filter is:

• Unlike the filter features that we currently offer in TweetDeck, a global filter is permanent (until physically removed).
• The filter is applied to all columns within TweetDeck.

In order to prevent spoilers in the future, visit the global filter page and edit your settings on your Twitter account.

If you are a sports writer, nothing beats the feel of a live event. The energy in the arena or gymnasium can fuel your creativity. But so can Twitter.

You can do so much more with a laptop than just keep game stats. With a WiFi connection, you can now engage your readers in real time, which makes for a much more complete journalistic experience. Even with just a smart phone, Twitter has changed how sports journalists cover games. Here are 7 tips on how to use tweets to increase your audience and impress your editor.

As for applications, I use UberTwitter as I’m a Blackberry guy. TweetDeck is nice platform for following multiple hashtags. If you have an IPhone, Tweetie is a great app.

Bottom line, Twitter can be a very useful tool when covering a live sports event. But consider this—it is just an instrument. It should not replace the basic tenants of journalism. Still get the facts, Jack. Once you do, just don’t be shy about tweeting them out.

Jon Kerr is a social media sports reporter at Sun-Times Media West. He can be reached on Twitter @jkerrsports.

Steve Buttry of Gazette Communications is collecting tips on how journalists can use Twitter and real-world examples of how journalists have used Twitter in the past, both good and bad experiences.

Interested in updating his ‘Twitter Tips For Journalists’ post from July, he hopes to get your mind flowing with ideas with these two examples of Twitter in action:

Twitter was an invaluable tool for Bill Doskoch of toronto.ctv.ca in telling the story of a SWAT team swarming the office of a guy whose neighbor had seen him brandishing a handgun. The officers learned he had just assembled the toy handgun from a Legos kit. Bill’s account:

I was working the night it happened, and first heard of a gun call, but it didn’t sound like much. Next morning, I saw a Twitter link to Jeremy Bell’s blog post. I tracked him down at his office and eventually got a telephone interview with him.

He didn’t want to identify who sicced the cops on him, but by reading his Twitter feed, I could figure it out by myself. I contacted Michael Dent, did an interview, and he was kind enough to supply the picture. As near as I could tell, I was the only reporter to interview both parties and get the photo.

It’s not like great stories fall into my lap every day through Twitter, but it should still be part of every reporter’s toolbox. I would stress to young journos, however, that reporting should be treated as an active process, not a passive one.

The other story comes from Kate Dubinski, a reporter for the London Free Press, who wrote for the Canadian Journalism Project about live-tweeting the high-profile Bandidos murder trial — six men charged with eight counts of first-degree murder. I encourage you to read her full post, but here’s a passage:

In my view, the potential for Twitter is huge: we were first in getting out the verdicts, for example, which were then typed up for our site by people back in the newsroom. It offers a way to get people into the courtroom (or city council chambers) in a way that you can’t do with print or television. We interacted with people we never would have tracked down if it hadn’t been for tweeting the trial, and we interviewed them for more in-depth stories after the court case.

Many thanks to Buttry — @stevebuttry on Twitter and a great person to follow — for allowing Twitter Journalism to republish this piece of his recent blog post. Send your Twitter tips and stories his way (use hashtag #twjtips) or leave a comment here and we’ll make sure he gets it.

RELATED: New to Twitter? Don’t miss our “Quick Tips For Newbies” page.

Twitter began rolling out its latest feature – “lists” – to select users this week, with plans to opening it up to everyone soon.

Earlier this month, journalism professor and mindcast-extraordinaire Jay Rosen had his followers scratching their heads when he made this prediction:

1. 
   jayrosen_nyu You’ll find out yourself soon enough, but I’m telling you now. “Lists” are going to change Twitter http://jr.ly/4jm4 04 Oct 2009 from web

Shortly after, he followed up with this tweet:

1. 
   jayrosen_nyu In reply to several of you, cannot say if it will be better or worse, but I can say: lists will change Twitter. In a sense, it’s up to us. 05 Oct 2009 from web

As one of the lucky “beta” testers of this new feature, and playing around with it for a few days, I can say with confidence that Rosen was absolutely right (as usual) in his prognosis. Lists are going to change Twitter – dramatically – and it is largely up to how we use them. For most of us, I say lists are “for the better.”

Here’s my initial impressions of Twitter lists, and why journalists should care about them, in just two days of trying them out:

• Excellent for tracking news and breaking news feeds (this one I created includes 100 news feeds, screenshot below)
• Efficient way to categorize sources/accounts by expertise or niche (@latimesnystrom does a good job of this, screenshot below)
• Easy to set up and track several unique streams at once rather than just a single home stream
• Allows for more opportunities of “discovery,” as well as networking and stumbling across interesting people
• Ability to follow other lists (like the many offered by @Muckrack) helps find new Twitter users of interest to you
• Creates an opportunity for newsrooms to create staff lists or useful local lists for readers/viewers to follow (see @PBS and @ColonelTribune)
• One way for journalists to separate personal from professional interests on Twitter (lists can be set as public or private)

These are just a few observations but again Rosen was right on. This will change Twitter. And for journalists, lists will become just one more tool in the arsenal for tracking breaking news, collecting story tips, networking with others, and compiling useful information in an ever-cluttered 24/7 Twitter stream.

Screenshots: