Which tweets 'deserve' to be included in news stories? Chronemics of tweet embedding

TL;DR

This paper examines how news outlets prioritize and embed tweets under time pressures, analyzing the factors influencing the speed of tweet embedding in the context of the 24/7 news cycle.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of chronemics to study the temporal aspects of tweet embedding practices in news production.

Findings

Certain outlet types embed tweets faster.

Tweets from specific user groups are embedded more quickly.

Temporal constraints significantly influence embedding practices.

Abstract

The use and selection of user-generated social media content, specifically tweets, as a news source has become an integral part of news production practice. Yet, the mapping and the extent of the nature of the practices in which news outlets integrate social media use are still lacking. This study focuses on the pressures of immediacy on the media ecosystems, i.e., as organizational practices of news outlets that make choices related to social media content integration. By analyzing a large corpora of news outlets that have embedded tweets, this study analyzes tweet embedding practices by specifically focusing on the concept of chronemics, conceptualized here as the time needed to embed tweets. Temporal constraints are particularly pressing for journalistic practices, given the continuous pressures of the 24/7 news cycle. We ask two main questions: which types of outlets are quicker to embed tweets, and which types of users' tweets are more likely to be embedded quickly?