This was an extension of research by the same authors (2010) that investigated
sports reporters’ perception of their use of Twitter as part of their professional
journalistic duties. Using content-analysis methodology (N = 1,008), the authors
investigated how sports reporters actually used Twitter. Analysis showed a discrepancy
between journalist responses and measured content. Although journalists
said they were using Twitter for breaking news and promotion, the dominant result
of the content analysis was commentary and opinion. There were also differences
related to print and smaller media outlets. The implications of such differences
are discussed, including a possible paradigmatic shift in journalists’ approaches.