The traditional media, CNN for one, had great difficulty getting reliable news subsequent to the controversial elections in Iran. This Theocratic and Totalitarian System has always controlled their traditional media including Radio, TV and even the internet to certain extents. So when major and tumultuous political and social events occur in a tightly controlled and restricted society, what is a major media outlet to do when they can’t get any of their journalists on the scene? Enter: Social Media
CNN has come to rely on Facebook and Twitter as resources for the unfolding events surrounding the political unrest and crackdown in Iran. For the past two weeks Twitter’s main trending topic has been #iranelection, with a few thousand updates per minute at its peak. I often click on the topic to get updated on what is going on, much like CNN. These tweets are coming straight from protesters, and often come with pictures, videos, and other forms of media. Never before has there been such instant and unfiltered information coming from behind the closed walls of dictatorial countries.
Recently, many have been criticizing CNN under the term CNN Fail for not properly covering the events in Iran. Sure, they used Twitter from time to time, but with thousands of updates a minute, there is too much content for the traditional media to digest, discern newsworthiness and verify source information. So CNN was clearly behind the curve; appearing to be a follower, a novice even in pursuit of the news and reality of what is really going on. The Crisis in Iran should have been at the top of the headlines, as it was the leading story of consequence throughout the crisis. I’m sure it would be far more relevant and captivating than re-running Larry King interviewing the cast from American Chopper, as riveting as that sounds. Even on CNNbrk (CNN’s breaking news Twitter account) they posted broken links that were suppose to lead to breaking content regarding the elections in Iran. Does CNN even know what they are doing? It seems like they are failing at both understanding the importance Twitter has, and failing at how to use it. Children know how to post links on Twitter, but not one of the leading news sources in the country. Now I know why people categorize these occurrences, and the current state of CNN under CNN Fail.
Even though CNN has had a hard time fully grasping and utilizing Twitter, the rest of us have not, especially the youth in Iran. Despite the Iranian government shutting down internet access after 3pm, many people have not only been able to get their messages across through Twitter and Facebook, but have also used these online social platforms to organize rallies, meetings, and strategies on how to best voice their outrage. There can be no better example of how users who understand technology can actually utilize it to their fullest potential while the traditional giants of media struggle to learn and understand how the whole sphere of social media changes forever how people get and share information, particularly in crisis situations that are far too liquid for traditional media to handle in traditional ways.
Perhaps CNN et al will learn from this experience and fully embrace social media. In addition, they should refocus on news they can cover best. For instance, now that the crackdown has occurred and the protesters have left the streets, it’s time for good old fashioned investigative reporting. CNN should use Twitter to reach into the fabric of Iranian society and learn what the Iranian people are dealing with now and what their current hopes and aspirations are with all that has transpired. In other words, since the pace of news has slowed down to a level that CNN can cope with, they should step up and leverage the Social Media to tell the untold stories of the Iranian people.
![[Post to Twitter]](http://blog.optimum7.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-twitter.png){kind=icon}
![[Post to Delicious]](http://blog.optimum7.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-delicious.png){kind=icon}
![[Post to Digg]](http://blog.optimum7.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-digg.png){kind=icon}
![[Post to Reddit]](http://blog.optimum7.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-reddit.png){kind=icon}
![[Post to StumbleUpon]](http://blog.optimum7.com/wp-content/plugins/tweet-this/icons/tt-su.png){kind=icon}
Lately you might have heard some hype or seen internet ads and even some TV commercials promoting a new search engine called Bing. Bing is a search engine, but it’s not necessarily new. Bing is actually the search engine formally known as Live Search, Windows Live Search, and MSN Search which is powered by Microsoft and launched live on June 3, 2009.
Thanks to many blog hosting sites on the web, like 
There has been a paradigm shift in internet messaging. Why is 
Finding a Job with the Help of Social Media
Generally I think the population is starting to feel a very slight turn in the economy, but many Americans are still without jobs, 14.5 million to be exact. The most popular sites to currently find a job online are monster.com, careerbuilder.com, and now even craigslist.com. If these sites are not working for you try using social media sites that now offer job boards and networking capabilities that the other traditional job sites do not offer.
The social news media site reddit.com recently created a new job board at redditjobs.com. The site has a simple, clean look and has a cute image of the Reddit alien sporting a suit and carrying a briefcase. This job board seems like a great place to look for a job since the users of the Reddit community are smart, tech savvy and young. I found job postings for cool companies like Conde Nast, Meebo, and even Loopt.
A popular web site for freelancers and web workers is odesk.com; now they have teamed up with Facebook using Facebook Connect to get the word out about job openings. A company like Odesk recognizes the power of social networking to attract job seekers. Odesk attracts companies that are anywhere from trendy startups to more established companies looking for potential recruits that would use a site like Odesk to find a job. You can go to Odesk’s fan page on Facebook and see recent updates about Job offerings and stay up to date by becoming a fan.
LinkedIn, www.linkedin.com, is a great networking tool. Here you can join for free, completely fill out your career history, upload your historical address book and the site will provide you with those in your address book already on LinkedIn. Use this resource to connect with specific industries, companies and organizations and engage. I know someone who must have linked up with over 300 sources and he got a great new job after being laid off from a long term employer. If he can do it, you can do it.
If you are constantly sending out your resume to many job openings, think about everyone else who is doing the same thing. A creative way to get ahead of the curve and make your resume stand out from others is by tweeting your contact information to include your @(twitteraddress). The power of Twitter is changing the world’s communication in countless ways. The fact that you have a @twitteraddress might impress a potential employer and might even interest them enough to go on Twitter and see your updates. Create a professional background on your Twitter page with information resembling a business card and lists interests so that the employer is able to learn more about you. Also, tweet about articles and subjects that have to do with the industry you are looking to get hired in. A potential employer will appreciate the fact that you are truly interested and keeping up to date with trends in your trade.
Almost everyone knows how to use some of what the internet has to offer, but you will need to expand your understanding of the great social networking tools to set yourself apart from your competition. Get to know and embrace social media and social networking. Be a giver, a contributor online. Don’t just ask for things. Give and you will get. Just don’t stop!
@MelGonzalez