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Rumors about a massive fish pulled out of a local lake turned into a cool story, with the angler identified using Facebook.
WHAT THEY DID: Kent Bush, publisher for the Augusta Daily Gazette, heard a rumor at a meeting about a huge fish caught in a local lake being drained for a dam/spillway project. Bush put a callout on Facebook, asking the paper’s more than 3,000 fans if anyone knew who the angler was. In 38 minutes, someone responded with a name. They got a photo and permission to use the angler’s name – which made for a great talker on Facebook and a nice print piece.
TAKEAWAY: Using Facebook to source talkers like “the big catch” is a great way to expand the eyes and ears of a newsroom. Callouts like this work well for fun stories, because people want to share with their communities. If you hear something about a coyote prowling around the suburbs, or a bald eagle nest in a backyard – Facebook can be the perfect tool for nailing down the who and where.
GateHouse Media news organizations are finding ways to work corporate strategies for best practices into their websites and newspapers every day. National content development managers Jean Hodges and Sarah Corbitt are on the lookout for your best work, and we'll share it here.
