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The only way to learn about the possibilities and shortcomings of any tool is using it and with Twitter is the same thing.

Twitter is a site, so far free to use, to write and publish on the Internet messages with a maximum of 140 characters.

Without registering, you can read the flow of trade that occurs every day on that platform, however, only by creating an account Twitter opens all its possibilities as a social network tool.

In addition to publishing our information, we can follow messages that other people and institutions are sending regularly to the site. We choose who we follow and also we can be followed by others.

The list of things that journalists could do with Twitter is enormous.

- Disseminate news.
- Search contacts and ideas
- Conducting interviews via text
- Request information on certain topics
- Make searches by subject
- Find specialists in various fields
- Send headlines to cell phones
- To make minute by minute news coverage via text
- Conduct informal surveys
- Publish photos

In this social network daily exchanges are millions, thus it is crucial to learn how to isolate the noise and filter data in order to find quality information and valuable clues. Two useful sites are tweetag and search on Twitter itself, among many others.

Mainstream media outlets are spreading their material on this network. There is a list of news organizations using Twitter at red66. MediaOnTwitter is one of various databases about reporters using Twitter.

British digital journalist Paul Bradshaw, a tireless advocate for such tools, share some clues on his blog to incorporate Twitter into the arsenal of any journalist or media outlet.

retoNet has opened an account in Twitter.

Our intention is to exploit the potential of this platform as a means of dissemination and use it also as an alternative window to promote the exchange about the challenges of digital journalism.

You can follow us at http://twitter.com/retonet

What do you think of Twitter? What advantages does it have for a journalist? How should media and journalists use this platform?

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