Going with the Two Step Flow
The main source of news for myself is social media. I never read the paper or sulk while watching the news. Facebook and Twitter are the first platforms that will present important news to me. Followed by Instagram and Tik Tok. I find out about urgent, real world news on Facebook. If it’s really a big deal, it’ll be the topic of conversation on Twitter as well. Most information I encounter on Facebook, other than hilarious memes, has to do with work, Covid-19 updates and people complaining about new mandates/laws from the government.
My Twitter timeline has all of that with more memes and pop culture conversation.
Definitely the more laid back app. Tik Tok is informative messages, but also opinionated dialogue through video. While Instagram simply captures the talk of the town in the form of image most times. It’s up to you if you want to go as far as reading about it.
All of these social networking apps have similar methods of the Two-Step Flow Theory. Celebrities and politicians, “opinion leaders” according to the Mr. Sinn channel on YouTube, have accounts on most of the platforms mentioned.
As a result of their status and popularity, they have tons of followers. The masses, if you will. What they say and post on social media could either be taken with a grain of salt or to heart. They have an unwritten responsibility to be aware of what they put out there because of their influence. This is a prime example of the theory at work.
The way that I share news is through the same channels that I receive news. I only really talk about current events with my friends. This mostly takes place in group chats through Instagram, Twitter or iMessage. I’ll directly send a post from Instagram and Twitter platforms into the direct message section of the app and vice versa. Or a screenshot of something will be sent through iMessage as a conversation starter.
I only share news with my friends and online that I feel is worth talking about. I only analyze and do further research on news I feel is relevant. Trustworthy sources are critical when the Two-Step Flow Theory is being applied. I believe that it’s vital for the masses to be aware of what opinion leaders they are choosing to believe. That includes politicians, celebrities, influencers and anyone who has the power to sway the thought process of their followers.
References:
Two Step Flow Theory: Media Theories
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