Technology, healthcare, politics and entertainment: the top topics for TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and bloggers. Recently released, the 2012 Web Influencers Survey reports on insights into how media gets news now.

Not surprisingly, reporters, journalists and producers now turn to social media and the web to mine for sources and stories more and more.

According to the D S Simon 2012 Web Influencers Survey, social media drives story content for 84% of traditional media websites and 93% of newspaper websites.

Of these sites, 80% use outside produced video, which opens up an incredible opportunity for public relations and corporate communicators to share client videos.

Almost 3 in 5 sites prefer professional quality HD video via an embed code, which track and monitor views.

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube Lead as Media Resources

How the media use social media content for stories. Source: 2012 Web Influencers Survey

89% use Facebook, 86% use Facebook and 58% use YouTube

Traditional media sites increasingly run stories pitched via social media:
75% of newspaper reporters and 72% of television producers have run stories pitched to them via social media.

“The common denominator in all of these developments has been the increased role that web video has made in shaping the way organizations and websites cover the news” said Douglas Simon, President & CEO of D S Simon Productions.

“Content created for an opt-in culture will be one of the driving factors in the years to come as a way for organizations and corporations to maintain and build relationships with key publics” said Simon.

Social Media and Content Marketing Survy Methodology

The Web Influencers Survey, now in its fourth year, consists of an online survey delivered by Survey Monkey to more than 1,000 web media influencers. Individual surveys were sent out to reporters and producers at TV, radio, newspaper, magazine and web media (bloggers) properties. D S Simon received 329 responses.

For more information about D S Simon, visit the website. Download the Web Influencers Survey.

Over to You

How do you use video and social media in your media relations?