New feed offers latest buzz on print’s casualties and phoenixes 

Writing the ongoing obituary for traditional print media is wordy and therefore passe.

That’s where Twitter comes in. A new feed called The Media is Dying is a way for communicators to indulge in Schadenfreude about the state of the industry. With mercifully short 140-character blasts, it’s also a way for PR reps and journalists to keep tabs on who’s coming and going (or gone altogether).

The feed was started Nov. 19, by a group of 15 anonymous communicators. That cabal has grown to a network of more than 5,000. Anyone is welcome to join or send in tips.

“There’s an unprecedented amount of change going on in the media industry, and no one can keep up with this,” a founder wrote in an e-mail to Ragan.com. “If we crowd-source, we have a much better chance” of providing comprehensive information.

Blasts can detail corporate layoffs, buyouts and updates about specific journalists.

David Parmet, a New York PR agent, said the feed helps those involved in the public relations industry.

“For PR flacks, it’s always a good idea to make sure you know when journalists are moving around,” Parmet said. “If you’re pitching a story, you’ve got to know where people are.”

Ike Pigott, who specializes in internal communications at the energy utility Alabama Power, said subscribers include journalists, Web site publishers and people interested in social media and consulting. Pigott said the feed provides an ever-shifting mosaic of the old journalism industry in real-time.

“If I were a journalist, I’d be following it,” Pigott said. “It’s the most primitive ad-hoc form of data visualization you can imagine.” In journalism, though, skepticism is essential. The group labels anything it can’t confirm “Rumor” and asks participants for verification. 

“But if they see a blast that concerns them, they can easily double-check it,” Pigott said.

Paull Young, a PR agent in New York, warns readers to be a bit cautious when reading the feed.

“It's common to see rumors flare up quickly on Twitter, just as it is currently one of the best sources for breaking news,” Young said.

“But as with any online property run by anonymous authors, it's essential to take everything with a grain of salt. You don't know who is talking to you or what their agenda may be.”

A group founder considers the feed as a service project that benefits journalism, the media and PR.

“We hope no one gets laid off, but it’s a sad reality right now, and it’ll help all concerned if everyone is as informed as possible,” the founder wrote in an e-mail to Ragan.com. “If one day the feed is no longer needed, so be it—it might morph or die itself.”

But who’ll write the obit?