Industry Moves: National Geographic Gets A VP Of Social Media
Funny how traditional media companies have begun to acknowledge social media expertise as a valuable skill … National Geographic has brought in Robert Michael Murray as its first VP of social media.
Murray will develop a complete social media strategy for NationalGeographic.com, including reader outreach and content syndication. This comes just a few months after the NYT hired Jennifer Preston as its first social media editor.
FishbowlNY notes that the Austin American-Statesmen recently added a social media editor, and that the New York Daily News is looking for a social media marketing manager. Still, changing the corporate culture of these news organizations may require more than just a social media-savvy new hire: Dow Jones (NYSE: NWS), for example, laid out a newly revised code of conduct for its employees with specific rules for social media — rules that were then criticized in the blogosphere.
Murray most recently served as director of digital media communications and strategy at Georgetown University; he brings technical and creative expertise to his new role, having overseen events like the University’s live-streamed political debates. Release.
Tameka – It *is* good news that National Geographic is embracing social media. But I wonder if the press release suggests that NGS really "gets it." I outline my concerns here: http://tr.im/wjgB …. I've also included a link to the original job description for VP – Social Media. Is this a pretty typical outline for what a SocMed evangelist is doing these days? It seems driven more by content distribution (one to many) instead of by social connections & community building.