The Power of Twitter & Live Blogging during the Mumbai Terror Attack

This amazing powerful tool called Twitter has proven that its not only effective to market products online and generate traffic but also a very important tool to cover events and updates. Live blogging on Twitter took an all time high yesterday when terror struck Mumbai.

Bloggers across Mumbai updated live feeds via Twitter after gunmen launch attacks on Mumbai city, highlighting the emergency of citizen journalism in news coverage.

Bloggers were uploading pictures and images of attacks from the damage sites. Some bloggers provided running description and commentaries from near the action, while others vented emotions.

I got to know about the attacks on Twitter, much before any media covered it online. In a matter of seconds number of messages ( tweets and re tweets ) from Twitter fans created a live blogging viral effect of the incident.

Close to 80 Twitter feeds were being posted every 30 seconds and this still continues as bloggers send live coverage updates via Twitter. Several news channel were reported to carry out live feeds of Twitter updates on Mumbai attacks.

The Live blogging from the attacks in Mumbai still contine on Twitter as I write this post, you can view Live Twitter Feeds here

Is Twitter changing the way mainstream media covers an event? This is one of the first instances I ve seen on citizens covering an event thro live feeds, the Twitter revolution seem to have begun worldwide. Can this application change the dynamics of the digital media industry ?

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12 comments

Manny November 28, 2008 - 3:36 pm
Twitter is an amazing tool, this is a great post on how media can leverage Twitter's potential Mannys last blog post..Adobe Flex can now be easily integrated with Visual Studio and Eclipse
ZK@Internet Marketing Bog November 29, 2008 - 6:45 pm
Hi Manny : Thanks for your comments and for following me on Twitter :)
Ajith Edassery November 29, 2008 - 7:51 pm
I did not hook on to twitter during the operations as I was hoocked on to the TV continuosly for 12-14 hours for the past two days. Later I figured out that a couple of people that I follow have been tweeting about it. According to me, twitter has the potential to make the content and topics viral but the client tools should be smart enough to easily access retweet etc. This is one of the issues that many of those tools need to address. Ajith Edasserys last blog post..Free blogging platforms - Blogger v/s Wordpress.com Comparison
ZK@Internet Marketing Blog November 30, 2008 - 7:58 pm
Hi Ajith : Being in Canada and having no access to Indian news channel. I had to depend on Twitter, the updates were better than any news channel covering the live event. I agree with you in Twitter tools are not comprehensive and I am sure that the team is working on getting added more.
Marco@Komödien Filme December 1, 2008 - 4:04 am
I was also watching the twitter feeds during the attacks. The news was much more realistic that way, because you are really connected to the people that are right there, not news as it is channeled through a profitable news station. I was even really surprised how much it seems like the news stations are using Twitter and Blogs to help them deliver the news. Several articles that I was reading on CNN were referring to tweets and blog posts. So if they can report on a source that we all have a direct connection with, we can all just go direct to the source.
ZK@Internet Marketing Blog December 1, 2008 - 4:19 pm
Hi Marco : Thanks for commenting, you are right CNN did post an article on their website about how Twitter users reacted to the Mumbai attacks. With more than 6 million Twitters worldwide, more than 80 messages, or Tweets were being sent on Twitter via SMS every 5 seconds on Mumbai attack updates. ZKs last blog post..The Roadmap To Become A Blogger
Michael Dunlop December 2, 2008 - 5:08 am
I love twitter, I also checked out twitter pages for constant updates that the news channels didn't even brake for a hour or so.
ZK@Internet Marketing Blog December 2, 2008 - 12:01 pm
Hi Michael : Good to have you here, thanks for commenting. Twitter is addictive :) I love your blog and I am a frequent visitor to your blog posts :) ZKs last blog post..The Roadmap To Become A Blogger
John December 10, 2008 - 4:20 am
We have ever wanted a tool that can do almost everything for us.
Fluke December 29, 2008 - 2:53 am
twitter is a good social messaging tool.
Fluke December 30, 2008 - 3:06 am
Twitter is excellent, it is micro blogging site and use to list updates means user's updates.
Fluke December 30, 2008 - 3:08 am
I can understand that this tool is really excellent to work during Mumbai blasts.

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