I’m one of those that looked at Twitter as a platform for those with nothing better to do with their day than rabbit on about what they were having for tea and how bad the traffic was on their drive home. A place for teenagers and bored geeks to hang out and spout dubious opinions that could not be verified.
But I have to say I’m turning. Everyone has been reading and whatching the stunning airmanship of US Air Captain Chelsey Sullenberger, ensuring the safety of all on board by ditching an Airbus in the Hudson River. Significantly, many people, both your average Joe and also news professionals, were alerted to the breaking story by a Twitter feed. As the BBC’s Rory Cellan Jones comments on his blog, he was alerted by his Twitter feed about how amazing it was that a plane could land on water.
Twitter is not going to replace the BBC any time soon, for sure. But it now serves a greater purpose than many of us thought and I have to take my hat off to them and admit that with the new Twitpic site enabling it to grow into a genuine multi media service, perhaps it’s time for me to head over and get an account…..
