Evaluation of Social Media Sources

Social media was definitely not quiet on the topic of the 2015 Oscar nominations. From Twitter to Instagram, there were different perspectives and opinions shared. In this post, I will analyze social media sources that I have gathered about the aforementioned controversy.

To view my full Storify, click here.

Source #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oicts7KOnY4

Video posted on Google+ by Vox account

Tjorhom, Ann Emilie "screenshot-Vox youtube" 9/5/2015 via youtube

• Credibility: The video was posted by Vox, an established media company, and produced by Joe Posner and Estelle Caswell. Joe Posner is video director and founding member of vox.com, and his credentials can be found on his website. Estelle Caswell is a motion graphics designer at Vox Media, and her profile can be found on LinkedIn.
• Location: Vox and the producers are located in NYC, a prominent center for film. However, they do not appear to have been at the 2015 Oscars.
• Network: Both producers have an extensive network of media professionals connected to them from Vox and other sites such as APCO Worldwide
• Content: The information that the video gives can be corroborated, because it includes statistics about the race and gender of Oscar voters and the pictures nominated throughout the years.
• Contextual updates: Vox posts about social issues and hot button topics regularly. For example, recent videos include "The Charleston shooting is part of a long history of anti-black terrorism" and "Activist Bree Newsome takes down Confederate Flag at South Carolina Statehouse."
• Age: The YouTube account for Vox was created March 4 of 2014, but the website has been active for much longer.
• Reliability: The source of the information is credible because it is run by a well-known media company.

Source #2: https://twitter.com/Mumbojimbo/status/574002736922038272

Tweet by @mumbojimbo

Tjorhom, Ann Emilie "screenshot- mumbojimbo" 9/5/2015 via twitter

• Credibility: The author of the tweet is involved with an information subset of Rockefeller University called "Natural Selections." He is also the Grants Management Specialist at The Rockefeller University.
• Location: Keller is located in NYC which, as mentioned with the Vox source, is a hub for film and televison. Jim was not at the Oscars, however.
• Network: The author is connected with @Natselections (Rockefeller University) and 347 other professionals on LinkedIn.
• Content: The information that the shows he mentions are popular can be backed up by TV ratings and social buzz. But the fact that they like them because they are non-white centered TV shows can not be corroborated without a poll.
• Contextual updates: Jim Keller does post on pop culture topics often. He recently commented on Kanye West's win at the VMAs and retweeted a post about the new film Straight out of Compton.
• Age: The account has been active since March of 2009.
• Reliability: Considering his connections with a prominent university and his professional connections, I would say that the account is credible.