| « A matter of life or death | Media frenzy at Hayes trial » |
140 Characters
Posted by Rachel Guerra on October 6th, 2010 at 06:05:25 am
Twitter has revolutionized journalism. Journalists from across Connecticut and the country proved that while covering the trial of Steven Hayes, who was found guilty Tuesday for the murders of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters Hayley, 17 and Michaela, 11, during a home invasion at their Cheshire home that has drawn national attention.
- Details of the Cheshire case on www.wtnh.com
Twitter is a social medium. It allows folks to follow each other and talk about what ever they please, but in 140 characters or less. As the Twitter trend grows, it's apparent, Twitter has become a valuable source of news and information. WTNH proved that with the creation of @news8now to cover the #Hayes trial from start to finish. Its instant success, growing to more than 1,000 followers in less than a month, had many other news outlets jumping on the bandwagon to do the same. Many created special accounts like us to cover the case later in the week.
The Twitter war officially began. From every speck of testimony on the stand, each tear shed to evidence photos and even court breaks, you the follower got it the second and sometimes minutes after it happened.
Every single gut-wrenching detail of how a career criminal, working with another, managed to wipe out an entire family for a few thousand dollars and some jewelry, was on display.
One loyal follower, known on Twitter as @ctwebsites, says he loved keeping the @news8now feed on his computer, giving him the courtroom experience without being there. Unlike the trial of O.J Simpson when he was glued to a television all day and unproductive. "with Twitter I built four websites, while keeping up on the case. On verdict day he thanked us: "thanks 2 @news8now and others for groundbreaking Twitter coverage of the #Hayes trial."
But of course many aren't excited about this new media platform. On daily basis Tweeters were attacked. A New Haven Advocate reporter called it a "form of voyeurism, and an "extreme form of rubber-necking." A New York Times reporter took my card because he wants to write about the use of Twitter at trials, but only after saying he wasn't sure about the whole thing and is afraid that once people get "these types of details so quickly, it's hard for them to go back to the other way."
Oh, my favorite criticism also came from a reporter who said, "Twitter is one bored person telling another bored person what is happening." Once I tweeted that comment one 'bored' follower, @DiannaMaria, wrote "That person is wrong!!!! I consider this trial being tweeted by the reporters as EDUCATIONAL. There is nothing boring about it."
I don't know about you, but many followers share the same sentiment, but still watch the evening news and read a newspaper. Twitters popularity is so high and new that fellow trial tweeter and newspaper columnist for the Hartford Courant Helen Ubinas, known on Twitter as @notesfromhel, has become a celebrity overnight. She's been interviewed by a number of national news outlets despite the fact that she's written a column for years.
With the cramped courtroom conditions for the Hayes trial, the victims' families and friends also relied on the real-time news feed, writing "I'm not even there, just following via Twitter and MY nerves can't take this." One later wrote us to say "thank you for your coverage of the trial. The family has many supporters who can't be there and this makes us feel connected."
It is a way of life for journalists. Get used to it and continue to follow @news8now for real-time updates on major news events in Connecticut, plus our original Twitter feed @wtnh and weather related tweets from @stormteam8.
11 comments
If folk don`t communicate one way they will communicate another,usually the most conveinient.One curses another to bring the blessing unto self.
Twitter,E-mail,phone,radio,t.v.adds to sell products,all the same one different way to communicate than the other,thats all,no reason to get excited.
~Peace Glenna~
I had lost faith in our media, who rush to get their news out first without verifying the facts. Reading the tweets from news8 and Helen Ubinas provided immediate accurate information.I have faith news will be accurate without the reporters adding their own opinion and speculation.
Actually, I felt HU's observational comments were an important side view to her tweets. It brought a human side to a trial of someone not human. Her tweets often made me cry because of the heinous acts being reported, but her comments made me feel I was in the courtroom alongside her. It was an unique experience I had never felt before. 
There were many days I sat on my laptop reading along as things unfold. When they spoke of what was done to Michaela, I openly cried. Your tweeting made it real...and I thank you for that. 
I don't consider reading the tweets from News8 to be a part of voyeurism or virtual rubbernecking one bit. This case was so horrific people were and are genuinely interested in the fate of Steven Hayes with 99.9% of the people hoping he gets the death penalty. I agree with @DiannaMaria that it was educational to follow the tweets sent. I never knew that pouring of gasoline was not considered arson, only lighting of the match. News8 did an incredible job with this and should be proud of the people that worked on this case for them. I know I am.
There is nothing wrong with rubbernecking. Trials are supposed to be public, but the room is small. My only concern is that by tweet is still getting the news second hand from somebody's personal perspective and I'd rather get my news first hand, by actual video or audio and not from somebody's notes. 
Steven Hayes should die, but the method should reflect the crime.He should be raped and burned alive.
If it had been my family, that is the only sentence that would truly please me.
As a follower of the tweets I laughed when the reporter stated it was from bored to bored. My first response, well sir, how many do YOU have following your every typed word? Most did not know but following is not 100 percent correct as one can follow without signing up on by simply going to the sight. Comparing the numbers to the sign up I can guess hundreds of news stations were using the tweets system but not saying so. Its much like a police scanner for media and the public; you get the news as fast as it is produced. Would I follow a lot of other news stories unlike the Hayes Case? Not likely, however there are few if any who were not agast at the inhumanity of the case-it is hard to believe any of us can be called mankind with the likes of the criminals who confessed. Surely they exist in a realm of life form we are not connected to save for distant DNA? I followed most of the reporters; when one missed a beat the others saw it and began tweeting in between. It was a group effort of four major reporters who gave us the news tag team, knowing how important the public felt this case was. Many have said, the crime should not have been held in court-I say the crime should. We should never forget or allow to forget these two and what they engaged in and history should document it which it did. We SHOULD cry for the Petits. We SHOULD cringe for Mr. Petit. We SHOULD grow angry and outraged and we could not if the case had been shuffled under the rug. The reporters reflected in every move our own emotions as if they represented the public in the courtroom, from hidden sarcasim to deep compassion for the family, each tweet posted was our reflection in the public on the other side sharing with us, joining in us and participating with us. The Judge must be admired for allowing such public access with insight and wisdom to the lessons the case would take to the public. The newspapers not involved washed down the events for the public, but based on the type of crime, the public did not want to be pacified, like Mr. Petit we also, cringed, cried, gripped the edge of the chair and were able to walk with the family down this long road. It touched us all and details ensured it touched us deeply. We should be touched deeply and the stations ensured we became one with the reports and the families themselves. Isn't that what good reporting is supposed to do?
While I do not practice criminal law, I loved the tweets that I could follow on my PC at my convenience while at work.It was like being in the courtroom,and all in all was pretty much on the mark.
It wont be as easy in the sentencing hearing with both sides objecting and wrangling over evidence and testimony, so will be interesting to see how the tweets work out then.
All in all good job.
in reguard to the hayes trial with a crime such as this the offender should be publicly put to death with a guilty verdict without possiblity of an appeal. the only one making anything from this tradgedy is hayes atty 
Why are you letting Jeff go..... Keep what is great in your show. 
Comment feed for this post