VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The world is coming to Vancouver and that includes those connecting online. We're finding out how social media will provide coverage of the Games.
"It will be about the sport, but it will also be about the spectacle." For Rebecca Bollwitt, or Miss604 as she's known from her popular Vancouver blog, the excitement of the Games is ramping up. While her blog tends to focus on the positive aspects of these Olympics, she says that's what is good about social media, there's a bit of every angle. "On Twitter we're expecting Vancouver or Olympics or 2010 to be trending. You'll have an audience just not on television and in Vancouver but also around the world via social media."
And it all happens in real-time, "You can instantly pick up your phone and tweet. Meanwhile, if a news crew is there, they have to go back and edit their footage and cut it together and it'll be on the six o'clock news. So with social media, everything is from the public and immediate."
Still, Bollwitt warns you to watch what you post, or beware the wrath of VANOC. "From what I understand, if you're inside an Olympic venue, say I'm going to watch the hockey game, I can take a photo of my husband sitting next to me but I can not take a photo of the rink or any action."
She feels the Vancouver Games will be well-covered by non-traditional media, that is bloggers, citizen journalists and just the public who are connected with social media.
Miss 604 Rebecca Bollwitt will be blogging from News1130 on Monday and will also be joining us in the newsroom during the Olympic. Don't forget, News1130 is the official radio station of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the only station in town with live coverage of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.