Cision’s fifth annual Social Journalism Study, conducted in conjunction with Canterbury Christ Church University, gives a detailed look into how journalists and media professionals use social media across the globe. Gathering data from the United States, Canada, Finland, Germany, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom, the study found social media is a major component of journalists’ jobs, with 78% of respondents saying they are more engaged with their audience because of social media and nearly half claiming they could not work without it.Based on their social media usage patterns, the study divides journalists into five distinct groups: Promoters, Skeptics, Observers, Hunters and Architects. Journalists are primarily using social media for promotion; ninety-seven percent of U.S. journalists believe social media is most important for publishing and promoting content and interacting with audiences, as opposed to gathering user generated content. Journalists still prefer to be contacted via email by communications professionals, with social media in a close second. While the second most common communication method between PR professionals and journalists is telephone, journalists would prefer less contact via this method.Internationally, Germany and Canada report the highest daily use of social media for work (79% and 78%, respectively), while France reports the lowest (65%). At 9%, French respondents were the largest category of those not using any social media for work. The majority of respondents claim social media has fundamentally changed their role as journalists, with Canadian and U.S. journalists ranking as the most confident social media users.

The complete 2016 Social Journalism Study with takeaways and tips for communications professionals based on the data can be viewed here.