As the recent tragedy in Boston showed, Facebook can be a valuable resource for journalists looking to spread the news, as well as to connect with readers and sources. Facebook recently published a thorough guide outlining the best practices for reporters on the social network.
Lisa Raphael (left), the social media producer at Katie Couric's daytime talk show Katie, is one of our featured speakers in Mediabistro's upcoming Social Media Marketing Boot Camp, an online event and workshop starting June 6, 2013. Lisa will share a case study on how the hit show uses Twitter to build interest and buzz around upcoming segments. Learn more about our our twelve event speakers and register here. 
The recent tragedy at the Boston Marathon showed the expanding role of social media when it comes to the spreading of news. As Facebook users shared stories, photos, and videos, news sources worked hard to make sure the stories they posted were true. Representatives from ABC News and The Huffington Post talked with AllFacebook recently to discuss how they run their Facebook pages as news changes rapidly, such as during the bombing at the Boston Marathon and the search for the suspects.
Not long after two explosions reportedly killed two people and injured several others Monday at the Boston Marathon, people started using Facebook to not only share news, but to share well wishes for those involved and donate to the American Red Cross. Runners and spectators on the scene have also used Facebook to alert family that they’re OK.
An enterprising mom in California had an idea for an application that would be similar to OpenTable or Yelp, but for babysitters. Using Facebook’s platform as a vehicle, Lynn Perkins started UrbanSitter about a year-and-a-half ago. So far, there are 15,000 babysitters in the program and 50,000 families — a number that grows as the platform rolls out to more cities. The app and website allow families (largely in areas such as San Francisco, New York, and Boston), to find college-aged babysitters, and to see who their Facebook friends have hired to take care of their kids.
Facebook Product Manager Kate O’Neill spoke with Boston CBS affiliate WBZ-TV about new and revamped features recently introduced by the social network, including Graph Search and its redesigned News Feed.
Game developer Zynga and Facebook, once virtually intertwined, continue to drift further apart from each other, as Zynga announced in a post on its blog that while login with Facebook will still be an option for game players, it will no longer be a requirement starting next week.
Facebook continues to talk up its recently introduced graph search, yet only a fraction of its users — “hundreds of thousands” of its 1 billion-plus monthly active users — can access the feature, with countless others having been wait-listed since graph search debuted in beta last month.
The cutbacks continue at struggling game developer Zynga, as Chief Operations Officer David Ko announced in a post on the company’s blog that it will close its studio in Baltimore and consolidate its offices in Texas and New York.
People on Facebook love to post about Valentine’s Day — whether it’s talking about how amazing their significant other is, or lamenting the commercialization of Feb. 14. Facebook released an infographic Thursday through Facebook Stories, showing how people are engaging with the holiday on the social network.
The struggles continue for game developer Zynga, as the company confirmed that it will shutter its operations in Japan, just two months after laying off more than 100 employees in Austin and closing its Boston studio.
