CBC’s Julia Wong shares how she uses social media in the industry
By Steven Leong on November 1, 2023
When we think of news, most people’s first thought is how it’s shown through television. But now in this day and age, social media is just as powerful in getting us the stories right to our phones. Julia Wong, who works at CBC Edmonton as a senior reporter shared her perspective on social media and how she uses it daily.
Q: How do you use social media professionally?
A: “Social media is just another avenue that I use to try and find story ideas or try to find people to talk to about story ideas. I know that’s not representative of Canada as a whole, so it’s not like I only use that method, but it can be a way to try and find someone who might be a good character for a story that I’m working on.”
Q: How have you found posting on social media has changed from when you first started up until now?
A: “When both Facebook and Twitter were first released, there were a lot of expectations to be live tweeting constantly and the same with posting on Facebook all the time but I think we all know and recognize they aren’t the best ways to get stories out to people. Once the finished product is done, whether that’s a web story or a piece for The National, then I’ll post links to that. I’m not so much taking a photo and saying, we’re interviewing this guy for our story tonight, be sure to watch at 7 p.m. because we all see that it’s not the place for it and it’s not effective either.”
Q: How often do post under your professional/work social media accounts?
A: “I post under my professional Twitter handle every few days. Usually that will depend on what stories I have out at that time.”
Q: Have there been any instances of posting online and getting harsh comments towards you?
A: “Yes I have. More during those first couple years of the pandemic because I was covering COVID a lot, I’d get more comments of that nature compared to now.”
Q: What have you done in response to these comments towards you?
A: “You know, nothing. I thought it might be best to not further enflame those comments by having an exchange. So my policy now, especially because social media can be difficult, is I simply don’t respond to negative comments.”
Q: Do you use hashtags while making a post?
A: “I sometimes use hashtags! If I’m covering something at the Legislature, I know that #ableg and #abpoli are the most common hashtags. So I will include them but even then, not always depending on time and if the hashtags make sense towards the story.”
Q: Which app do you believe is the best for you to post while also getting the most engagement possible?
A: “I believe it just mainly depends on what the purpose is. If I want to know what’s happening locally or if I hear something that happened in the province, I might gravitate toward Twitter. If however, I am looking for someone to speak to for a story, I might go with Facebook. But there’s also a comfort factor, so for myself, Facebook would be my go-to.”
Wong says she currently does not post on Instagram nor does she have a personal account. Although she has thought about getting an Instagram account sometime soon.