As promised last year, NBC Local Media stations are rolling out “The 20,” an initiative that taps the top Twitter influencers in each market to help curate local news and issues.
“The 20” has debuted in the form of Tumblrs in New York and Washington D.C., described as “a home for incisive commentary and coverage” of the stories locals are talking about. NBC staffers watch what “the 20” are tweeting via a Twitter list (here’s NY), then they curate some of the best discoveries on Tumblr.
After all, “people increasingly get their news and information from each other,” says Greg Scholl, President of NBC Local Media Platforms. “I think it’s an exciting and innovative idea.”
Members of “the 20” also appear on air. Here’s a taped segment that just aired on NBC New York about a proposed city council initiative featuring Azi Paybarah and Anthony De Rosa (who both happen to work in media). “We can Skype in two or more of our 20 to have a facilitated dialogue around a topic,” Sholl told Lost Remote. “They’ll be a reoccurring part of local broadcasts.”
NBC Local says it’s an “art and science” in picking the top Twitter influencers. “We combine input from social media organizations and factor in the trending local headlines and the topics driving the local conversation,” explains a blog post. Scholl adds that they’ll trade out people on the list as conversations and issues change.
Beyond bringing in fresh voices and content, “The 20” also serves as a social media marketing venue for NBC Local brands, both online and on TV. “Maybe we can bring people back into television,” Scholl says. “I think it all works together.” We’ve seen several back-and-forth Twitter exchanges that helps both NBC Local’s social presence and well as the social cache of “The 20.”
NBC Local has said it will roll out “The 20” to all its markets over the next few months. Scholl says part of the plan is to bring in a “social media point person” at each station to help power “The 20” as well as grow the station’s overall social presence.
Full disclosure: I work at msnbc.com, which is half-owned by NBC