Twitter is arguably one of the most valuable tools journalists have in their toolkit. Alongside the trusty mobile phone, it provides another way to engage with different communities around the world.

News of the Boston bombing? Whitney Houston’s death? Both stories broke on Twitter before the mainstream media even caught a sniff of them. Follow the right profiles and you can be first to discover the latest news and responses from public figures, publications and journalists. Here’s XCity Plus’s top 10:

@Farrah-Storr

After being appointed editor in late 2015, Farrah has been hailed for catapulting Cosmopolitan into the number one best-selling women’s magazine slot in the UK. Farrah tweets about what is most important to her and what should be important to us as journalists: women’s issues, the future of print journalism in a digital age and flawless Instagram pictures.

 

@frontlineclub

Named as Louis Theroux’s favourite media club in London, the Frontline Club’s Twitter feed will keep you up to date with its latest events and speakers. Since opening its doors in 2003, the club has seen Alexander Litvinenko using it as a platform to discuss the theory of Putin being responsible for the murder of journalist of Anna Politkovskaya to Jeremy Paxman discussing the art of asking the right question. It has even been a place of sanctuary after owner Vaughan Smith allowed Julian Assange to stay at the club for two months in 2010 while facing extradition. 

 

@Fleetstreetfox

Mirror Online columnist Susie Boniface writes a blog under the pseudonym Fleet Street Fox, which aims to tell “the truth about her trade”. Her sarcastic but scathing commentary on news stories – from the size of Jeremy Corbyn’s pension to Karen Matthews, the mother of Shannon Matthews, possibly being crowned Mum of the Year 2017 – will definitely spice up your feed.

@WIJ_UK

As the organisation that campaigns for a better representation of women at senior level within the industry, the Women in Journalism Twitter feed is a must for everyone – male or female –  to follow. The account’s live tweets during its events are a particularly good source of hints and tips.


@George_Osborne

The ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne is worth a follow now that he’s the new editor of the London Evening Standard. Keep your eyes peeled to see which editorial direction he’ll take.

 

@GJournoJobs

All trainee journalists should be made aware of the necessity of Gorkana at the start of their career. The journalism and PR careers website is a great source of job openings and internships across the world and tweets under #journojobs. How else are you going to know that the Standard are looking for a new editor? Oh, wait…

 

@FOImanuk

Every data journalist’s best friend, FOI man – a.k.a. Paul Gibbons – provides tips for getting a freedom of information request correct first time. Gibbons, an information rights and management trainer, retweets everything that is data worthy – from upcoming events to the latest news from information companies.

 

@elanazak

Appointed as senior multiplatform editor at CNNMoney at the start of this year, Elana Zak’s writes in her Twitter bio: “If it doesn’t work well on mobile, it doesn’t work.” She’s worth following for her posts and retweets on the most effective ways to engage and connect with readers across different platforms.

 

@rcallimachi

A correspondent for The New York Times, Rukmini Callimachi reports on the terrorist tactics of al-Qaeda and ISIS.  She has an active feed, which focuses on the latest terrorism headlines and retweets her front page bylines, such as her recent report on ISIS’s use of birth control to maintain its supply of sex slaves.

@The_MediaBlog

When it feels like your feed is littered with endless negative headlines, The Media Blog provides a light-hearted look into the weird and wonderful stories in the media world. It mainly shares images and clips poking fun at the top political figures and interacts with its followers by holding some imaginative Twitter polls.

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