Abstract
The diffusion of Twitter has changed the gatekeeping process and flow of
information in television news. Because of Twitter, the power of news delivery is now in
the hands of many different newsroom employees who, in the past, were not employed in
roles of storytellers. This study qualitatively examines how Twitter has altered the
"gates" and the flow of information in television newsrooms in San Antonio, Texas, the
country's 37th largest television market, and quantitatively analyzes how television
stations and employees there are using Twitter. The data show Twitter is currently being
used primarily for another function, not as a tool to deliver breaking news and that some
stations are trying as hard as possible to hold on to as much gatekeeping power in a
digital world.
