Shortly after NewsChannel 7 at 10 Tuesday night, our twitter account, @wsaw, received a ‘tweet’ that the fugitive known as ‘Rambo’ had been captured at a bar in Schofield.  I replied to the tipster, @socialmatt,  to narrow down where the arrest had taken place, and within a few minutes Stephanie and I were on our way.

Within a half hour we had all the information confirmed by Everst Metro Police, and were on our way to speak to the bartender who recognized the fugitive and called police.  We were the only news outlet on the scene for hours, and had the story first, thanks to the twitter tip.

This was a great example of how new media can serve our station in ways we haven’t experienced in the past.  We monitor twitter for talk about local events, and users can quickly send us tips with just a few keystrokes.  @socialmatt wrote a great blog entry on our twitter exchange and the use of social media for mainstream news at his blog here.

If you’re new to twitter, make sure to follow us - @wsaw.  You’ll see real-time updates throughout the day from our news, weather, and sports.  And if you want to drop us a line – for a tip, feedback, questions, or whatever – just include the text “@wsaw” somewhere in your tweet.  You may be suprised how quickly we'll get back to you!

I've got much more to say on the topic and I likely will soon.... but right now I have to get ready for the Newscast!

Don't forget to follow my personal twitter, @mikell.  If you've got something to share about Tech @ 10, or any other topic, feel free to pass it along!