SA news headline race on Facebook

These applications give Facebook users the ability to add news headlines to their profiles and get updates on breaking news.

According to Vincent Maher, the strategist at the Mail & Guardian Online, social networking applications such as Facebook are becoming increasingly important to the news media.

“There is a lot that can be learned from the massively viral success that Facebook has seen in South Africa, “ he said. “Not only has this application captured the imaginations of so many people, it has become a viable channel for news distribution.”

“Become the norm”

“Ultimately the web is not only the browser but also the applications that people use. This is a very Web 2.0 way of looking at things, and it will become the norm for media companies in the near future if they want to benefit from the explosion of social networking and media services.”

The current version of the M&G Facebook application is basic but is the start of something bigger. Maher says several new services will be launched through Facebook over the coming months and the service has become core to the M&G's social media strategy.

“Focusing on what users want and where they want it is the most important thing that the traditional media needs to be doing in this interim period where their authority is being challenged by newer forms of media,” said Maher.

To view the various news applications:

• SA News Headlines (M&G): http://apps.facebook.com/sanewsheadlines
  
• News24 Headlines: http://apps.facebook.com/newsheadlines
  
• IOL Front Page: http://apps.facebook.com/iolnews/