On Twitter, the New York Times editorial board used the newspapers’ Opinion Twitter account to actively engage in partisanship with their social media audience. Although the editorial board is free to pick sides on policy and issues, it is unusual that a journalism outlet like the Times actively lobbied on social media against legislation on social media:
Contact @SenJohnMcCain and @JeffFlake, particularly if you live in Arizona, and tell them to oppose the tax bill: It would add more than $1.4 trillion to the deficit over 10 years without helping the middle class. #thetaxbillhurts
Flake: (202) 224-4521
McCain: (202) 224-2235 pic.twitter.com/PvXI1b3Xd4— NYT Opinion (@nytopinion) November 29, 2017
The Times tweeted at the accounts for the following senators:
- Susan Collins of Maine
- James Lankford of Oklahoma
- John McCain of Arizona
- Jeff Flake of Arizona
- Bob Corker of Tennessee
- Jerry Moran of Kansas
- Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Media outlets and journalism outlets used to try to separate politics and its editorial board positions from reporting. To use the newspaper’s own Opinion social media account appears to cross that boundary between neutrality and partisanship.
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