Journalist makes media fashionable

By Sarah Miller

Stephanie Hayes is a reporter for the St. Petersburg Times.  She is a graduate of USF and started with the Times in 2003. She is a feature writer and is one of the Deal Divas for the Times style blog. 

What types of social media do you use?

I use Facebook, Twitter and I have a MySpace account that I haven't used in over a year.

Do you use social media for work or personal use?

Both, I don't have separate pages for work and personal.

Stephanie said that she use her Facebook to help her find people for stories.  Sometimes if she doesn't have a phone number she contacts a person through Facebook to ask them a question.  In fact, as we spoke she was using Facebook to locate someone.

Does your work have a policy on social media?

No, not at all, they just tell us to be careful.  Nothing that is set in stone anyway, they just want us to use our brain.  If your mother can't see it, you shouldn't post it.

When did you start using social media?

When I was 15, it just started with a blog and then IM and then I started using LiveJournal.

Wait Stephanie!  Tell me about your amazing blog, Deal Divas!

Deal Divas is a very fun style blog that the Times runs and Stephanie is one of the five girls who helped launch it.

Was Deal Divas blog something that you wanted to start or were you asked to start a blog for the Times?

It was our own idea.  We had to pitch it to them just like any story idea.

Deal Divas started as an all girl run blog with five reporters from the Times.  It has been active for two years.  Each girl has a specific area of interest that they cover for the blog.  Some of Stephanie's blogs include "Gap has magic pants. Seriously" and "Armpits in the office: Is sleeveless cool?"

Posting to the blog is something that Stephanie does in addition to her feature stories for the paper.  Although, with a little editing she does get to use feature story ideas for the blog also.

How often do you have to post to the Deal Divas blog?

We each try to post one morning per week.  Right now I am posting two mornings.  I have Wednesday and Friday.

Do you think being able to blog is something that journalism students should know how to do and use for their work also?

Yeah...but you need to have a focus for it...give them a reason to come to you.

Stephanie is right, in the world of blogging just about everything under the sun has a topic.  So find you niche and make it a blog.

Check out Deal Divas: http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/divas/