Dealing with people on the phone or face-to-face is complicated enough. But there are also some new sources of information that you might like to consider. We've talked in earlier weeks about the vast amount of data that's now available on the web and how some journalists are using this to make interactive graphics, new ways of making information available for the public. Meanwhile, other journalists are using social media to develop a different kind of relationship to their sources. Take a look at this video presentation by Andy Carvin, a National Public Radio journalist in the USA, who's a pioneer in using Twitter for real time journalism. Using the crowd to provide and verify information in a combination of a newsfeed and a virtual newsroom. Take a minute to look at it now. You can read more about Andy Carvin and his work here. Carvin now works at First Look Media but still uses social media in creative ways. Check out his Twitter feed to see what he's talking about right now. You can also read his book, Distant Witness, to find out more about what he did and how he did it. Not everyone can spare the time and the energy to live tweet revolutions. But increasingly, journalists are watching social media closely. And sometimes using it to reach out to potential sources or ask people who are in a position to know, to provide information or verify allegations. After all, the audience always knows more if you group them all together, than any journalist can possibly know. Social media offers the chance that we can actually access that knowledge and organize it. You can consider how you might use these new tools in your practice or perhaps you already have, in which case, we'd love to hear about it in the discussion forum. Now we'd like you to listen to the following conversation between a journalist on the News 10 Alternative and the source. >> Hello. >> I'm Margaret Simons from The Alternative. So why did you want to meet? >> Do you have your phone on you? You need to switch it off. >> Okay. >> This conversation never happened. It's not worth my job. >> So, who are you? >> Do you agree to the terms I just said? >> Well, I need some idea of why we're here before I can give that sort of undertaking. >> Okay, can I trust you? >> I won't tell anyone we've met. >> I work in the office of the CEO of the council. My name's Adam Good. You can check me out, I'm on LinkedIn. >> Okay, so why are we here? >> I'm just so disgusted by what they've done. Before we go on I need to know, this is all off the record. >> Okay, I agree, this is off the record. >> So this conversation never happened, we never met? >> That's right. >> It's about the announcement. Basically, you need to know that they've been funding the counselor's campaign costs for years now, all through other companies. None of it ever shows up. Also, I think they might be bribing my boss, the CEO. Her name is Ramona Jennings. As for the state government minister, I don't know, but I have my suspicions. >> How do you know this? >> It's just what you ever hear in the office. I once heard Conroy talking about a donation. >> When was that? >> Just before the flood was lifted on the land. This must have been a few years ago. In the office. It's different, they pat each other on the back, they're always laughing. >> What about the CEO? >> I've seen them talking, you have to follow the money. I can't get involved but I'll help you where I can. I like The Alternative, you've shaken up the system. I can point you in the right direction. >> Well, we'll need some sort of evidence. Can you lay your hands on any documents or anything? >> It's not worth my job. That's enough, I got to go. Don't call me, the police can check phone calls because they can track metadata. >> Questions to discuss in the forum are, what, if anything, could you report from this conversation? And what steps would you take as a result of hearing these allegations? And, explain why you make your decisions and how you made them? Now, next week we're going to try and pull all this together into a reporting exercise. Keep an eye on the News 10 site over the week ahead to see some new information. See you soon.