Old media executives too busy, private for Twitter
French advertising group Publicis Chief executive Maurice Levy speaks during the Reuters Global Media Summit in Paris November 30, 2011.
Credit: Reu
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LONDON |
(Reuters) - Twitter gives an instant snapshot of the buzz around television shows, computer game launches and even new ads, but many media executives are simply too busy to tweet or engage with the microblogging service very much themselves.
Digital reluctance is particularly strong amongst “old media” leaders, who told this week’s Reuters Global Media Summit they were uncomfortable with sharing personal information, especially in 140-character bursts.
Maurice Levy, chief executive of advertising group Publicis, said Twitter and its social networking sister Facebook were simply not for him.
“I hate the idea that I would have to share things which are not for sharing or which are superficial,” he said in Paris.
He said he kept tabs on social media in a professional capacity but he did not need to tweet to understand the importance of Twitter.
“I understand how to wash dishes. I don’t do it regularly,” he said.
His rival Martin Sorrell, of WPP, who has never been reluctant to air his views on television, was not keen to join Twitter’s 200 million users either.
“I have enough to do answering your emails,” he said. “I’m 66 years old. I’m almost in the glue factory.”
