Brian Solis and Katie Couric: Turns out Couric Understands Social Media

Back in 2009 when I spoke at the Twitter140 conference in New York I had the chance to meet a personal hero of mine, Ann Curry, who works the Today show for NBC. She spoke on a panel about how Twitter played a role in the Iranian green revolution of that year. Afterward I got to speak to her more about social media and it became apparent quickly that she paid attention to it and understood it as an inextricable part of the way people communicate and get their news now.

She’s not the only big time network anchor to figure it out. Katie Couric surprised me with the knowledge she displayed in a series of interviews with social media guru Brian Solis recently. Here are the three videos comprising the interview. Despite some self-important quasi-dramatic music at the beginning of each, all of the discussion between the two is relevant.

Some of the highlights for me included how Couric spoke about her two daughters, ages 14 and 19. She says she already sees a difference in the way the two of them consume their information online. She talks about the importance of which TYPE of Facebook photos you upload. She talks about how she’s concerned not all school officials understand the threat of cyberbullying. Good for Couric. I’m going to follow her on Twitter now, if only at least because I know it’s her and not a co-worker or intern.