Final answer:
Social media platforms enable smaller media outlets to rapidly share and promote content, increasing visibility and engagement. However, they also create a competitive environment that pressures these outlets to sensationalize content and can lead to the spread of misinformation, resulting in some small-town newspapers folding.
Step-by-step explanation:
The authors provide several reasons to support the claim that social media both helps and threatens smaller media outlets. First, social media platforms allow smaller media outlets to post and share stories quickly and broadly, which can boost their visibility and potentially their profitability. Rapid sharing and the ability for users to engage through comments can increase reader interaction and spread information quickly.
However, the flip side of this accessibility is that social media also contributes to a more competitive environment where misinformation can be spread just as easily as credible information. The intense competition for audience attention can lead smaller outlets to sensationalize content rather than provide thorough investigative journalism. Additionally, the rise of social media has led to some small-town newspapers folding, as they are unable to keep up with the pace and nature of content dissemination in the digital age.