By Amy Webb, IJNet Digital Media Consultant

Twitter is definitely starting to take hold. I saw recently that overall usage is up 485% since the service launched in 2006. (For a list of Twitter graphs and statistics, look here.)

As it is with many new Web 2.0 technologies, first comes hype. Later, quick adoption, if the tool is easy to use and proves beneficial to a target audience. What often gets lost is the essential discussion and training on ways to deploy a new Web 2.0 tool.

Hundreds of news organizations around the world now use Twitter - but not all of them use it wisely. Consider a recent feed from the Rocky Mountain News, based in Denver, Colorado. A reporter was sent to cover the death and memorial service of a 3-year-old, and this is part of what was posted:

RMN_Berny: family members shovel earth into grave
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:40 a.m.

RMN_Berny: rabbi calls end to ceremony
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:28 a.m.

RMN_Berny: rabbi chanting final prayer in hebrew
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:27 a.m.

RMN_Berny: earth being placed on coffin.
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:22 a.m.

RMN_Berny: rabbi recites the main hebrew prayer of death
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:20 a.m.

RMN_Berny: rabbi zucker praying
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:18 a.m.

RMN_Berny: coffin lowered into ground
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:18 a.m.

RMN_Berny: people gathering at graveside
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:14 a.m.

RMN_Berny: procession begins
Wednesday, Sep. 10, 11:01 a.m.

There was widespread outrage about this feed, with some calling for the immediate firing of anyone involved in Twittering the funeral. The paper's news editor responded to the controversy, arguing that Twittering the funeral service was just as important as reporting on what was happening.

Maybe the execution of the posts wasn't that great. But I'd like to know how Twittering the ceremony is all that different from writing down notes for later publication in a newspaper story?

I'll leave that for you to discuss and decide. Is Twittering a sensitive news event different from liveblogging? Would your news organization offer this kind of real-time coverage?

Meantime, take a look at this new Twitter-like tool. 12seconds.tv is similar to Twitter, except that rather than 140 characters, you get 12 seconds to record your video message.

View all of Amy Webb's columns by clicking here.

Amy Webb is a digital media consultant and head of Webbmedia Group, LLC. Find more multimedia tips and ideas at her blog, http://www.mydigimedia.com. Webbmedia Group is a vendor-neutral company. Any opinions expressed about products or services are formed after testing, research and interviews. Neither Amy Webb nor Webbmedia Group or its employees receives any financial or other benefits from vendors.