The Sunderland Echo’s digital editor Lee Hall told journalism and PR students today they should be spending MORE time on Facebook for the good of their media careers (though try telling that to your irate tutor . .)

Lee came along to Sunderland University to talk about how newspapers are making their web presences felt and what works and doesn’t online. Social networking and community-building are key, he reckons.

“If newspapers are trying to bring people together, there are other avenues than forums,” he said. “Social networking is better, community building and connecting people, and Facebook is great for that. Keep at it.” He also recommended blogging.

He said newspapers – and students – shouldn’t get too hung up on technology. Rough and ready videos, taken with pocket camcorders or mobile phones, can be more successful on a website than carefully-crafted and narrated videos. “We should be thinking how we can use the technology rather than it use us,” he said.

Finally, he said there had never been a better time to go into Public Relations. “We are desperate for multimedia content for our website, and increasingly we get sent ready-made video from PR. There is a massive opportunity there.”