Identifying the effective components on the strengthening of the presence of IRIB News Agency in social networks (Instagram and Twitter)

One of the relative areas of mainstream news media activities is the presence in the new media ecosystem of virtual social networks. IRIB News Agency is no exception to this rule to compete with rival news organizations; it is necessary to have a favorable presence and activity in this ecosystem. This study aims to identify the components affecting the activities of the IRIB News Agency in social networks. To achieve this, using the Delphi method and benefiting from the votes of 22 experts who were purposefully selected, and three effective variables were identified in three rounds in the activities of IRIB News Agency. Establishment of a special editorial office, active activities, reciprocal promotion, inserting a blue tick, SOE of pages, commercialization of accounts, open-source reporting, use of user-friendly templates, the timing of news release, removal of time and place restrictions, attention to the personalities of appropriate users and hashtags were some of the most important variables agreed upon by experts in the form of four categories: Production (4 items), distribution and dissemination (6 items), absorption and participation (23 items), and policymaking and management (6 items) which were separated. Accordingly, the variables of the two areas of production and absorption and user participation had the highest frequency based on the experts ‘ opinions. It seems that paying attention to these variables can be a way for optimal activity of the Radio and Television Agency in the new ecosystem of media.