New York Times Technology reporter Nick Bilton writes "today I can’t imagine living in a world where I don’t filter, collect and share. More important, I couldn’t conceive of a world of news and information without the aid of others helping me find the relevant links."

It is clear that news organizations and professional journalists should use social media to listen and gather news and links from social channels.

It seems logical that journalists should reciprocate and help the public find useful links.

Is that where today's news organizations fit most naturally within the social media ecosystem? Sifting through information from the public and other news sources and then putting it into context that helps the community that it serves?

This sounds suspiciously similar to a core function of "traditional" journalism.

What do you think?