For veteran WSB anchor Monica Pearson, who joined the Atlanta ABC-affiliate in 1975, few things have changed the local news landscape as much as social media. In a speech at Kennesaw University yesterday, Pearson declared that “the one man band is back,” according to the Kennesaw Patch:

“You can’t just specialize in just being the best reporter in the world,” she said. “Now, in smaller markets, you’re going to be the reporter and the videographer as well as the editor.”

“You’ve got to be media savvy,” Pearson continued. “The more you know about social media, the more attractive you are going to be to employers.”

Pearson told the audience that she realized the importance of social media when Justin Bieber was spotted at a Georgia Music Hall of Fame ceremony.

“My co-anchors for the night we’re standing up there, shooting the whole thing and tweeting it and Facebooking it,” she said. “I lost a competitive edge that night because I wasn’t tweeting.”

Pearson pointed at her cell phone. “That thing builds an audience.”