BBC journalists have been told not to break news stories on Twitter before they tell their newsroom colleagues.
The new rules, which apply to all of the corporation's correspondents, reporters and producers, were announced on Wednesday a day after it was revealed Sky News had told its journalists not to repost information from any Twitter users who are not an employee of the broadcaster.
The new BBC guidelines are intended to ensure that stories are fed into the BBC's newsgathering machine as quickly as possible and without the delay of a 140-character update on Twitter.
Chris Hamilton, the BBC's social media editor, said: "We prize the increasing value of Twitter, and other social networks, to us (and our audiences) as a platform for our content, a newsgathering tool and a new way of engaging with people.
"Being quick off the mark with breaking news is essential to that mission. But we've been clear that our first priority remains ensuring that important information reaches BBC colleagues, and thus all our audiences, as quickly as possible – and certainly not after it reaches Twitter."
Hamilton, writing on the BBC's editors website, said the corporation was "constantly reviewing" its guidance for journalists.
"As part of that, we have just distributed some refreshed breaking news guidance to our correspondents, reporters and producers," said Hamilton.
"It says that, when they have some breaking news, an exclusive or any kind of urgent update on a story, they must get written copy into our newsroom system as quickly as possible, so that it can be seen and shared by everyone – both the news desks which deploy our staff and resources (like TV trucks) as well as television, radio and online production teams."
He added: "We're fortunate to have a technology that allows our journalists to transmit text simultaneously to our newsroom systems and to their own Twitter accounts."
The BBC's technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones said the BBC had been "very nervous" about Twitter at first but had come to the conclusion that social networks can be "brilliant tools for broadcasters as long as they remember that the same rules apply as in any other form of broadcasting".
"But, like Sky News, we are still pondering a couple of key questions," said Cellan-Jones on his blog.
"Is it right, for instance, to break news on Twitter before it reaches any broadcast outlets? In a long-running court case, a series of tweets from the reporter who is following proceedings can be an invaluable way of keeping both the newsdesk and the world informed.
"But when it comes to the verdict, surely the reporter should rush to the live microphone or camera first - even if that means being beaten by a rival tweeter? (Breaking news – I've just had guidance from my bosses that yes, breaking news should be passed to the BBC first rather than Twitter.)
"We are all feeling our way forward through the fog of this new media landscape. The social media revolution is changing power structures in newsrooms, allowing young journalists who understand this new world - and a few older ones - to build reputations independent of their own organisations.
"Some would like to turn the clock back to a simpler time, when all power resided in the newsdesk, only star reporters got a byline, and sharing information with outsiders before the presses rolled or the bulletin began was a sacking offence.
"But it is almost certainly too late for that."
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