The New York Times (2009), describes the role of New Media and the Internet in the success of Obamas 2008 election campaign. More specifically the article mentions the use of web 2.0 technology. Wikipedia (web 2.0, 2010) describes how "Examples of Web 2.0, include social-networking sites, blogs, wikis, video-sharing sites, hosted services, web applications, mashups and folksonomies." and its potential to engage audiences from previously excluded groups. In particular Democrats focused on getting blacks and hispanics to register to vote and how he has managed to build a community of supporters through the internet. The election is said to have killed public campaigning as Obama, turned down public funds and decided to and managed to raise funds to support his election campaign.
"Mr. Schmidt said the speed and diversity of the news cycle had broken down the traditional way that voters received information and had given campaigns opportunities, and challenges, in trying to manage the news." (NYT, 2009) Illustrating how approaches to political campaigning continue to be revolutionised with the utilisation of new technology. The article describes how "The platforms included YouTube, which did not exist in 2004, and the cellphone text messages that the campaign was sending out to supporters on Monday to remind them to vote." (NYT, 2009)
By utilising Social Media, users are able to gain more control over public perception and representation in the media.They are able to control and manipulate their social identity to a greater degree. Politicians are no longer at the mercy of the political leanings of journalists, they are able to provide better transparency and accessibility to their public, but often they choose to do this during election time only.
During the 2010 election campaign, Twitter and facebook were actively used by both major parties and then neglected afterwards. Possibly this trend indicates how Web 2.0 tools are most effective in engaging and reaching out to audiences/potential voters on an intimate level, they are able to humanise election campaigns, providing audiences with a greater sense of familiarity. Once this meet and greet stage is over however, it's back to hard nosed policy making and debate, so whilst Social Media may offer the promise of greater transparency and communication, it's purpose outside of providing followers with warm and fuzzy reassurance, that their politicians are listening, doesn't actually get the real job of running the country done.
Because Politics is very much in the public arena, it will always use the most mainstream method of communicating its message, the shift towards internet and social media is not significant enough to facilitate constant public debate during at this point in time, although the availability of ABC's channel 24 providing online streaming overseas during the election is an indication that services are more and more readily being televised via the internet and being made available outside of our national borders.
The official election coverage, held by mainstream media providers is becoming less centralised as the cost of producing, distributing multimedia messages is becoming more affordable. There is a shift away from this type of monopolisation of information within political campaigns, as avenues of mass communication previously only available to an elite few, are now available to smaller groups and institutions previously underrepresented in the media.
The success of the Greens Party election campaign is a case in point. The Greens, not having the same resources as the main parties to conduct a media campaign via traditional means have developed a strong online presence and remained highly engaged with their followers on the internet. The trend of minor parties using social media as a means of political campaigning and the consequences of the recent election illustrate how the power dynamics of political campaigns are shifting on a much broader scale.
The significant role that the internet plays in the equal distribution of information - should the user choose to utilise such a facility. It is clear while this shift is very tangible, it is still reserved for the literate
(Wikipedia, 2010) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0
(New York Times, 2009-01-19) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/us/politics/04memo.html?_r=2
TASK 1.4 (ASSIGNMENT 1):
Navigate around and discuss two of the following sites in terms of the kinds of involvement they encourage. Your initial writing for this topic should not be above 500 words, although it is fine for notes and extracts from the discussion, and further reflection, to take you over this limit:
The following two sites www.pm.gov.au and www.tonyabbott.com.au both use the most recent social media and encourage everyday people to participate in political discourse. The sites appear to aim for transparency, participation and freedom of expression in a way that attempts to best represent the spirit of democracy. Both figures encourage users to read articles and are designed for the user to explore the policies and activities of these politicians.
www.pm.gov.au
On the right hand side of the page there is a “Connect” option for users of the site to interact with the PM and Cabinet. There is backlog of media articles you can read and a Twitter, facebook and PM’s Flickr account. The site provides infomation on the Community Cabinet and notifies when the next Cabinet meeting will be announced. Check out when the sites were last used, current user ship, how accessible is it to the public. Social Media tend to be neglected after the campaign, Crikey.com
www.tonyabbott.com.au
Tony Abbots page has a search this site engine, a “Ways to get involved”, a Latest news feature, which documents all his media forays, there is an E-Newsletter, Community Survey, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Community Calender, a Photo Diary and list of Media releases and helpful links. The site is very well equiped with all the social media tools.
www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au
There is a get involved option a news feed and email option, asides from this there are no other social media tools being used on this page.au. An E-Newsletter option, blogs and media articles feature on the homepage, but does not feature its twitter account, which seems rather self defeating
www.getup.org.au
Despite having 384145 followers, the site doesn't actually provide links to the same social media applications featured on the other websites. Yet it is a clear example of a thriving online community, however upon further research I find after doing a search in the twitter search engine, that get up do have a twitter account.
Viral campaigning, blogs, youtube videos.
Has more members then any of the political parties
Show how the Internet and people's everyday lives are interconnected.
Show the similarities and differences in the way the Internet is experienced.
Present your material in a coherent and professional fashion.
"Mr. Schmidt said the speed and diversity of the news cycle had broken down the traditional way that voters received information and had given campaigns opportunities, and challenges, in trying to manage the news." (NYT, 2009) Illustrating how approaches to political campaigning continue to be revolutionised with the utilisation of new technology. The article describes how "The platforms included YouTube, which did not exist in 2004, and the cellphone text messages that the campaign was sending out to supporters on Monday to remind them to vote." (NYT, 2009)
By utilising Social Media, users are able to gain more control over public perception and representation in the media.They are able to control and manipulate their social identity to a greater degree. Politicians are no longer at the mercy of the political leanings of journalists, they are able to provide better transparency and accessibility to their public, but often they choose to do this during election time only.
During the 2010 election campaign, Twitter and facebook were actively used by both major parties and then neglected afterwards. Possibly this trend indicates how Web 2.0 tools are most effective in engaging and reaching out to audiences/potential voters on an intimate level, they are able to humanise election campaigns, providing audiences with a greater sense of familiarity. Once this meet and greet stage is over however, it's back to hard nosed policy making and debate, so whilst Social Media may offer the promise of greater transparency and communication, it's purpose outside of providing followers with warm and fuzzy reassurance, that their politicians are listening, doesn't actually get the real job of running the country done.
Because Politics is very much in the public arena, it will always use the most mainstream method of communicating its message, the shift towards internet and social media is not significant enough to facilitate constant public debate during at this point in time, although the availability of ABC's channel 24 providing online streaming overseas during the election is an indication that services are more and more readily being televised via the internet and being made available outside of our national borders.
The official election coverage, held by mainstream media providers is becoming less centralised as the cost of producing, distributing multimedia messages is becoming more affordable. There is a shift away from this type of monopolisation of information within political campaigns, as avenues of mass communication previously only available to an elite few, are now available to smaller groups and institutions previously underrepresented in the media.
The success of the Greens Party election campaign is a case in point. The Greens, not having the same resources as the main parties to conduct a media campaign via traditional means have developed a strong online presence and remained highly engaged with their followers on the internet. The trend of minor parties using social media as a means of political campaigning and the consequences of the recent election illustrate how the power dynamics of political campaigns are shifting on a much broader scale.
The significant role that the internet plays in the equal distribution of information - should the user choose to utilise such a facility. It is clear while this shift is very tangible, it is still reserved for the literate
(Wikipedia, 2010) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0
(New York Times, 2009-01-19) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/us/politics/04memo.html?_r=2
TASK 1.4 (ASSIGNMENT 1):
Navigate around and discuss two of the following sites in terms of the kinds of involvement they encourage. Your initial writing for this topic should not be above 500 words, although it is fine for notes and extracts from the discussion, and further reflection, to take you over this limit:
The following two sites www.pm.gov.au and www.tonyabbott.com.au both use the most recent social media and encourage everyday people to participate in political discourse. The sites appear to aim for transparency, participation and freedom of expression in a way that attempts to best represent the spirit of democracy. Both figures encourage users to read articles and are designed for the user to explore the policies and activities of these politicians.
www.pm.gov.au
On the right hand side of the page there is a “Connect” option for users of the site to interact with the PM and Cabinet. There is backlog of media articles you can read and a Twitter, facebook and PM’s Flickr account. The site provides infomation on the Community Cabinet and notifies when the next Cabinet meeting will be announced. Check out when the sites were last used, current user ship, how accessible is it to the public. Social Media tend to be neglected after the campaign, Crikey.com
www.tonyabbott.com.au
Tony Abbots page has a search this site engine, a “Ways to get involved”, a Latest news feature, which documents all his media forays, there is an E-Newsletter, Community Survey, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Community Calender, a Photo Diary and list of Media releases and helpful links. The site is very well equiped with all the social media tools.
www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au
There is a get involved option a news feed and email option, asides from this there are no other social media tools being used on this page.au. An E-Newsletter option, blogs and media articles feature on the homepage, but does not feature its twitter account, which seems rather self defeating
www.getup.org.au
Despite having 384145 followers, the site doesn't actually provide links to the same social media applications featured on the other websites. Yet it is a clear example of a thriving online community, however upon further research I find after doing a search in the twitter search engine, that get up do have a twitter account.
Viral campaigning, blogs, youtube videos.
Has more members then any of the political parties
Show how the Internet and people's everyday lives are interconnected.
Show the similarities and differences in the way the Internet is experienced.
Present your material in a coherent and professional fashion.
