February 26, 2008
Obamamania - Questioning the hype
Senator Obama has undoubtedly used his online popularity to propel himself this far in the presidential nominations; however, talk of a possible backlash is beginning to stir on the Net.
Questioning a candidate whose popularity rivals that of JFK seems rediculous, but the Web has shown signs of strain from supporting Obama in his race for the Democratic Presidencial Nomination. Mixed in with the YouTube videos, blogs, and websites created in support of Obama are popping up "anti-Obama" sites whose creators are fed up with the hype surrounding the Obama campaign.
It has been the grassroots activists and online supporters who have propelled Sen. Obama into mainstream popularity, so bloggers have no one to blame but themselves.
In such a tight race, the online political fervor may aide the Democratic Nominees in spotlighting their positions on important issues. The Obama-mania represents genuine drive, hope, and interest in the Democratic party; the big picture that democrats should be looking at with a sigh of relief.
Is the surge of political bantor taking place on the Web truly about Barack Obama, or are we just starting to realize that many Americans are using the Internet as their main channel for engaging in politics?
Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
February 21, 2008
Saving a Presidential Nomination in the 21 Century: It's not happening online
Hilary Clinton has to do something to counter the momentum of the Obama campaign, but all signs online show that its just not happening.
Although Clinton’s cohorts have tried to rally in support, reportedly providing the campaign with $15 million online in the first 15 days of February, Clinton’s overall online donations pale in comparison to Barack Obama’s. And it's not just money; Hilary seems to be falling short everywhere online these days - from the obvious to the obscure:
YouTube’s YouChoose08 has been a consistent indicator of online supporters for candidates. Obama is beating Hillary 3 to 1. Barack Obama has 29,411 subscribers and 688 videos on his YouTube channel while Hillary only has 10, 401 subscribers and 264 views.
At www.cafepress.com, a website which allows anyone to create and sell t-shirts and other items, Obama-related sales now account for 69% of all presidential-candidate sales; Clinton items are only pulling in a meek 14%. With only 12 days remaining until the Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island, and Vermont primaries, Clinton needs to change her plan of attack.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 03:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
July 09, 2007
The Rise of Small Donors
Fundraising is rapidly changing in presidential politics. Clearly big money is still king, but small donors are playing an increasingly important role.
This cycle Barack Obama is crafting a new approach to political fundraising by obtaining smaller amounts from more supporters. By generating enough excitement for his ’08 campaign, Obama is receiving smaller donations, $100 or perhaps less from hundreds of thousands of people across the country. In doing so, the campaign is able to return to these smaller donors month after month to collect more cash. This new brand of thinking is already paying dividends, as Obama has shattered fundraising records thus far.
The Edwards campaign understands the value of small donors as well. During the month of June, Edwards focused on “small change for big change” fundraisers. The main goal for these events is to cultivate a list of small donors that the campaign can turn to in the future. In addition, by emphasizing small donor events, the campaign brings new people in the political process. Edwards used SMS technology for the first ever text message fundraiser, which also focused on smaller contributions.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
May 21, 2007
Hillary Plays Catch Up
Through a YouTube video, Senator Clinton asked her online supporters to choose her presidential campaign's theme song.
The choices ranged from U2 to The Temptations. This action created a mild buzz throughout the Web last week, with many people trading song choices and jokes on several listservs and blogs. Despite the interest gained through this internet moment, the campaign may have missed a large opportunity to parlay the extra attention into tangible results. Many bloggers and Web observers pointed out that to vote for your favorite campaign song you did not have to submit an E-mail address or any other personal information. Choosing the Hillary theme song probably brought many new people to the campaign Web site, and the campaign could have missed a moment to chorale many new supporters.
Clinton may be leading all the national polls, but she has fallen behind Edwards and Obama on the Web. The Obama and Edwards campaigns would not have missed this opportunity, and both are using the internet in groundbreaking ways. While Team Clinton uses quick click polls to pick a campaign theme song the Edwards camp is asking supporters to send in videos via cell phones, which are being integrated into actual campaign ads. All the candidates are using YouTube to communicate with online supporters, but Hillary's videos seem overproduced compared to Edwards and Obama. The internet is the home of innovation and ideas, not the place for over produced political videos. Hillary Clinton is the media anointed frontrunner, but on the Net she is playing catch up.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
May 14, 2007
Campaigns Look to Text Messaging
Text messaging is joining the ranks of MySpace and YouTube as a popular tool of Democratic Presidential candidates.
John Edwards and Hillary Clinton are both using text messaging to build support for their respective campaigns. Over the weekend the Edwards camp launched a new website, www.supportthetroopsendthewar.com, and asked supporters to text the word "Iraq" to show their support. The Clinton campaign is using text messaging to update supporters on the latest news from the campaign trail. Text messaging is just another example of how technology is changing political campaigning. Cell phones and email addresses are becoming the most useful and efficient means for campaigns to stay in touch with supporters.
Text messaging combined with blogs and social networking sites is giving the 2008 presidential campaigns the ability to create a community of supporters, and within these communities supporters are able to organize rallies, house parties, and other events in their local areas across the nation. In 2004, Howard Dean was able to recruit massive amount of volunteers, but the technology at the time did not allow the campaign to efficiently mobilize these supporters. The '08 contenders have learned from the Dean experience, but still struggle to maintain control of this brave new interactive world in politics.
www.supportthetroopsendthewar.com
www.johnedwards.com
www.hillaryclinton.com
Clinton Reaches out to Voters with Text Messages
TLK2UL8R, HILLARY
Posted by Buzz Webster at 03:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
July 28, 2006
Let the (Online) Smear Campaigns Begin!
ImpeachPAC has unveiled the progressive blogosphere's first attack ad.
In the closely-watched Democratic primary battle between incumbent Senator Joe Lieberman and his progressive challenger Ned Lamont, attack ads have found their way onto the internet.
IPAC has issued both a written internet ad and a YouTube video asserting that Lieberman, along with other Republican officials, has interests in keeping extremists (such as professed Neo-Nazi Robert Lee West) in the military.
Some viewers have expressed discontent with the style of the ad:
Wallymar: I'm all for Ted Lamont winning this race with Lieberman and there are many ways to make a good supporting case. This is not one of them and I doubt that Ted Lamont would approve of this message.
And so the ever so popular smear campaign finds its way into the internet world. I anticipate this will be the first of many to come in the 2006 race.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
July 07, 2006
U.S. Campaigns Go Mobile
After achieving success abroad in nations from France to South Korea, text messaging is catching on in the U.S. as a method of mobilizing the public.
At least two politicians - John Edwards and Rick Santorum - have launched text message campaigns.
Both candidates are inviting supporters to register online in order to receive text messages from them. Edwards’s supporters can sign up at his One America site; Santorum’s can find information on how to sign up on his Web site, although at present Santorum’s SMS efforts are targeted at women’s outreach efforts. Santorum and Edwards have both said that they plan to use the technology to send issue-based messages.
While proponents of SMS argue that it is a good way to maintain ongoing contact with busy constituents, some analysts worry that the strategy may prove to be too expensive to attract anyone other than core supporters. But if it is successful for Edwards and Santorum, SMS technologies may be used in get out the vote efforts, and citizens may even be able to donate to campaigns via their cell phones.
Related Articles:
Between Polar Opposites Is This Equator: Text Me
Send An SMS To The World
Posted by Buzz Webster at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
June 30, 2006
Kuwait’s First Ever Internet Election
Kuwait's parliamentary elections mark a number of firsts: the first time women are able to vote and the first time that the Internet has played a role in a Kuwaiti election.
Kuwaiti college students and other young Kuwaitis have organized groups to lobby for electoral reform and fight vote buying as well. On its Web site, one group called Kuwait5, urged Kuwaitis to send SMSs to reform candidates as well as messages to others ``whose positions are not clear.''
Candidates Campaign Via Internet
Kuwait: Debate Over Vote-Buying, Corruption
Q&A: Kuwait Election
Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
June 12, 2006
Dem Politicians Court Liberal Bloggers
The psuedo-mini-political convention, called the YearlyKos, was organized by Markos Moulitsas, a self-described Democratic activist and founder of the Daily Kos Web site.
About 1,000 progressive political bloggers attended the convention along with a parade of prospective Democratic presidential candidates and party leaders, held in Las Vegas, this past weekend. The event was a mile-stone in modern politics, as it seems that mainstream political figures have begun to understand the political influence and utility of the liberal blogger's support.
Of course attempting to buy this support will always occur, like Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, who spent over $50,000 throwing a party for the bloggers in Las Vegas' Stratosphere Hotel and Casino. The festivities included an Elvis impersonator, a vodka-chilling ice sculpture, a chocolate fondue waterfall, and free roller-coaster rides. And although Warner far out-spent his peers, he wasn't alone in his utilization of retail politics. Retired Gen. Wesley Clark threw an after-hours party Thursday night at the Hard Rock Hotel, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson showed up Friday morning with breakfast pastries.
Still, the convention intimated that the future of American Politics is rapidly changing. And those politicians who didn't show up may have regrets about their decision later. Who didn't show? Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Kerry, Evan Bayh, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Russ Feingold and former Sens. John Edwards and Sen. Tom Daschle, to name a few.
Of the blogosphere's place in partisan politics, Moulitas says "Both parties have failed us. Republicans have failed us because they can't govern. Democrats have failed because they can't get elected. So now it's our turn."
Related Articles:
Democrats Reid, Vilsack, Warner Woo Bloggers as Web Clout Grows
Gathering Highlights Power of the Blog
Democratic Presidential Candidates Try to Take Advantage of Blogging
Politicians Court Bloggers in Vegas
How Much is That Blogger in the Window?
Posted by Buzz Webster at 02:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
May 31, 2006
An Internet President in ’08?
If Unity08 has their way, there will be a third viable presidential candidate in 2008, chosen through an online convention.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
May 02, 2006
Singapore's Gov Gags Online Politics
Podcasts, blogs and other Web sites that could be otherwise used for political discussion for the upcoming parliamentary elections have been outlawed.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 28, 2006
Wiki Woes for U.S. Politicians
A Georgia gubernatorial candidate accepted the resignation of her campaign manager after he was accused of changing the online Wikipedia biography of an opponent.
Secretary of State Cathy Cox's opponent, Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, said campaign manager Morton Brilliant altered an online encyclopedia entry to include a reference to Taylor's son being arrested for DUI after an accident that killed his passenger. Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales confirmed these accusations. The Taylor for Governor campaign responded by accusing Cox of exploiting a family tragedy for political purposes and calling for her resignation, although Cox denied any knowledge of the addition.
This story is only the most highly publicized of a number of recent campaign scuffles involving Wikipedia. Brilliant has also been accused of editing the Wikipedia profile of current Governor Mark Sanford. Nearly twenty more changes have since been made to Sanford's profile, presumably by both sides of the aisle.
Wikipedia has attempted to deal with problems concerning politically motivated revisions by tightening its submission guidelines and setting up alerts so that operators know when Capitol Hill staffers edit online profiles.
Related Articles:
Cox to 'Deal With' Wiki-Attack
Campaign Manager Resigns Amid Wikipedia Flap
South Carolina Politicos Get Tangled in Web Forum
Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 24, 2006
Save the Internet Campaign Launched
The SavetheInternet.com Coalition is a group of grassroots organizations, bloggers and concerned citizens that are banding together to protect a free and open Internet.
The coalition is asking Internet users to sign a petition supporting Net neutrality and let their representatives know what they do online.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 17, 2006
Pennsylvania’s High-Tech Senate Race
One of the most closely watched Senate races in the U.S.
What about Bob? Challenger Bob Casey has a Web site of his own with all the main ingredients of a good campaign site – visitors can volunteer, donate, sign a petition and get involved.
Noticeably absent on Casey’s site is a blog. Maybe he feels he doesn’t need one since the blogosphere is keeping a close eye on this race – and the whereabouts of Santorum, including photos of his house and where he gets his AM coffee. The
Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 14, 2006
Activists and Politicos Go Mobile in India
India has more than 139.6 million mobile phone users, and they are putting their phones to good use in politics and activism.
Soon after Indian Minister, Arjun Singh announced plans to reserve a larger percentage of seats in elite higher education institutions for the “backward classes,” opposition sprang into action. A blog was created to gather opinions, and SMS and email campaigns were launched to inform and rally activists.
SMS isn’t only being used as a tool by the grassroots in India. Politicians trying to campaign amid an Election Commission crack down on written campaign material, are using SMS and email as alternatives to communicate with voters and ask them to, “vte 4 me.” With India’s fast-growing mobile market, expect more SMS campaigns to follow.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 07, 2006
Italian Election Campaign Online
Italy’s parliamentary elections are just around the corner. While the Web still only plays a supporting role to TV in the campaign strategies of the major political parties, their online presence is worth a look.
Forza Italia, the party of incumbent Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, has a very average web site – informative but not engaging. The party also offers two issue-specific satellite sites: http://www.menotassepertutti.it focuses on the election promise of “less taxes for all” and includes a tax calculator where citizens can see what would happen in their specific circumstances under Berlusconi’s promises, and a forum www.sprechirossi.it, which literally translates to “red waste.”
The two major opposition parties have more commanding online campaigns. The Democratici di Sinistra, or Democrats of the Left, like Forza Italia, also has two satellite sites. The first is a Web TV platform with interviews and videos of politicians. The second is the story of the daily life of the Hope Family that suffers under the Berlusconi government. The Web site of the centrist party Margherita includes the most comprehensive information and offers the most interactivity with many forums for discussion of political topics.
Italian Election Campaigns Turn Cut-Throat
Political Parties in Italy
Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 05, 2006
It's the Size that Counts
The Hill has compared the email lists of House members, determining that its the size that counts when it comes to being able to communicate with constituents. Size varies greatly among House members - from a few hundred to several thousand.
Read the full article here: Musgrave has Longest E-Mail List
Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 28, 2006
Israeli Elections on the Web
Today Israelis head to the polls, but in the weeks leading up to the election they were logging on, tuning in and ringing out to follow campaign and election news.
The Internet is playing a big role ahead of the Israeli General Election (E-Democracy Forum)
Posted by Buzz Webster at 01:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
February 08, 2006
Opposition Politicians in Belarus Campaign Online
Politicians in Belarus who oppose incumbent President Lukashenka and others in power have turned to the internet to get their message out.
The internet is one of the only sources of free media in the tiny country, where newspapers, radio, and television are all under state control, and the opposition candidates are taking notice. All four candidates All of the four candidates for the upcoming presidential election, including the incumbent, have launched campaign websites.
In spite of the extraordinary digital divide within the country, opposition candidate Alyaksandr Milinkevich's website, which was launched in November 2005, currently attracts more than 1,000 visitors every day. Where only 2 percent of the population had access to the Internet in the previous presidential election in 2001, now nearly 15 percent do.
What effect will the new technology have on the presidential race? We'll have to wait until March 19 to find out.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
December 02, 2005
Cold Weather Sends Canadian Campaigns Online
As Canada gears up for elections in January, temperatures continue to drop. Many predict that the icy winter weather will send campaigns online.
People in the political arena expect the cold winter weather will play a major role in the upcoming federal election campaign.
Less door-knocking, more online campaigning
Faced with the spectre of eight long, cold weeks of campaigning, some political organizers in Winnipeg predict a slow start to the campaign.
"I think people don't want to do nothing before Christmas, because then you're kind of losing your place," said Leslie Turnbull, who works with the NDP. "But I think that the real push will be after Christmas.
Conservative strategist Rob Godin also expects his party to roll out its campaign in stages: "With the campaign likely to be divided into two pieces, you're going to see it divided in two parts."
Greg Ashley, who works with the Liberals, expects a different campaign from the last federal election.
"I believe that we're going to a really upbeat and electronic campaign this time around," he said. "We're going to see more telephones, more internet campaigning. It'll be quite different."
Manitoba Candidates Face Long, Cold Campaign
http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/story/mb_election-20051128.html
Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
October 10, 2005
Governor Schwarzenegger's Campaign Website Questioned
Governor Schwarzenegger's campaign Website posted a form asking for stories about inferior teachers, inciting mixed reactions from Californians.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaign posted a form on its website asking Californians for stories about bad teachers. The form was abruptly removed when a reporter inquired about it.
Posted on the Website www.joinarnold.com, the form asked: “Have a story about a teacher who just might not be cut out for the job, yet nothing can be done because of tenure? Please tell us. We’d like to share the stories of Californian’s like you.”
Reaction to the call have been mixed. Some defend it while others claim that this is yet another example of why they will stay at home on election day.
Governor's Campaign Drops Calls for Stories on Bad Teachers
Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
September 30, 2005
*PoliticsOnline Asks the Readers*
Uganda has begun a $1 million advertising campaign with CNN to change its image abroad, which includes online advertising. This has us wondering - have other countries used online advertising to improve their images? If you know something, share it with us!
Starting this October, millions of television viewers around the world will be shown a different picture of Uganda, away from war, disease, corruption, major criticisms that have seen the country's image abroad take a nosedive in the last few months. Uganda has sealed a $1 million deal with CNN called ‘Brand Uganda’ which will include sponsorship and advertising on the Inside Africa show on CNN, CNN Online and CNN Travel Magazine.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200509250291.html
***PoliticsOnline Asks the Readers***
Hiring PR firms to campaign and buy ad space to promote a country’s image is not unusual –Following 9/11 Middle Eastern countries rushed to take out advertising space to tackle image problems in the United States-- what is unusual is that Uganda’s campaign includes an online advertising piece. Do you know of any other online country advertising buys? Submit your ideas to editor@politicsonline.com.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
July 18, 2005
Using Blogs To Teach Political Consultants
Phil Tajitsu Nash, CEO of CampaignAdvantage.com, filled us in on how GWU is educating the next generation of Campaign gurus:
Campaign Advantage President Emi Ireland has been teaching "Politics and the New Media"
at George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management (GSPM) this
summer, and the way she has been doing it could be a sign of the future for political
consultant training.
If you look at http://presscontrolshift.blogspot.com/ you will see that she has created a class blog, which not only contains her class-related comments to the students, but also contains her own political commentary as well. If you look on the right hand column, you will see the class syllabus, reading schedule, and links to the material she covered in her class lectures.
http://www.emilienneireland.com/blackboard/index.html
http://www.emilienneireland.com/blackboard/schedule.html
The readings list provides links to the most recent articles on Internet campaigning, and
can be used as a refresher course by any political consultant. Even the videos and other
materials she references will be of interest to politicians and consultants seeking to
incorporate the Internet into their campaign strategies.
While some of these features can be found in courses taught by Politics Online and other
leading Internet consultants, one feature that sets this website apart is the blogroll found in the right hand column. Each of the 35 students in the class was required to create a blog, and blog daily for the first five weeks of class and four days a week for the last five weeks.
Aside from posting on their own blogs daily, they also had to post daily on a classmate's
blog and post weekly on a mainstream blog.
Note the left, right, and non-partisan blogs listed at http://www.emilienneireland.com/blackboard/info-register.html
Students reported that the blog transformed their lives, making even the most luddite
a Netizen. They were proud of their online identities, and the quality of the work they
produced was higher than most papers that are handed in, graded, and thrown away
in the typical university course. In fact, the quality was so good that the only other
required work product will be an Online Campaign Strategic Plan.
http://www.emilienneireland.com/blackboard/info-plan.html
It was time-consuming getting all students online, and Emi had to produce a separate
tech blog to help them with technical questions at http://askemi.blogspot.com , but the net result is a class of bloggers who have a first-hand knowledge of the strengths and
limits of online campaigning.
More details will be in the third edition of "Winning Campaigns online."
Posted by Buzz Webster at 09:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
July 14, 2005
New Websites Launch
It probably wasn't a coincidence that Hillary Clinton and the RNC relaunched their websites on the exact same day.
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=50301
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--clinton-websites0712jul12,0,2494025,print.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork
Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
June 03, 2005
Internet & Iranian Elections
On June 17, Iranians will go to the polls to elect a president, with many voters surfing the web before they cast their ballots.
Blogging has gone international in a big way. And in Iran, blogging means that news, ideas and rumors are bypassing traditional censors, according to Yahoo News. As one of Iran's leading bloggers recently pointed out at opendemocracy.net, Iran's blogs are generating "an unprecedented amount of information [and] pre-election news has...been much more transparent." In fact, Hossein Derakhshan argued, " it will probably be one of the most open and transparent elections Iran has ever seen."
The internet is playing a major role. This is the first time, for example, that most of the major candidates (except the oldest ones) have their own websites. And with an estimated three or four million internet users in Iran, blogs are opening up Iranian society and culture--despite the enduring threat of government censorship and imprisonment of journalists and activists.
Bloggers Of Iran
http://news.yahoo.com /s/thenation/20050530/cm_thenation/72947/nc:742
Iran Crushes Blog Spring
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.06/po sts.html?pg=6
Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
May 31, 2005
Running The Numbers
Some Interesting Tidbits From The RNC’s BlogFood
125 Million Voters Turned Out In 2004
According to a Census Bureau report, 125 million Americans turned out to vote in 2004, which is 64 percent of American's 18 years and older. Amongst the findings are that more women than men voted, Minnesota had the highest turn out with 79 percent and Wisconsin was second with 77 percent turn out.
FactCheck.Org: Biography Of A Bad Statistic
FactCheck.org released a new study yesterday noting the statistic that abortions have increased under President Bush that many Democrats are repeating – including DNC Chairman Howard Dean – is false.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
May 17, 2005
Mayoral Candidate Has Sense Of Humor
A candiate running for mayor of Bethlehem, Penn, created a hilarious web clip based on viagra.
Anthony Rybank made the video for TV and then added it his website. (Hat tip Bob Hoffman at PoliticalGateway.com)
Posted by Buzz Webster at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
May 16, 2005
UK Election Online Post Mortem
UK candidates fail to harness Internet, while news media thrives.
High Hopes For The Internet Sri Carmichael of The Guardian captured the enthusiasm of many at the onset of the elections writing, "the UK is embarking on its first internet election, and in many ways the battleground is cyberspace can be more significant than disaffected council estates in Cardiff Central or Enfield North." Big Vote Was No Big Deal The One Big Vote pre-election poll was not unlike MoveOn.org's online vote to select a democratic Nominee in June of 2003. Although no candidate won by a clear majority MoveOn.org's support, Howard Dean received a major boost in the online world by coming out on top. Both votes were early attempts to show the power of the internet to create momentum for a candidate, though both failed to do so in the end. However, by Election Day it was apparent that the internet hype would have little to do with the outcome. Quite simply the internet failed to be an effective tool for gathering support and getting votes. In retrospect the internet flop wasn't necessarily because UK campaigners failed to use proper tools in the online arsenal, it's more likely that they just failed to have a candidate like Howard Dean. A Great Website Doesn't Equal A Great Candidate Though, BBC Technology Analyst Bill Thompson argued contrary at the start of the campaign season, he was quick to point out afterwards that it "wasn't an 'e-election' in the sense that the Internet and online activities could be considered in isolation from other aspects of the campaign and media coverage." However, there were some great leaps forward in online campaigning, as Thompson noted post mortem. As one might expect the BBC, raised the bar for how elections should be covered online, however Channel 4, Silicon, and The Guardian also ranked very high for their online coverage. As UK polling day drew near, wired voters searched in droves for the best election news and information. Lucky for them, online media had never been so comprehensive; and in the case of the BBC, so interactive. The BBC kept good on its promise to deliver 'the first truly interactive election coverage' offering an imaginative and absorbing section, according to a review by Journalism.co.uk. An animated Peter Snow hosts a raft of interactive tools including a quiz, seat calculator, and poll tracker - while the real Peter Snow provides video instructions on how to use the interactive swingometer. The Beeb even staffed Alan Connor, as Daily Politics' internet correspondent, focused solely on providing e-Election news. Visitors could share their views on dozens of important issues through the site's Have Your Say online debates. Blogs likewise played a larger role on the website this year, offering first-hand reports from around the country, as well as the best of the newspapers, web, and e-mails. And much of the BBC online coverage is available via email, RSS feeds, and mobile/PDA's. A 3G voter's panel was an especially interactive feature, giving a taste of the future convergence of technology and reporting in elections. Throughout the election campaign the BBC asked a panel of 20 voters to share their views in text and in video, using 3G mobile phones and video cameras. Their contributions were then posted to Election website for viewing and commentary. The BBC was rewarded for the coverage, logging more than 45 million page impressions on the BBC News website's election section on 6 May, with more than 3 million people using the site to keep up to date with the latest developments. If there was something missing from the BBC (which was very hard to find), it was the inability to keep the conversation flowing across all of its mediums. There was a significant amount of user comments and interaction such as with the voter panel, and Have Your Say features, but there was no way of bringing it all together. The Guardian Unlimited also provide excellent coverage of the election, but should also be commended for stepping out ahead of other news websites by bolding asking for feedback on what viewers thought of their election coverage. They asked readers what worked, what didn't, and what should be done differently next time. To give the Guardian one more boost, the rise of the UK's 05 online campaigning enthusiasm can arguably be traced back to the US in October 2004. The Guardian launched 'Operation Clark County' hoping to influence voters in Ohio through a letter writing campaign. Cyber Journalist cites a small sample of the interactivity available. A comprehensive direc tory of sites covering the elections can be found at the DoWire UK wiki-Directory Conservatives Break Into The Vault Labour Gets Gun For Hire Liberal Democrats Glide On Cutting Edge New Flashy Websites And Emails Worked - Sort Of Swingers Revive Tactical Voting Blogs Breakout The UK election witnessed an explosion of blogs, from candidates to journalists to the just plain weird. Richard Kimber of Keele University created a webpage of hundreds of websites and blogs following the UK election. The main blog issues ranged from the economy, taxation, asylum, immigration, Iraq, public services and to perhaps most crucially, the character and personality of each of the three political contenders. The blogs provided plenty of content but it's too early to predict the election served as a breakthrough for the most popular sites. Don't Blame Lack Of Internet Access If we could add just one word to Coleman's quote, it would be that Parties are not quite sure what to do with them --- "yet." Publisher's Note: The BBC has been a client of PoliticsOnline for years, which could distort our objectivity. But hey, compare for yourself and then try to tell us it's not great.
Online advocates (including PoliticsOnline) had high hope that the internet would revolutionize the UK elections in 2005. Having witnessed the successes and failures of the 2004 elections in the United States, the UK now had a plethora of tools and tactics to garner support and get voters to the polls. And because UK candidates basically have one month to campaign, it seemed that the rapid response and efficiency of the web would certainly be utilized.
The enthusiasm seemed justified when an online pre- election poll showed bad news for the favored Prime Minister Tony Blair. Nearly 25,000 voters participated in One Big Vote in early April, which predicted a victory for Conservative Party leader Michael Howard. It appeared that online activists were once again working to overturn the status quo. Howard's only real victory was his Party's website claimed more traffic than Labour.
The former US Democratic Nominee brought energy to the 2004 Presidential race that was a perfect match for online campaigning and supporters. Dean taught pundits that an alternative candidate with internet savvy can be a great candidate, but a horrible candidate with top rate website is still a horrible candidate. UK candidates were far from horrible, but they weren't the poster children for the World Wide Web either.
Inspired by the Republican Party's successful use of direct marketing in last November's US election, the Conservatives relied more on direct-marketing- targeting techniques than in previous elections. Following a visit to the US to meet Republican Party officials, Dr Liam Fox, MP and co-chairman of the Conservative Party, borrowed a copy of the Republican's Voter Vault database software package, according to a source involved in the campaign. As UK blogger Robin Grant noted, even the design of websites copied us election campaigns such as the Conservative Party borrowing much from GeorgeWBush.com.
For the Labour Party, American's once again didn't just offer advice on tools, but volunteered their services. Americans took polls, conducted focus groups and helped refine the Labour message according to the Washington Post. The outside helped turned into a little bit of controversy when the Labour Party announced it had hired Zack Exley, former internet strategist for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.
The Liberal Democrats had the most to gain and campaigned on the cutting edge of technology. The Party started podcasting as a way of spreading their electoral message. The podcast's were made available through the party's blog. Liberals pushed their anti-Iraq war stance with a mobile, viral game that gives players the chance to suggest alternative ways of using the £5bn the Labour Government spent on the war. They also imitated the online advertising strategies of Liberal groups in the U.S., which by the way raised 60 percent of their funds online.
In the US election campaign emails became the life blood of communications. For the first time in presidential history, people on the ground level could receive direct communication in such a way that personally and quickly brought them into the campaign. While most UK Parties significantly enhance their communications, either the short or election season or apathy failed to grow beyond supporters who were already engaged.
Tactical voting has been a lot like teenage sex. There's always an awful a lot of talk about it, but nothing ever really happens. However advocates in the UK were certain that this time around would be different. Early projections for the 2005 poll estimated that up to 20% of the UK might vote tactically, trying to unseat an MP, or even swapping votes in marginals. In the end, the vote swapping sites had little or no impact much like the vote paring websit e during the 2004 US elections.
One argument is that the US election was impacted more new technology because over 68 percent of homes have internet access. In the UK 58 percent have access. While there is no denying the numbers, what is equally important is the use of mobile phones in the UK. Also text messaging is a relatively new way of communicating in the US. However, there are now more cell phones than people in the UK, where nearly 80 million text messages are sent each day. It's clear the technology is available in the UK, it just has not been harnessed.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 07:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
April 28, 2005
BetPoll Forcasts UK Election
BetPoll is a new service reporting betting prices as forecasts. Visit www.betpoll.com each day to see our forecasts of the key outcomes in the UK General Election. Some of our forecasts at midday on April 27th:
• Overall (Labour) majority: 87
• Turnout: 64 per cent
• Labour seats: 363
• Conservative seats: 194
• Liberal Democrat seats: 65
Enquiries: press@betpoll.com
Posted by Buzz Webster at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 25, 2005
Labour Has Top Election Website
Labour couldn't be happier a Usability Company study named it as having the best political website.
Silicon reports Labour as having the slickest website in a study - which assessed both usability and accessibility of the campaign websites. This might be good news for the PR department, but Conservatives appear to be the real winners. Articles last week showed conservatives with the most traffic and the winners in a pre-election poll.
For the lastest UK online election coverage visit PoliticsOnline.com.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
April 15, 2005
Special Report: UK Elections Online
The United Kingdom has launched into its first internet intensive election, much like what witnessed during the United States 2004 election season. With a 30 day election season Conservatives, Labour and other Parties are using rapid response tactics of the internet to mobilize and persuade voters.
From vote swapping to political blogging everything is being laid on the line for what is expected to be a very close election.
PoliticsOnline will be tracking all the latest online election news and information until Election Day through our websites and newsletters. Visit our UK Election page for comprehensive coverage of the elections online. Also check out our new UK section of the e-newsletter.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 02:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
April 01, 2005
Online Campaigning Breaks Loose In UK
The UK elections are heating up online, with much of the same strategy used in the 2004 US elections being employed. One of the most controversial tactics to unfold this week, was Britain’s Labour Party announcement that it has hired former Kerry campaigner Zack Exley as an Internet consultant.
Labour also blasted out its first star-powered email this week penned by best selling author John O'Farrell, who encouraged members to get out and volunteer.
The UK’s Conservative Right is similarly turning to popular American online campaigning techniques, such as the recent launch of a blog promoting support tax relief, withdrawal from the euro and pre-emptive action against terrorists. Conservatives aim to use new media activism to revive the party and overcome what it sees as opposition from the “metropolitan Establishment.”
A new online tactical voting campaign also launched this week, catching voters’ attention.
MoveOn.org Man Helps Tony Blair's Election Campaign
Tories Plan To Beat ‘Bias’ By Bringing In Bloggers
Tax Relief Gets Centre Stage On Tory Blog
'Vote Swappers' Aim To Wipe Out Leading Conservatives In Internet Campaign
Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 31, 2005
Iranian Presidential Candiate/Blogger
Folks around the blogoshpere are starting to question if the first blogging President will be Iranian. Mostafa Moeen, a reformist party candidate running for president of Iran, is blogging to his peeps.
This blog could be about cooking recipies for all I know, but Hossein Derakhshan, a sound blogger who writes about technology and pop culture in Iran, has been paraphrasing what the site says.
Thanks Hossein, this is a pretty amazing evolution taking place.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 06:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
March 21, 2005
Presidential March Madness
It's never too early to run for President. Print out your own Presidential March Madness Brackets at SurveySaintLouis.com.
Hat tip to Steven Clift.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 04:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 10, 2005
Blogosphere And 04 Elections Report
I'm passing this on from the folks at BlogPulse
In case you haven't seen it yet, today's BlogPulse from Intelliseek features a fascinating paper released this week by Intelliseek/BlogPulse senior researcher Natalie Glance and HP Labs researcher Lada Adamic about the influence of liberal/conservative political bloggers on the political landscape during the 2004 U.S. Presidential election.
"The Political Blogosophere and the 2004 U.S. Election: Divided They Blog"
can be downloaded at http://www.blogpulse.com, and today's BlogPulse blog entry contains a summary of key findings.I think you'll find some intriguing findings and insights in the research.
I haven't read the report yet, but hope to break it down soon and report back to the blog.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
March 07, 2005
The Internet And Campaign 2004
A new report “The Internet and Campaign 2004” was released Sunday by the PEW. There's a lot of great information in the report. Here’s a few of the highlights.
Findings include:
• The internet was a key force in politics last year as 75 million Americans used it to get news, discuss candidates in emails, and participate directly in the political process
• Television remained the dominant medium for most voters, but 18 percent said they got most of their political news from the Internet, compared with 17 percent who said they turned to the radio for their news.
• Nearly 60% of the campaign news seekers cited convenience as their main reason for using the Internet. But one-third said they did feel they got all the news and information they wanted from TV and newspapers.
• 52% of internet users, or about 63 million people, said they went online to get news or information about the 2004 elections. We call them online political news consumers.
• 35% of internet users, or about 43 million people, said they used email to discuss politics, and one of the most popular email subjects was jokes about the candidates and the election.
• 11% of internet users, or more than 13 million people, went online to engage directly in campaign activities such as donating money, volunteering, or learning about political events to attend.
In addition, in 2004:
• 31 million went online to find out how candidates were doing in opinion polls.
• 25 million used the internet to check the accuracy of claims made by or about the candidates.
• 19 million watched video clips about the candidates or the election.
• 17 million sent emails about the campaign to groups of family members or friends as part of listservs or discussion groups.
• 14 million signed up for email newsletters or other online alerts to get the latest news about politics.
• 7 million signed up to receive email from the presidential campaigns.
• 4 million signed up online for campaign volunteer activities such as helping to organize a rally, register voters, or get people to the polls on Election Day.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
February 10, 2005
British Labour Takes A Page From US Online Campaign Handbook
With an election expected in few month's time, the Labour Party of Britian has launched an online campaign against the Tories. In a recent email to online supporters, Labour officials promised an election campaign that "is going to be very different than any before it - in part thanks to the Internet".
Labour's first interactive initiative is the launch of campaign pledges by email on Friday. Prime Minister Tony Blair will also take part by unveiling the Party's new pledges for a third term Labour Government to the public at events around the country, and online supporters are promisted to be among the first to get them.
Labour supporters can also text message or email questions to the Prime Minister that will be answered this weekend at the Party's annual Spring Conference.
Blair has promised to personally read and respond to every message... just kidding.
The Tories have also beefed up their online communications and are running an interactive "Are you thinking what we're thinking?" campaign through the Party website.
I'm thinking this is going to be a short but sweet web war.
Posted by Buzz Webster at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
January 27, 2005
Iraq Election Online
Internet Allows Inside Look At Iraq, But Aids Iraqis
Little
The Internet is great for discussing the Iraqi election, unless of course
you're an Iraqi
Interest High, Penetration Low
With the Iraqi election just days away, one might expect Iraqis to be
surfing the Internet in search of the latest news and information on
hopeful candidates. They're not. And although PoliticsOnline's Chief Iraqi
researcher is on Holiday, we're pretty darn sure it's not just the failure to
understand Arabic that draws us to this conclusion. It's not that Iraqis to do
not wish to have an online voice or find more information, it just that
with an Internet penetration of little more than 0.01% the nation is simply not
connected. Even so, there are signs of a very fast
acceptance.
Population
27,139,200 Internet
Usage in Dec. 2000
12,500 Internet
Usage in Sept. 2004
25,000 Use
Growth (2000-2004)
100% Internet
Penetration (% Pop.)
0.1%
Iraq
Online - Internet Usage
Astonishingly, a little more than five years ago ordinary Iraqis did not
have even access to the Internet. Although Saddam Hussein's regime certainly
censored the information on the Internet, the main reason is an UN-imposed trade
sanction that made it impossible to import the necessary technical equipment.
At
the turn of the 21st century the government began allowing Iraqis to
go online through a state-run Internet Service Provider. The
first Internet cafe opened in July 2000 where Iraqis could surf the web for
about 25 US cents per session, according to Radio Netherlands. By 2003, there were around 60
cafes. And for the few Iraqis with disposable income, they could receive the
Internet at home for about US $25 for three months, with an additional charge
for each e-mail message. A locally built computer cost around US$600.
Two
Sides To Iraq's Internet - The Positive
While very few Iraqis use the Internet, those who do have made a
significant impact, both positive and negative. Iraq the Model is one such
positive example, and is arguably the most widely known Iraqi weblog, according
to the BBC.
The blog is ran by three Iraqi brothers who recently became the unlikely
setting for a huge web spat
after conspiracy theorists alleged the brothers were phony. Though tangled up in false claims, the
blogs popularity enabled two of the brothers, Omar and Mohammed, to attend a
blogging conference at Harvard University in the US, and they even met President
George W Bush. The online support has also encouraged the brothers to run for
office, and even raise campaign funds online through their Party
website.
|
“On the
Internet, no one knows you're a Kurd. No one knows you're Shia or Sunni. No one
knows your name or where you live. And in Iraq, that means no one can kill you
or threaten you with any realistic menace for expressing a political
opinion. ” NewsDay Correspondent Matthew McAllester |
It's a great story of politicians using the Internet to campaign, but
it's most likely the only online Iraqi campaign story this election
season. The online audience is so low Iraqi candidates are not using the
Internet, and really do not have many other options to campaign apart from using
traditional media outlets. Campaigning on foot is too dangerous.
Newsday Iraq Correspondent Matthew McAllester writes,
"the level of intimidation and intolerance for the opinion of others is so great
that there is almost no public political discourse, even during the last days of
the election campaign."
McAllester also notes that the debate is usually primitive for the Iraqis
that do get involved in political discourse, suggesting that it's "partly
because Iraqis have been given few solid issues to debate by their would-be
leaders."
Though Iraqi blogs are small potatoes in the blogosphere, talk of the Iraqi election has been the topic de jour for many popular English language blogs for weeks. The online debate gives a clear indication that the world is very interested in the Iraqi elections. A look at the BBC's online coverage gives a glimpse of how curious the rest of the globe is about the elections. One popular new feature on the BBC website is a