TimmyHBeyond Sound-Bite Politics
June 25th 2008 03:38
A new study from the Pew Institute in the US has revealed that many people, dissatisfied with political coverage and sound bites are turning to the Internet for a more complete view of politics.
As part of the American Life Project the Pew study found that almost 30 percent of adults have used the Net to view unfiltered campaign material. This includes footage of debates, announcements, press statements, position papers and speeches and their transcripts.
Director of the Pew group, Lee Rainie says "People want to see the full-blown campaign event. They want to read the speech from beginning to end. It's a push back from the sound-bite culture.”
The rate of Internet viewing has almost tripled since the 2004 Presidential campaign. 35 percent of adults have watched a political video online during the primary season, in the same period four years ago it was little more than 13 percent. Also, 10 percent of adults have used Social Networking sites in a politically motivated manner. Whether it be to add political campaigns as friends or to join political groups, Facebook and MySpace political traffic is on the rise.
Rainie explains that this mirrors a general trend that has been seen in Internet usage since the last Presidential election. Online campaign contributions are also up, the past year has seen a 4 percent rise.
The advantage for campaigners has been a reduction in cost. First-time donors no longer need to be contacted through direct mail or phone calls. Instead, savvy candidates have been able to generate small donations from a large number of internet users, as Barack Obama has shown in becoming the campaign’s leading fundraiser. Obama’s Internet supporters are twice as likely to contribute money as were Clinton’s or McCain’s.
Political activity has also gone mobile. Some 46 percent of Americans have used the Internet in conjunction with a mobile phone in a politically motivated way. But as with everything on the Internet, there are sceptics. 60 percent of Internet users are concerned about misinformation circulating on the Internet and fear that other users will become victims of the propaganda.
As part of the American Life Project the Pew study found that almost 30 percent of adults have used the Net to view unfiltered campaign material. This includes footage of debates, announcements, press statements, position papers and speeches and their transcripts.
The rate of Internet viewing has almost tripled since the 2004 Presidential campaign. 35 percent of adults have watched a political video online during the primary season, in the same period four years ago it was little more than 13 percent. Also, 10 percent of adults have used Social Networking sites in a politically motivated manner. Whether it be to add political campaigns as friends or to join political groups, Facebook and MySpace political traffic is on the rise.
Rainie explains that this mirrors a general trend that has been seen in Internet usage since the last Presidential election. Online campaign contributions are also up, the past year has seen a 4 percent rise.
Political activity has also gone mobile. Some 46 percent of Americans have used the Internet in conjunction with a mobile phone in a politically motivated way. But as with everything on the Internet, there are sceptics. 60 percent of Internet users are concerned about misinformation circulating on the Internet and fear that other users will become victims of the propaganda.
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