Be a social butterfly!

Throughout my blogs I've focused on the big social networking sites. Facebook is the most prominent website associated with the social media frenzy. Close behind is Twitter and You Tube. And even Myspace is still present in the social media-sphere. But there are TONS of social media websites out there that help facilitate the dissemination of information.

News websites to try would be whichever news channel you favor. Their online content will closely match their broadcast content, with more details and such offered. Another popular site is digg.com, a site where people can post about topics and others can "digg it". Reddit.com offers coverage of a wide variety of topics, with the option to focus on specific topics. Flickr.com is a photo sharing website that can also facilitate communication.

Social Media Websites lists different websites by category of interest. The only "political" site listed however is Election 2008 TV, while this page at doshdosh.com presents a "Top 50" list of sites to check out.

So as you can see, there are options. Too many, some might say, that will aid in the search for news. It's all a matter of taking the time to sift out the good from the bad.

Show Me The Money! (And Impact and Acceptance...)

Social Media has so many advantages: it reaches a wide audience, a vast audience, and it is so easily accessible. One final advantage is the cost associated with a social media campaign. For the users, access to websites such as Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and You Tube is free. And for the candidates, the cost if virtually nothing. According to ignitesocialmedia.com, the approximate amount of money that is spent on individual campaigns varies as much for any regular advertising or PR campaign. But bottom line, you can spend as little or as much as you want to get your message out. In fact, according to the Scribd article, Lessons from the Barack Obama Social Media Campaign, "the campaign's proclivity to online advocacy is a major reason for his victory. While it was such a success, they only spent about $2 million on tools that would help facilitate social networking operation.

The impact of such campaigns is addressed in the the former article as well. Over 13 million people were reached through e-mail alone. 5 million "friends" were reached through 15 different social networking sites, 3 million coming solely from Facebook. 8.5 people visited his website. His You Tube videos were watched 8 million times. And finally, 3 million people signed up to receive text message alerts. That's a whole lotta people being reached through new communication technology.

Acceptance, I think, pretty much goes hand in hand with impact. There wouldn't be so many people being impacted by these new methods if they weren't being accepted by the masses. In fact, Rumors and the Internet in the 2008 elections states that 2/3 of Americans received their news through online content, while almost 2 of 5 checked content every day. Checking up on multiple outlets and looking for content every day sure seems like acceptance to me. More like obsession! (Yes, I'm talking to all you, and by you I mean ME, Facebook enthusiasts.)

Video Killed The Radio Star - Or Did It?

With television and social media seemingly dominating the social and political landscape, it certainly comes as a surprise to learn that radio - an oft forgot medium - still has an influence on America today. In fact, Internet's Broader Role in Campain 2008 states that aside from the internet, "National Public Radio is the only other news source to show significant growth since 2000; currently 18% say they regularly learn about the campaign from NPR, up from 12% eight years ago."


While many of us still think of radio and it's influence as outdated, no one seemed to mention that to the radio. In fact, radio has played a vital role in elections past and this time was no exception.

An E-commerce times article reiterates that radio is certainly not dead. "In fact, it is morphing, and its new iterations, such as Internet radio, satellite broadcasts and podcasting, [that] are gaining the attention of leading candidates." This proves that the men and women behind the scenes understand the need to embrace new forms of technology. In today's day when the competition is as successful as it is at bringing you news coverage, one should not forget the new variations of radio offering in depth coverage of political events. "Many radio stations have now embraced the idea of streaming their shows over the Internet and include links on their Web sites so listeners in remote locations can do just that. "In fact, radio reaches over 210 million voting age listeners every week, according to Jeff Haley, President of the Radio Advertising Bureau. He also says that the reason why politicians utilize the radio is because of its effectiveness. As a result, "politicians [were] expected to pump $1 billion into radio advertising"during the 2008 presidential campaign. Radio is the perfect medium to target a captive audience. While you're in your car, you are susceptible to the messages being broadcast to you and through your radio. Radio is the perfect medium to reach a broad audience, but is also great for targeting a specific demographic such as young voters or an ethnic group such as Latinos or Asian Americans. Aside from commercial messages, talk radio is another form that often gets used because those individuals listening to such programs are already more inclined to be searching for information and news.

Satellite radio company XM recognizes the importance of providing what their subscribers want as evidenced by the following quote: "We think that the variety of candidates and issues in this election makes the idea of a channel dedicated solely to it appealing." Thus proving that while the "face" of radio might be changing, its impact still is relevant and growing today.

Barack Obama has sent you a Friend Request!

That's right, Obama's hip to the new technological groove that is social media. I will be focusing on Barack Obama's use of new communication technologies, because in my humble opinion, he used it the best and as the winner of the election, I'm thinking a lot of other people thought that too.

According to Internet's Broader Role in Campaign 2008, "Nearly a quarter of Americans (24%) say they regularly learn something about the campaign from the internet, almost double the percentage from a comparable point in the 2004 campaign (13%)." This means that in as little as FOUR years the Internet's influence doubled when it comes to people's perceptions and views concerning politics. It might just be because I was a part of the demographic that was trying to be reached through social media, but this fact isn't surprising. According to the report, the majority of young people (the ever popular 18-49 demographic), said the sources they sought out for information about the election were the internet and social media sites. In fact, they were the number one place they went to. And why wouldn't you take advantage of it? There is so much information just waiting to be found on the internet.

It is interesting to note that while online news outlets such as MSNBC, CNN, and Yahoo News were the most frequently mentioned among those who rely on the internet for news, the 18-24 demographic certainly was influenced the most by social networking sites. Obama has an account on Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube, just to name the most popular ones. While the perecentages mentioned in the article seem small, the influence of the new media can not truly be measured. Each candidates Facebook accounts were updated with policies and information about themselves in order to better inform the public. Often a side by side comparison of each candidate's views on the popular issues could be found by a simple Google search. And when people can't watch debates, speeches, or commercials when they air on television in real time, they can turn to You Tube to catch up.

And while these new media outlets were used during the elections, it is commendable and smart that Obama is still using these tools to communicate with his constituents. Watch a recent uploaded video by Obama's official You Tube page concerning the latest Health Care reform issue below.

The Revolution Will Be Televisied

One of the more prominent communication technologies used in the 2008 elections would have to be television. Obviously, during election time and the months leading up to it, almost every single channel was bringing you up to date coverage on the progress of both parties. While most news outlets claim to be bipartisan, certain networks (*cough*FOXNEWS*cough*) swing to one particular side of the party line. But it's important to remember that there are FAIR coverage channels, and you just have to weed through the vast array of networks in order to find them.

Television is perhaps the most convenient medium to use because it is available and accessible to almost everyone. According to Wikipedia, 99% of households own at least one television. This would be the outlet to take full advantage of in an election. And with all the other media outlets around, according to Thelivingroomcandidate.org, "the television commercial remains the one area where presidential candidates have complete control over their images." This website provides an extensive list of the most effective ads designed by both sides during the election. Browse them here.

Commercials were not the only thing on television visible during the elections. Saturday Night Live has been parodying Presidents for years, and their portrayal of he candidates and their running mates certainly impacted popular culture. The appearance of Obama, McCain, and Palin on this popular tv show undoubtedly influenced a whole new generation and perhaps an audience that they might not have reached otherwise. Watch the infamouse Sarah Palin/Hilary Cliton clip below.



While the practice of using television to promote a candidate is certainly not new (as evidenced by the quote at the end of this entry), over the years it has been expanded and improved upon to the point that we know of today.

"Television is no gimmick, and nobody will ever be elected to major office again without presenting themselves well on it."
-Television producer and Nixon campaign consultant Roger Ailes, 1968