The way Trippi has reinvented campaigning by using new technologies is quite impressive. It proves how effective digital media can be, and in this case how it has impacted a political campaign. The basic idea of using new media for the purposes of campaigning is to get the “cost per body” down. If this can be achieved, then it means that a greater audience can be reached with the same amount of money. It also means that less effort can be put into reaching this audience, leaving more time to focus on the content of a campaign; communicating your ideas and plans, which is what running for office should really be about. Not only that, it opens doors for those people who want to run for office, as well, as they now have a better chance at competing with those candidates who have more funds available. This means that more citizens can be represented. Campaigns in this way are less driven by money, and more by the means of how to use technologies to your advantage. In the end, this is great for United States’ citizens, as they are then able to more effectively participate in their constitutional right of choosing their government, and voting for a candidate who best reflects their ideologies.
Kathy Gill’s “The Race of the Web Sites 2004” shows the impact of one aspect of using internet technology in politics; web sites. The article shows that making certain decisions on how to put a web site together can have great impacts on the audience that it wants to, but is impossible to reach. This is huge! Because, if you’re not able to reach your intended audience, then those votes are gone, along with your chances of becoming the next President of the United States. I certainly agree with Gill on the need for improvement. After all, this impacts me in the end, as well.
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What are some of the negative aspects of using internet technologies in politics?
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How could internet technologies negatively impact minorities and their constitutional rights?
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When do you think politicians will use internet technologies as their primary means of communication?
abiondi Said:
on March 12, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Yvonne, you did a fantastic job analyzing each of these articles, as well as conveying your personal thoughts and reflections on each piece. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on the way that Trippi has reinvented political campaigning, and what this reinvention means to the citizens of the United States. Technology plays a crucial role in campaigns, and also gives citizens their own opportunities to run for office. I also really enjoyed reading your thoughts on Gill’s article, which I, too, found to be very interesting because it discusses the impact of websites in politics. It’s really amazing how critical proper website design is in terms of reaching target audiences, and how much improvement needs to be done on such websites! In conclusion, you did a wonderful job clearly expressing your thoughts regarding each of these articles, and I really enjoyed reading this post!