Internet is Becoming Dominant Media Force in National Political Campaigns, Reports USC Digital Future Project. Web offers growing potential for independent candidates and parties
LOS ANGELES, July 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The role of the Internet in politics has grown with such speed and scope that it is well on its way to becoming the dominant media force in political campaigning, according to the director of the most comprehensive study of the impact of the online technology on America.
"For fundraising, outreach to voters, making announcements and articulating a campaign platform, the Internet is now the primary media of choice for candidates to deliver their messages," said Jeffrey Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future at the USC Annenberg School for Communication. "Television is assuming a lesser role in the development of campaigns; increasingly, TV is being reduced to finding its news coverage in subjects that originate on the Internet."
Cole's observations about the Internet's role in political campaigning are based on findings from the Digital Future Project, the comprehensive year-to- year study launched in 2000 to explore the impact of online technology on Americans.
Summarizing the Center's seven years of analysis of online access and changing patterns of political behavior, Cole has identified broad changes as Internet users now primarily rely on the web for breaking news as well as campaign information about candidates and issues.
In particular, Cole notes a trend of the increasing importance of the Internet as a primary source of political information. Based on conservative estimates, Internet use for obtaining political information may have tripled since 2000, now nearing an estimated 60 percent of Internet users.
According to Cole, the evolving changes that combine open access, low-cost technology, and a growing base of users who seek political information and involvement have created vast potential for virtual politics that is reshaping the nature of election campaigning.
"A vivid recent example of this shift," said Cole, "was the Democratic candidate debate co-sponsored by YouTube that produced thousands of prospective questions and a distinct shift in how the candidates were required to react to issues."
The Internet is not only providing expanded opportunities for established politicians, but is also opening the door for candidates who previously would have had little or no opportunity to reach and influence large numbers of voters.
"I can see a time quite soon when a viable third-party presidential candidate could emerge based entirely on building an online constituency," said Cole. "Given the power of online political communication, the Internet could become the launching pad not only for individual candidates, but for the rise of the first successful third party in the United States since the Republican Party was created in the 1850s."
The growth of virtual politics is also beginning to shift the nature of campaign financing.
"The current political campaign may be the last in which dollars raised is the single most important factor in creating a political power base," said Cole. "Candidates still need plenty of cash, but now candidates with smaller campaign budgets can compete more effectively because of online communication."
"Previously, campaigns needed millions of dollars to buy television commercial time, and they had no other outlet for these messages," Cole said. "Now, commercials distributed online through YouTube, MySpace, and other Web venues not only reach large audiences, but their appearance become campaign events covered by traditional media."
With the Internet's growth in the political process have come many emerging issues about online technology.
"No political candidate can succeed without a comprehensive Internet strategy -- but the growth of online campaigning raises many unanswered issues for candidates," said Cole. "Among the most important questions: How can candidates recruit Internet users who are willing to listen? How can candidates conduct effective fundraising online?
"Equally important are questions about voters who use the Internet," Cole said. "As voters increasingly go online for their political information, how can the Internet become a more effective tool that voters can use to gain power and influence in the political process? Can the Internet truly be a tool for the political empowerment of voters?"
Source: USC Annenberg School for Communication
