| THE ROLE OF THE INTERNET IN POLITICAL | | | | tool through which citizens can get properly informed. |
| PARTICIPATION AND POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE | | | | Since knowledge is not just the pieces of information |
| | | | | a person has but the ability to connect such pieces, |
| Howard Dean broke new grounds during the 2004 | | | | the newspaper provides the best means to get |
| presidential campaign in the USA when he came up | | | | connected pieces of information. |
| with the internet site he called "THE BLOG FOR | | | | Besides, since all the information on the internet is |
| AMERICA-HOWARD DEANS 2004 CALL TO ACTION | | | | not provided in one huge block, readers are given the |
| WEBLOG". The blog which propelled Howard to the | | | | choice to log on to the sites themselves for |
| front-lines in the presidential campaigns was designed | | | | information. This has often led to selective exposure |
| to act as a forum where citizens could get informed | | | | as most persons are likely to go for sites that write |
| and involved. According to Kerbel and Bloom, Finally | | | | positively or are owned by the persons they support |
| informing the electorate? How the internet got | | | | in the political process. This distorts the citizen’s |
| people thinking about presidential politics in 2004, the | | | | awareness as concerns opposing parties and while |
| blog contributors raised topics they believed to be | | | | one could have an in-depth knowledge on one of the |
| important for the campaign to the citizens. And the | | | | candidates for the elections, the same person could |
| citizens read, commented and shared opinions on the | | | | be totally lacking in information about the other |
| site. This was something difficult if not impossible | | | | candidates. |
| with traditional media. The site which was used as a | | | | Moreover, the 2004 Pew campaign data revealed |
| social space by contributors was maintained by a | | | | most citizens as saying that television is their main |
| team tied to the Howard Dean campaign. | | | | source of political information and they use the |
| The call to action weblog was used to raise funds for | | | | internet as a compliment to other news sources. |
| the campaign, organize social events, voice opinions, | | | | According to the research, 99% of the respondents |
| and criticize Howard’s stands on salient issues. | | | | admitted using other media aside the internet as |
| | | | | means of information. |
| Though Howard Dean did not succeed in winning the | | | | Further research however reveal that the internet is |
| fight for the Presidency in 2004, he certainly left a | | | | vital in getting young persons to get active in the |
| legacy that was going to help reshape Presidential | | | | elections through opinion sharing which gives them |
| campaign in the United States of America and | | | | the feeling of importance thus pushing them to the |
| perhaps all over the world. Barrack Obama and John | | | | poles. |
| McCain both made use of weblogs during their | | | | |
| campaigns. However, Obama recorded more success | | | | CRITIC |
| in his use than his opponent did. Obama’s, | | | | All the researchers here tend to look at the internet |
| Change We can Believe In, blog was designed with | | | | as an ideal house for information. They tend to look |
| the same features as Howards. The blog provided | | | | at citizens as rational enough to log into the proper |
| day to day information on happenings in the | | | | sites for news and information on what is important |
| campaign, forums to meet other activist, possibilities | | | | to them. But the ease of access to the internet and |
| for comments and opinions. Obama made it possible | | | | the ability of just about anybody to post articles into |
| for people to propose policies and over 15000 | | | | internet sites has tended to distort the fairness of |
| proposals have been got so far. Raising funds for the | | | | the information. Aside original internet news sources, |
| campaign was one of the highs of the blog and the | | | | other sites owned by private individuals are accessed |
| mechanism to contact friends via email and landlines | | | | on a daily basis and this cannot hold as reliable |
| to inform them of the site or some new event | | | | sources of information even on issues as minimal as |
| helped expand the site. The campaign managers | | | | the biography of the presidential candidates. This |
| made it their duty to answer all false rumours or | | | | goes to say the there is a lot of distorted |
| misunderstanding by the mainstream media so as to | | | | information on the internet that could make the new |
| set the records straight for the citizens. | | | | media a kind of dangerous tool for information |
| While using the blog, Scheufele (2007) posits that | | | | gathering. |
| Obama made his campaign alive on twitter. Facebook, | | | | Moreover, I agree with the idea that there is a lot of |
| youtube and even via the use of sms. The use of | | | | selective perception done on the internet. People will |
| these weblog and other internet facilities seemed to | | | | go for information that gives them mental comfort. |
| have acted as the contributing factor to the success | | | | Obama fans will easily log into the internet and |
| of what has been called the Obama internet | | | | access his campaign site rather than trying that of |
| campaign. Using the youtube, myspace, facebook and | | | | McCain. This makes the other media very important. |
| other highly rated internet facilities enabled several | | | | Even though there is selective exposure on other |
| millions of Americans to get involved in the elections. | | | | media, it cannot really be as serious as it is with the |
| Young people were able to meet and talk about the | | | | internet when people make a choice of the |
| election with other people via these interactive sites | | | | information they want to see. Television on its part |
| and learn bout the campaign from the candidates | | | | tends to force its choice on the audience instead |
| themselves. Kerbel and Bloom () reveal that this got | | | | since they are never sure of what will be in the |
| several persons especially the young involved in the | | | | newscasts. |
| elections and gave them the possibility to contact | | | | The ability to participate and share opinions via the |
| others and persuade them to get involved. Writing | | | | internet is also proven to be an important tool to |
| later in 2007, Dietrem Schefele, Understanding the | | | | voter turn-out and even political participation. When |
| mechanism underlying political participation ….and | | | | people are made to think that their opinions count, |
| why it matters,2007, brought out some surprising | | | | they definitely will want to live up to that pride by |
| but yet interesting revelation from research on the | | | | participating in the general elections. |
| 2004 presidential elections in 2004. During the | | | | Besides, since the internet provides citizens with very |
| campaign season, young persons between the ages | | | | heterogeneous discussion networks, it is easy for |
| of 18 – 29 said the elections were the most | | | | people to access the opinions of others in order to |
| important elections in their live time but less than | | | | shape or reshape their own opinions. Scheufele |
| 50% of persons in this age bracket voted during the | | | | (2007) says talking helps, thus interacting with other |
| final elections. Initially rating it as important definitely | | | | citizens will help to increase knowledge acquisition and |
| resulted from their ability to participate and share | | | | possibly participation. |
| opinions via the internet. But the candidates needed | | | | |
| more than a weblog to get young people to | | | | To conclude, it has largely been proven that the |
| participate. The birth of the youtube in 2005 and the | | | | internet or the new media as it has come to be |
| arrival of other fun sites for young persons like | | | | called has impacted a lot on the way people gather |
| facebook, twitter, myspace was going to be the | | | | information and participate in political issues. Evolving |
| solution Obama and his opponents needed to get | | | | from internet blogging, all the features on the |
| more people involved in the 2008 Presidential | | | | internet have finally been involved in the political |
| elections. | | | | process. Since earlier research showed that youths |
| | | | | are less involved in politics and in other matters of |
| | | | | public concern, the target of politicians is largely tilting |
| | | | | towards them leading to the use of this new media. |
| CAN THE INTERNET THEN STAND AS IDEAL | | | | However, the internet cannot stand alone as the ideal |
| Kerbel and Bloom, “Blog for America and Civic | | | | source for information. It has been proven as unable |
| involvement”, 2005 seem to conclude that the | | | | to sustain recallable factual knowledge. This may |
| internet and the use of the weblog was a | | | | explain why the Obama campaign used several |
| contributing factor to political knowledge in the 2004 | | | | tactics aside the internet to get to their audience. He |
| Presidential elections in the USA. While agreeing with | | | | is even reported to have used computer games as |
| him, Perlmutter in “Political blogging and Campaign | | | | part of his campaign to invite young people to take |
| 2008. A roundtable” (2008) adds that the | | | | vote. Since the internet has finally moved into the |
| internet was the cause of increased participation in | | | | planning halls of all political candidates in the USA, is |
| the 2008 Presidential elections thanks to | | | | there a possibility that the same will prove successful |
| Obama’s expansive and wise use of internet | | | | for candidates in other parts of the world. |
| resources. Over 70 million Americans are said to use | | | | |
| the internet on a daily basis and the young people | | | | |
| are much more available on this media than the older | | | | REFERENCES |
| generation – some of which do not know how to | | | | 1. Matthew R. Kerbel and Joel David Bloom: “Blog |
| use the internet. | | | | for America and Civic Involvement”. The |
| But according to Kajsa and scheufele (2005), the | | | | International Journal of Press/Politics 2005; 10; 3 |
| internet could be a good source of information for | | | | 2. Kajsa E. Dalrymple and Dietram A. |
| citizens during presidential elections but there are | | | | Scheufele: “Finally Informing the Electorate? How |
| some potholes that have required that the new | | | | the Internet Got People Thinking about Presidential |
| media be used with traditional media in order to get | | | | Politics in 2004”. The International Journal of |
| more effective results. | | | | Press/Politics 2007; 12; 96 |
| Research has consistently shown the print media to | | | | 3. David D. Perlmutter: “Political Blogging |
| have an effect on the amount of knowledge that | | | | and Campaign 2008: A Roundtable” |
| citizens are able to make out of events. The print | | | | The International Journal of Press/Politics 2008; 13; |
| media seems to offer more in-depth coverage of | | | | 160 |
| news thus permitting the ordinary citizen to in one | | | | 4. Dietrum Scheufele. “ Understanding the |
| seating get a whole block of information thus | | | | mechanisms for the underlying political |
| accounts for factual recall knowledge by the citizens. | | | | participation….and why it matters” (2007) |
| This leaves the print media with still much effect as a | | | | 5. www. Callmetaft.wikidot. |