Comments on: Accountability takes another backward step

By: Larvatus Prodeo

Larvatus Prodeo — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 02:32:36 +0000

YouTube and accountability…

Last month, I had this to say in Crikey about Howard’s use of YouTube for policy announcements:
More generally, Howard is using YouTube similarly to his manipulation of talkback announce the policy, avoid the press conference and the hard que…

By: Ptobias

Ptobias — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 10:50:39 +0000

It’s inevitable that politicians will use what means they can to get their message out in undiluted form. What is unforgivable is that the traditional media facilitates it by uncritically accepting what they say. They repeat the press release or play a snippet of the YouTube video, then the next round of stories repeat what the previous story said about it, and it becomes an echo chamber. The notion of investigative journalism has gone out the window in relation to politics – even the scandals follow the same pattern of journalists repeating what insiders say, except it is said over a private dinner instead of put up on a web site. Honestly, in this case it’s the messenger that needs to be shot.

The potential is there for technology to act as an equaliser – anyone can put up a YouTube video just like Honest John, or do a podcast or put their analysis on a blog. But the limitation is that not everyone uses the technology and the information, at this stage, doesn’t feed back into the other media. The same reporters who will copy and paste from a press release wouldn’t consider the possibility that blogs (apart from the media-sanctioned ones, of course) might produce any meaningful information, let alone insight. Until information literacy changes to the point that many if not most people get their information from alternative sources or the traditional media reforms itself, the pollies can keep on spinning to their hearts’ content.

By: Michael Paul

Michael Paul — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 08:11:23 +0000

I think you are all being a bit precious. The aim of all politicians is to get their message out unfettered and uncritiqued.. Howard is renowned for his “dog whistle” politics which is really a back handed compliment for the effectiveness of his communication strategy.

New technology begets new ways of using that technology. While it is new and shiny the MSM will use it for all the reasons you espouse. You may say it does not allow critical questioning. However, there is more than an abundance of analysis through the blogosphere and elsewhere.

Ultimately, the success of the strategy is whether the user has something of interest to say, whether people are open to the message, whether the message is credible and whether the means of communication is superseded by something even newer.

By: The Editor

The Editor — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 07:37:03 +0000

As long as the media continues to whip itself into a frenzy each time a politician uses such cutting edge technology as the internet we’ll see no improvement.

Of course, lazy journalists will do anything to avoid getting off their arse and doing actual research when pre-packaged research falls into their laps.

By: Bannerman

Bannerman — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:46:54 +0000

It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out where the email originated from. On the issue of YouTube appearances and weekly radio messages, quite frankly, I can’t be bothered. I’ve known about Howard’s supposed radio blub for a long time now, but there’s never any content, as proven by the airing on mainstream media, so I don’t bother. Same with the YouTube thing. It’s mindless soundbites. If this really is the way politicians hope to get their message across to the masses, they’ve wasted our money, yet again, on pollsters and focus groups telling them so.