Survey shows Internet’s broadening political role
NEW YORK (AP) — Would-be 2016 presidential candidates take note: the Internet may potentially make or break your campaign.
More Internet users than ever view online efforts as key to political campaigns, according to a survey released Thursday by the University of Southern California.
The USC Annenberg School’s Center for the Digital Future has polled more than 2,000 U.S. households about their Internet and technology use each year, starting in 1999. It has published the results every year since 2000, with the exception of 2011.
The latest results from the 2013 survey show that that 75 percent of Internet users age 16 and older agree that the Internet is important for the political campaign process. That was up from the previous high response of 72 percent in 2010.
And 37 percent of users in that age range said that by using the Internet, people like them can have more political power. That’s up from 29 percent in 2000.
“We may be entering a realm where the Internet plays a larger role in political campaigns than television does,” Jeffrey Cole, director of the Center for the Digital Future, said in a statement.
In 2012, television ads were the primary communications tool for the campaigns of President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, despite the gradual but persistent shift of viewers from television to the Internet. But both teams maintained a robust social media presence and used online ads for micro-targeting voters based on their reading and shopping habits.
What’s the influence of this blog, PJ?
It certainly has not done anything for voter turnout,which is still low across the board for any election.
For sure, that’s a tough nut to crack around here. Perhaps if adult beverages and some sort of inviting ripaste like a pig roast were to be served inside the polling places, making it more of a social occasion like it used to be in America during the colonial period, voter participation would pick up. And dead and long-since-moved-away people might mysteriously stay home.
The influence of this blog is HUGE. Our mayor and deputy mayor read it obsessively, post on it anonymously, and act on it accordingly.
The longer elected officials are left without feeling the strong hand of informed public opinion, the more prone they are to test the limits of their power.
better ask Valley Hospital , NJT , David Bolger, Scott Garrett , the crazy cult on Godwin , the in prison x mayor of Secaucus , Steve Rothman, the x RN editor , the BCRO , white horse strategies, the BOE , Marty Brooks , Tenhove , Kevin O Tool to name a few then get back to us
As I recall, the Village Council was also stopped dead in its tracks trying to pass an unconstitutional lawn-sign ordinance at the very last moment by like minded residents who frequent this blog and were able to use it to coordinate an effective response.