How Internet is changing political campaigns.

                                

The internet plays many major roles and this can be positive or negative and the following is how it can change political campaigns that are either done within or outside our countries.

Speed

The speed of political communication enabled by the internet is changing political campaigns in a way that previous technologies were unable to. Both radio and television allow for the live transmission of a political message or political event but both of these technologies depend on the audience being present to receive this message. An event streamed via the internet is just as live as the radio or television broadcast that accompanies it, yet is also easily accessed immediately and in perpetuity following the event via any one of dozens of free video streaming services.

Versatility

Some technologies are more versatile than others. A campaign spot on the radio requires a strong voice, an easily understood message, and perhaps the judicious use of sound effects. A 30-second TV commercial on television allows a campaign to reach voters with visuals, sounds, and perhaps text on the screen, too. A campaign flyer or direct mail letter can communicate a campaign message in text and might even add a few photos or graphics design elements to make it memorable.

Ease of Use

It’s not that the old ways of political communication were particularly difficult to use. To understand a speech at a campaign rally one need only open eyes and ears to the message being amplified over a public address system. A newspaper or campaign flyer is enormously easy to use, and a radio is not so difficult to tune in. There’s nothing difficult about hitting a button on a TV remote control, either. But none of these technologies come close in terms of ease of use to the internet. For one thing, the internet is a technology that is incredibly mobile. A smartphone is internet enabled and can be carried in a pocket – try that with your big screen TV! While a newspaper is fairly portable, it is also out of date by the time it is printed, let alone by the time it is actually purchased by a potential voter. A radio is easy to tune in but it is not easy – or usually possible – for one person to be listening to two stations at a single time. Online? It’s easy. A window for a streaming music site can be open while another window with the campaign website is open on the same screen.

BY KYEDU DIANA 42589