Politics and the Internet

Exposed to it nearly everywhere and all the time, our lives are not only influenced, but to some extent controlled by it.

So what is it? It’s MASS MEDIA.

Mass Media – channels/technologies, that serve as a means of transmission/transfer, having the capacity to convey messages/information to large numbers of people

Over the years, with the Industrial Revolution and other technological advancements, more and more forms of media are being included under the huge umbrella of mass media. From its simple beginnings of print media (i.e. newspapers & books), mass media slowly started to include other forms such as the radio and broadcast television. And to date, with complex telecommunication systems and comprehensive broadband networks, cell phones and the internet (together with other new media) are also joining the pack.

YOU ARE READING A FORM OF MASS MEDIA RIGHT NOW! =O

Today, I would like to refer you to an article in the forum of The Straits Times (Saturday, February 28 2009):

Govt must pick its battles on the Net
More than a decade after the internet has entered our lives, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is talking up the “new media” for the next General Election.
“New media” has long been staple media, so much so that today’s “traditional media” would probably collapse if its journalist did not have the Internet.
The PM’s recent interview with Channel NewsAsia displayed his awareness of the Internet factor in the United States and Malaysia elections last year.
US President Barack Obama harnessed the technology to raise funds. He romanced a tech-savvy generation by being clued into a platform intimate to them.
In Malaysia, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s coalition used the Net as an alternative news source, delivering the United Malays Nation Organisation (Umno) its worst electoral blow since independence.
By acknowledging the internet as an election fighting ground, PM Lee has changed the political paradigm and will have to accept that at least one glove will be off in online debates.
It is a move borne out of the necessity of the changing times. It is the move of a leader in touch with trends and readying his troops for reality.
Any attempt to silence of persecute the alternative voices online will undermine the Government’s sincerity to engage on this platform.
Yes, there are fools online. There are also many posters with considered opinions, as well as a whole spectrum in between.
The last thing the Government needs to do is to attempt to draw the line between what is acceptable and what is not.
It can do that on other hunting grounds but not the internet if it wants to stay credible.
That is the nature of the beast.
The strategy should be to pick its fights with posters who make sense – even if highly critical – and offer the fools dignified silence.
Responses must be comprehensive and not patronising.
The willingness to engage and respond will determine if the Government’s Internet electoral campaign is a success.
That the People’s Action Party will continue as the Government beyond the next election is almost a given.
But how it performs in the impossibly lawless extremes of the Internet will indicate how much the Government has changed in dealing with the alternative public discourse.
Young and capable Singaporeans – exposed to a global village brought about largely by the “new media” – are sophisticated and opinionated.
Only when they can see that politics is tolerant of different views, will more people step up to serve.
Chan Tau Chou

The Internet is definitely an interesting form of media. Unlike the traditional properties of mass media, the internet has introduced many alterations:

1. Sources in mass media are no longer exclusively large, complex organizations, or some entity or part of such an organization. There is media abundance in today’s media environment due to the available capacity, and there are minimal barriers of entry in producing mass media content.

2. There is a much greater degree of interactivity with the media. One can easily provide direct feedback to producers of mass media content via portals like message boards and forums.

3. Audience segmentation is possible, with direct feedback and relevant monitoring systems in place.

4. There is a greater level of difficulty in using technology than ever before. From easy-to-operate gadgets like the radio and television, we now have to deal with the complex computer system together with all the programs and features.

These are changes that are occurring and cannot be avoided. We have got to acknowledge and adapt to the changes, just like how the article puts it. Yes, there are going to be many challenges to deal with when it comes to the internet (e.g. flaming, fisking, etc.), but it’s the only way to keep up with the growing trends. Moreover, this may be a way to spark an interest in politics among the young ones. Engaging local youths through platforms which are relevant to them, like Facebook perhaps? We do need to understand that these youths are going to be the leaders in the not-so-far future…

Well of course, there are also many other factors which come into play, but utilizing the internet is possibly one of the best ways to get our youngsters talking about politics.

What do you think?