NBR on Internet campaigning

A very good article by Thomas and Young in NBR on the Internet and politics.  Blogs get a mention:

In a more mainstream way, for an indication of how Web 2.0 could play out, look no further than the website of Cameron Slater (son of former National party president John) who currently attends council subcommittee meetings that don’t attract any media attention and uploads digital footage (and voicemails left by mayor Dick Hubbard) along with scathing commentary.

New Zealand blogs rarely break stories. However, in contrast to the thesis of The Cult of the Amateur, which decries the dumbing down of the internet, the best bloggers are tireless and passionate.

The police report on Labour’s alleged breaches of the Electoral Act was ignored by newspapers until National Party activist David Farrar produced a comprehensive summary and index to the large file, and reproduced key pages on his well-trafficked site.

Any realistic “power list” produced in this country would include either Farrar or his fellow blogger and opinion leader Russell Brown.

The direct-to-the-public videos by Phil Goff, Mark Burton, John Key, Bill English and friends are carefully considered and delivered and unlikely to make waves.

The real potential they open up is for comments made today to be used against the politicians in the future.

Incidentially I think any and all power lists are crap.  I remember when I made a Telco/IT power list one year – it took me almost an hour to stop laughing.