74 percent of internet users--representing 55% of the entire adult population--went online in 2008 to get involved in the political process or to get news and information about the election, according to a recent Pew Poll.
This marks the first time that a Pew Internet & American Life Project survey has found that more than half of the voting-age population used the internet to get involved in the political process during an election year. Several online activities rose to prominence in 2008. In particular, Americans were eager to share their views on the race with others and to take part in the online debate on social media sites such as blogs and social networking sites.
Good news for the consumer, good news for me, bad news for the New York Times.
The relative importance of the internet also continued to grow within the overall political media ecosystem. Among the entire population (internet users and non-users alike) the internet is now equal to newspapers and roughly twice as important as radio as a source of election news and information. Among internet users and young adults, these differences are even more magnified.
Additionally, online political news consumers are delving deeply into the long tail of online political content--nearly half of online political news consumers visited five or more distinct types of online news sites this election cycle. However, this deeper involvement may change the way voters view online news content. Voters are increasingly moving away from news sites with no point of view, and towards sites that match their own political viewpoints--and this is especially true of those who delve deepest into the world of online political content.
Much more at the link above.
I trust this will be much more the case come 2012. If the recent Tax Day Tea Parties are a sign of growing discontent on the right, as I believe they are, the righty blogosphere should be in for big things over the next four years.
Recent Comments