About this user
In this critical UK general election, unquestionably the most significant in a long generation, we find ourselves faced with challenges which simply did not exist just five years ago, at the time of the last general election. From the economic and fiscal situation, to the state of the political parties themselves, to the citizenrys views towards the establishment in general, voters are simultaneously being pulled in many different directions. As a result, the outcome of the top-down, Westminster-centred political process is very much in doubt.
However, simultaneously, the UK is much more interconnected now than we ever could have imagined in 2005. Applications like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have now become inseparable parts of our daily lives. The grass-roots, bottom-up side of the overall political equation is humming with activity. From online newspaper message threads (even free-form Open Threads — get it?), to blogs and live chats, to online advocacy groups, its now easier than ever for the populace to have their say.
But are the politicians listening? Are the politicians using social media in the same way the citizenry does? There still appears to be a certain disconnect between the tightly-controlled media messages of the main political parties, and the more free-form political discourse being played out online.
Our special episode of Open Thread Radio: Who are you not voting for?, considers the overall impact that digital media has made on the unique UK political process.
Although eyebrows have been raised in some circles at the effectiveness of the political leaders to speak directly to voters through sites like YouTube, one site, www.mumsnet.com, has become a genuine meeting point between the top-down and bottom-up sides to civil life. Mumsnet, now ten years old, is widely regarded as the most significant UK support network for parents. And, as it happens, Sarah Brown, of course a mother herself, is a regular participant on Mumsnet. Digital media has now provided citizens with the opportunity to have a glass of wine, a sausage roll or two and a webchat with the PMs wife on a big night in.
Open Thread Radios Rachal Bradley speaks with the co-founder of Mumsnet, Carrie Longton, about the intersection of politics, technology, connectedness and non-political discourse. This is followed by a panel discussion in the Open Thread Radio audio suite by our Christopher Davies, Jason Hall and Nicholas Hansen, on what the politicians are doing right in terms of digital strategy, and where there is room for improvement.
Open Thread Radio is the regular podcast of the London-based digital media consultancy Open Thread Limited, which advises clients on the best ways for their online digital presence to correlate to their real-world objectives. We welcome you to look around the site, to check out the archives of our Open Thread Radio shows, and to get in touch to discuss your particular business needs, via info@openthread.com.
But for now, thanks for finding us, and we hope you enjoy the show.
Country
United Kingdom
Interests
digital media
