Blog, Blog, Tube. Grits Are Still "It"!

Much is being made of the '"new media" and its impact on the electoral landscape. MSM, for its part, can no longer simply ignore the potential influence the blogosphere can have and is doing right by acknowledging its presence.

However, the one advantage the mainstream has over the internet is the ability to be concise and, at least, deliver the snapshot. MSM has long possessed the skills and experience necessary to address what Alvin Toffler once referred to as the "blip" culture.

And, while radio, television and print are admittedly retail, they're also legally bound to be, if not impartial, accurate and, as it has enjoyed being the only game around for so long, its audience is quite comfortable with accepting the source.

The web sources, on the other hand, are largely undisciplined and inexperienced. Understandably so. It is, after all, the new media and nothing new, no matter how great its potential, shall escape its own requisite growing pains.

From a political standpoint and, given its economic woes of late, the Liberal Party is banking on the web's pop culture equities to wage its cyber war. I suspect it's only as a last resort. It has no air war and the forecast is "iffy" for its ground game.

In a recent Hill Times article, YouTube 'road warriors' could define the next election campaign,
Liberal strategist Warren Kinsella indicated that it is fair and legitimate for political parties to use technology to track and document what is said on the public record, but he said there is a clear distinction to be drawn between public record, and personal stuff.

That's something that's going to be difficult for a lot of bloggers (well, one Liberal in particular). Hence, one's need to consider the source - should the reader/viewer be that discerning.

As for the Liberal's battle efforts thus far, I doubt that this headline will be trumpeted on Mr. C's blog any time soon. Nor this one.

A campaign, whether it's an "air war", "ground war" or "cyber war" is still a campaign and will require proportional focus on each element in the overall effort to succeed.

The game "Duck, Duck, Goose", regionally re-dubbed, by any other name is still "Duck, Duck, Goose". And the Liberals, with this desperate clutch to the web as a weapon, still seem to be merely running around in circles trying desperately not to be "It".