Political Campaigning: Usage of Media Technologies within Changing Environments
Karlotta Jobe
Journalism 705 Professor Linn November 30, 2001
Introduction
Political campaigns integrate various types of media technologies to spread their messages and their reach. As media technologies improve, the capability of designing an internal web of communication strengthens the ability to further the reach to the public. The media outlets have increased and are still growing, changing and evolving. Thus, campaigning within these environments, political campaigns must adapt to the new technologies to allow maximum success as they promote the basic principal of democracy within America.
Brief history
Political campaigning in America began around the 1800Õs and has been adjusting to the changing environments ever since. The environments have changed for numerous reasons, including population growth, industrialization, mass production, and technology innovations, to name a few. Many of the media technological advances throughout the years have shaped the direction and impact of campaigns. According to historian Joel Silbley, each century incorporated a defining verb to illustrate the political culture within the campaigns. In the nineteenth century campaigns rallied behind the slogan ÒOrganize! Organize! Organize!Ó The campaigns repositioned themselves in the middle of the twentieth century to direct their attention to ÒAdvertise! Advertise! Advertise!Ó and now entering the twenty-first century the campaigns are even narrowing their focusing to ÒCustomize! Customize! Customize!Ó (Novonty, 2000).
Campaign trails follow the media technologies available to further the message and reach for their candidates. The purpose of the trail remains the same, but how the paths are taken has changed dramatically. Campaigning in the early years was about the face-to-face connection and discussing issues in person. As America grew that become more difficult, however, as technologies developed they allowed communication to reach further than the campaign could literally walk the talk. The printing press separated the knowledge from the knower, thus expanding the message into the hands of the public. The telegraph even furthered the reach of the message in a shorter amount of time on the campaign trails from the horse drawn carriage, trains, and ships to the carrier via electricity. The mediums kept changing and the venues in which to communicate became more immediate with the development of radio broadcasting and then television. Technology developments continue to impact the way campaigns communicate internally and with the public.
Technology spectrum
Media technologies that have been developed over the years impact the way political campaigns communicate. As technology is invented and accepted, campaigns use the different mediums to communicate effectively targeting the largest audience. The looks from yesterday, today, and tomorrow demonstrate how adaptable the political campaigns must be to operate in the changing environments. Media technologies provide powerful tools to communicate successfully if chosen appropriately for the desired purpose.
Radio
The radio invention initially could transmit only tones. In 1910, the radio was able to transmit not only voice, but music. The political campaigns definitely found a new best friend. The candidate could spread his message across America by speaking in household living rooms after dinner, while remaining in one place himself. This medium proved to be more accepted by a larger number of people than print because of little deterrents, e.g. inexpensive medium and reading not required.
Television
The invention of television was introduced, which was adopted at a faster rate than the radio. Television provided the same freedom of reach, but added a more personal touch with visual pictures. In the 1952 presidential election a new political era evolved. This election emerged many components that television has deemed even more necessary through the years. President Eisenhower had time purchased from local television stations; in addition he had a set arranged with professionally written text, make-up, lighting, and sound. This was the beginning of the immediate medium that delivered a very personal message concluding that pictures are worth a thousand words. The face of campaigning definitely changed. The television medium continued to prove effective in the political arena. During the first televised political debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960, the viewers were able to see a cool and confident man, JFK, while Nixon appeared less attractive from poor-make-up and nervous. The era of political T.V. dominance began. The television still remains today a powerful media technology that is only getting better. Again, television is a democratic medium providing low barriers in terms of literacy and wealth (Rainie, 2000).
Television attracts an enormous audience that no other communications technology can compare in America. The average American watches television three hours a day. The average household has the television on for seven hours a day, and six out of ten Americans say that their primary source of information about elections comes from the television (Ansolabehere, 2000).
As the structure of the U.S. television and newspaper industries shape the coverage of politics, the campaign must also understand its impact on peopleÕs decision making process and use it wisely. The reporting of campaigns focus on opinion poles, debates, conventions, and advertisement. A descriptive example of how campaigns use the media technologies to perpetrate their cause is the party nominating conventions. The parties have adapted to television by producing the conventions like a television show. Promoting professional documentaries about the candidate, and compelling speeches that are brief for the T.V. audience are adjustments to the long winded, boring speeches prior to the television revolution. Advertising and polling also impact the dynamics of a campaign. The campaigns must utilize different media technologies to gain the most effective and accurate communication. Up until the 1980Õs there were only the three major networks that the typical communities received Ð ABC, CBS, and NBC. The concern was with the limited breadth of the views and the fairness of the coverage, but that changed with deregulation of telecommunications in the 1980Õs. Now cable is served to most communities with a vast number of channels to choose from. With the expanded number of outlets and the technologies of communication improving, the campaigns have more opportunities to express their ideologies and policies. Technologies provide many tools for campaigns to communicate. The desire for direct, personal campaigns is still longed for by the public. This desire is being answered by direct communications that are becoming available as innovative media technologies are developed (Ansolabehere, 2000).
As discussed, the radio carried voice farther than any personal appearance could hope for, and television ushered in a new era of communications and technology, and today the shift is to ÒmultiplicityÓ of ÒchannelsÓ to direct communications. With the aid of new technologies emerging at a rapid rate it is imperative to balance cost, response time, and effectiveness of the communication. For the past decade technology has been reshaping the landscape of political campaigns. Technology media that extend the reach for political campaigns include cable television, satellite uplinks, cellular telephones, facsimile machines, and wireless palm pilots. Other related communications plus software applications that enhance these tools aide the ability to communicate with the farthest reach and quickest response is now easier than ever (Williams, 2000).
Telephone
The technology for the use of telephones has improved drastically for political campaigns. The different features of the technology provide two separate benefits to the campaigns. The wireless technology allows for the usage of digital telephones promoting better connectivity within the campaign. Satellite links allows communication to expand the far reaches of the globe. The campaign could be anywhere anytime and provide up to date information that can help determine the next move or communicate to the public.
The computerization of the telephone systems promotes a more effective call center for the campaigns. Telephone technology is one way to answer direct communication with the public. This technology provides the ability to attain vast information about the public, and to store the information in usable databases. With these capabilities campaigns harness this medium to expand their reach. The emergence of new technology has enabled better ways to use the call centers. Moving form a manual operated call center to an automated call center is one of the adjustments. These automated systems use predictive dialing technology to sort lists, automatically dial numbers, route calls to agents, if needed, and reschedule no contact calls. Predictive dialing is an efficient tool for contacting targeted audiences. This systems technology allows communication to increase 200 to 300 percent over the manual call centers and allows for two to three times as many calls per hour (Desmone, 1999).
Another new technology within the computer-age is called computer-telephony. This entered the campaign scene in 1998. This technology has the same appeal as e-mail offering immediacy, volume capacity, and focus of the message. It also offers personalization because it is delivered by phone as a personal message recorded in the candidateÕs voice. The power of this technology is the ability to reach vast numbers of voters efficiently and inexpensively expressed in the candidates own words and voice (Williams, 2000).
Additional technologies
The Technology spectrum continues with the usage of fiber optics, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and satellite imagery. Technology has improved the ability to communicate in various areas and through various mediums.
Fiber-optic cables placed throughout a community to provide simultaneous connection to various sites during campaigns permits communications to be up to date and accurate. An example of this technology in use is in Des Moines, Iowa. They call their system Òfibercaucus.Ó With this technology at one site on a computer screen the capability of seeing, hearing, and interacting with another site is the reality. Iowa is the first state to have all counties connected through a fiber-optics communication system. This network can multiplex all the services into a common carrier transport system, which enables data, voice, motion, and two-way interactive communication to share the same transport network. By incorporating multiplexing, information carried on T1 lines in rural areas is transmitted to the T3 lines used by the commercial long distance carriers, and thus allowing the technology to perform. The network allows 125 users to be combined onto a single link versus only 24 using standard point to point connectivity (LaCorte, 1996).
GIS, GPS, and other geo-related computer technology can be used within political campaigns for a mapping tool as well as for a communications technology. Internally, campaigns use maps to document endless data and their relationships in multiple ways. GIS can be used to identify where communication mediums should be used, and which medium will be most effective to the campaigns to get their message out. GPS technology coupled with digital and satellite technology will allow messages to be sent directly to a person via their wireless devices, such as cell phones or palm pilots. There are various ways to implement these technologies that will continually be utilized within the political campaigning arena (Lindauer, 1999).
The latest development that will have a revolutionary impact on political campaigns is the Internet with supportive technology capabilities powered by it such, as streaming video. The Internet allows campaigns to access information and to communicate with each other throughout the days, with minimal barriers.
Impact of the Internet
The political system has entered into an age of high-tech politics, in which candidates, and even the agenda itself is influenced by the technology. The Internet does change the landscape of political campaigning. It is part of the technology continuum Ð newspapers to radios to television to the Internet. As television changed media from radio, so to will the Internet make a similar type of impact. Its impact on the campaign can be seen from two different sides. The Internet allows for the internal campaign to operate more efficiently twenty-four hours a day with enhanced abilities to communicate effectively. It also provides capabilities for the campaigns to use the tool as another medium to communicate with the public (Noguera, 2001).
The increased level of communication within the campaign between the candidates, representative aides, and constituents made possible through the Internet improves the campaign strategies and effectiveness. It is this level of contact and interaction, combined with the new technological outlets that make the Internet such a viable tool. The campaign can use the internet to plan strategies, communicate in real time as well as off times, and research information privy to their needs. The use of e-mail is a complete enhancement to the communication process. Campaigns need to discover the potential value the Internet adds to the campaign. The strategies implemented to use the Internet to produce money (fundraising avenue), create great visibility, collect volunteers, and round-up votes is now the future of political campaigning (Noble, 1999).
The Internet can be an impressive tool in the overall media mix used by the political campaigns. It combines the content capacity of print, the one-to-one reach of mail and telephone usage, plus the multimedia capabilities (currently in infancy stage) of television and radio. The Internet can be used for a variety of purposes. Creating a valuable Web-site for the campaign, identifying a clearly stated message coupled with links that utilize the site to its fullest potential are crucial elements to the campaign. Four different means to use the Internet as a communication tool within the campaignÕs site is visibility and marketing, recruiting volunteers, supporters, and fundraising.
Using the Internet for spreading the campaign message and marketing for recruitment is an easy function through the campaigns Web site. The Internet has an advantage over other communication channels in direct marketing. The three benefits are precision, repetition, and discretion. Precision marketing enables the campaign to deliver specific messages to individual voters. Repetitious communication can occur several times to the same audience with low costs of repeating the message (a banner ad cost per each delivery is $.01 - $.075) The discretion of direct mail is known as the Òsilent murder,Ó because it is difficult for the opposition to find out what and when the communication is sent. (Hockaday, 1999)
Another way to leverage the Internet to get the message out is the use of banner advertisements. Banner ads are small graphics on the Internet that rotate and send users a message. They are an effective way to increase name identification for the campaign. Not only do banner advertisements spread a message, they help drive people to the Web site of the campaign for additional use such as e-mail lists, volunteer recruitment, and fundraising (Hockaday, 1999).
The Internet plays a fundamental role in communicating the message of campaigns. Instead of the public being passive victims of drive by politics, they can be proactive consumers of political information gaining confidence to make informed decisions. The audience wants the campaign Web sites to obtain a depth of information that is unavailable in other media. The volunteers and supporters end up signing onto the site without even being recruited. The fact that they can go to the Web page and associate their beliefs with the communications on the site affords an enjoyable connection. This is where the site can capitalize on e-mail capabilities. The medium now becomes interactive. The monologue is turned into a dialogue between the supporters and the campaign by engaging communications that create lasting political relationships (Phillips, 1999).
According to Aristotle, a campaign software technology company, there are three trends since the 1998 election cycle that support the notion that the Internet can attract volunteers and money by the campaignÕs communication on the World Wide Web. The first trend is the increased time spent by the public online. Information provided by AOL suggests the average household spends an hour a day online. The second trend is that the consumers who purchased more than 1 billion dollars in goods and services online during the 1998 Christmas holiday via credit cards are less hesitant to make political contributions online. The final trend shows that there are 40 million American households online of which the majority is registered voters. This audience is more apt to respond to political and party affiliated communication. Therefore, new software was created to identify and track all the supporters who visit the site. This tracking method also yields insight for future prospects to further personalize electronic communication. The software package helps illustrate the age of customizing, customizing, customizing (Phillips, 1999).
A Web site offers a campaign a low-cost platform to communicate its message and display its view on the latest news. It also enables the campaign to provide its own up to date news. Implementing a comprehensive and professional Web site offers personal insight. In a time illustrated by extensive technology the long footed campaigns are of the past. The candidate must establish a rapport with the public, so they can relate to him as an individual interested in the public good, not a politician interested in self-promotion. Since the public has trouble connecting with the candidate as an individual, the Web site is an effective tool to communicate a personal side, making a relevant connection to real peopleÕs lives.
The Web site first and foremost should have an online strategy that is cohesive with the overall strategy and objectives of the campaign. To integrate the Internet in the communication process, everything that is done offline should also be done online. For example, keep the message consistent in any public speaking forum as well as online, and if any press releases are sent out, they too should be posted on the Web at the same time or even before. This promotes a congruent and reliable source that will encourage the public to continue use of the site (Reilly, 1999).
Once a strategy is established, the content and design format needs to be developed. The campaignÕs message should be the first thing the visitors see. The sight should be organized and easy, with obvious navigation tools to explore the site. According to Campaign Solutions Company, the top three sections that visitors spend the most time in are issue sections, candidate biographies, and comparative sections. After the design and content concepts are determined, the site must decide what features it will offer. This could include a variety of options. There could be a registration system providing the ability to collect information as well as sending information. Technologies that impact the site favorably are e-mail, prominent links to every page and other useful sites, graphically demonstrated views of the campaign, interactive components, and establishing an e-mail to fax gateway. These capabilities extend the reach by allowing visitors to share their views to targeted decision makers within the campaign. The next connection will be the Internet to the telephone gateway, allowing phone calls to be placed directly from the Web site (Reiliy, 1999).
The Web sites for the presidential 2000 election proved to be more popular, useful, and effective, than the sites for the 1996 presidential elections. An article in Campaigns and Elections highlighted some of the best features from the 2000 presidential campaigns. The two features that were well liked from Al GoreÕs Web site were his daily photo journal that chronicles his campaign stops across the country and his site ÒTown HallÓ section. The town hall section allowed visitors to submit questions to Gore, which he would in turn answer online and archive each month (Jalonick, 1999).
The next two features discussed in the article were from George W. BushÕs Web site. The favorite aspects of his site were the ÒProfilesÓ section and the fact that his web site was bilingual. The profile section offered vast information of in-depth profiles of his exploratory committee. One issue that was noted to be a good idea was to purchase Web addresses with negative connotations that could be connected with the campaign. BushÕs campaign purchased several addresses such as bushsucks.com and bushbites.com. If any surfer typed in the two previous searches he would receive the official homepage of the Bush campaign. Again, highlighting a variety of different features used on the Web fostering the importance of the Internet as a communication medium (Jalonick, 1999).
Future of the Internet
The Internet is a technology innovation that will not only revolutionize the way political campaigns communicate, but how the entire world will communicate. This communication media if utilized is powerful and will continue to evolve from the capabilities that are available today. The Internet is ammunition the campaigns can use for their internal communication process as well as their own library of information resources. The power of the Internet will provide continued communication with the public as barriers are destroyed and technologies improve. Research presented by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, point out favorable statistics that demonstrate a growing use of the Internet, especially for political information. The information provided the comparison between the 1996 election year and the 1998 election year. In 1998, 11 million people searched the Internet for political information as opposed to only 7 million people in 1996. This shows a 57% increase over the two year period. The data also alludes to a greater reach as barriers for entry are declining. Discovering that the Internet is becoming more economically diverse, as well as age and gender diverse is promising in expanding the communication lines. The research highlighted that 23% of the people who reported using the Internet in 1996 were predominately male, college age, educated, and well off. In 1998, research showed 41% of the adults are going online and 40% of them never attended college. The Internet is currently reaching a portion of the public that is less politically involved than the early adopterÕs of this communication medium (Marlin, 1999).
Online information is impacting voters more than ever. The number of politically involved participants on the Web has grown significantly. More than a third of the people who used the Internet for political information from the campaigns indicated what they learned influenced their vote. According to Kathleen de Laski, director of special programming projects for American Online (AOL), proclaims that seven of the all time ten Òonline chatsÓ were of political conversations. AOL has found political interest and involvement to outpace the growth of the Internet. Data indicates that more people are coming online to find a connection, an online community. Laski has discovered that people want to find somebody to talk to about breaking news when their emotions are high. Many people find the Internet a means to communicate and access newsmakers and political figures in an expeditious and cost effective way. (Marlin, 1999)
The future of the Internet remains to be promising and useful. Making it a communication medium that will demonstrate its power and convenience time and again as technologies improve and capabilities of the medium is realized and utilized.
Technology right around the corner is the reality of using streaming video via the World Wide Web. The impact of this technology is another extension of using communication media that is very dramatic. As this technology improves, it will offer campaigns an effective tool to create memorable imagery, emotion appeal, and of course their own spin. Video Streaming is a buzz word for any video/audio played on the Internet. The technical definition of video streaming is video played from a server and viewed in real-time by a remote computer connected to the Internet. Therefore, streamed video is never actually down-loaded into individual viewerÕs hard drives, but rather played through a window Ð a window to the world. This technology offers an effective medium for campaigns to provide video presentations of live broadcasts of conventions, rallies, speeches, and other campaigning events since the long download times and large files are omitted. The accessibility (due to digital production tools, like DV camcorders, and Web hosting services) and affordability of video streaming is quite reasonable, especially in comparison to television (Conway, 2001).
The era of ePolitics has arrived. As new technologies create new media communication mediums the landscape of political campaigns will evolve to remain well connected and utilize its resources through the most appropriate avenues to communicate effectively. The next presidential elections 2004, might deliver an online voting system. Several kinks still need to be addressed such as privacy, accessibility, tampered destruction, accuracy, and technology dependability. The Internet will be a major political communication tool within the campaigns as well as to the public. The Internet will provide even greater ability for the public to speak-up.
Conclusion
As the Information Age is living, so to is democracy. Even in the new era, campaign convictions as well as the publicÕs convictions are carried with them. Communication technologies are the primary policy tools for enabling all citizens to participate in political and social activities that are fundamental to a democratic society. Technologies provide tools to communicate which weaves communication. Communication is a direct link that creates a society.
The landscape of campaigning is changing and campaigns are evolving as the media technologies are providing powerful means to communicate. Campaigns have new ways to communicate and reach the public that were not even available six years ago. From responding to radio talk shows, cable television programs, and Internet sites the reality of multi-channel communications are here. Campaigns must not only be ready to respond, but keep ahead of the developing stories or anticipate what could be a new story. The ability of twenty-four hour news cycles marked with almost instantaneous coverage as an event unfolds is due to various communication technologies. These technologies such as, direct broadcast satellites, cable television, cellular phones, digital telecommunications and the Internet create a challenging environment for the campaigns. Today, information and news travels faster than ever. The campaigns must be on top of their game, organized, and technologically prepared to similarly communicate their message, views, and news. Campaigns boast of being able to write, produce, and distribute their news in a matter of hours by using communication technologies. Implementing a good communication system internally will enable the campaign to be more successful communicating with the public. Using conference calls, teleconferencing, cell phones, computerized document sharing, World Wide Web resources, and even digital transmission to connect the political staff with pollsters, writers, journalists, and producers create the campaign landscape of today (Novonty, 2000). As technologies are invented and incorporated into the way of life, media technologies invoking communication will continue to evolve designing the foundation for American democracy.
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