What is the impact of New Media in this election? I'm going to define New Media in the broadest of ways -- blogs, YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, listservs, text messaging, wikipedia. I'll say BIG.
1. YouTube amplified satire and interviews from TV. If you missed the 6:30 news, you could watch Couric's interview of Palin on YouTube. You could see Tina Fey's dead-on impersonation of Palin. "And I can see Russia from my house!" Every single one of my students saw the Tina Fey routine. The YouTube videos were then amplified via Facebook and the blogs.
2. 23% of Texans believe that Obama is a Muslim. Where are they getting that information? That's not coming from McCain or the Fox news. It's coming from wingding websites, which are then being forwarded and forwarded via e-mail.
3. Young people aren't reading blogs. They aren't watching the mainstream newspapers. They are on Facebook and watching the Daily Show. Via facebook, they are donating their status to Obama, spreading links to relevant sources, and signing up for updates via the major campaigns. If you aren't political, chances are that someone in your network is. The political person will subscribe to causes or link to articles. Whether you like it or not, you'll see that political information in your "news feed".
4. Obama's texting messaging is apparent very effective. More so that robocalls, since the text messages feel very personal.
5. Both campaigns heavily used e-mail to publicize positions and talking points.
So, this election has been fed by wingding websites, Tina Fey on Hulu.com, facebook status updates, and text messages.
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