WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The use of blogs istransforming the way presidential campaigns communicate, according toa report released today by Johns Hopkins University'sCampaignsOnline.org project. The report also found that while therehas been much media attention concerning campaign blogs, only four ofthe nine Democratic candidates for president currently utilize blogsas part of their communication strategy.
Blogs, short for Weblogs, are a frequently updated Internetjournal that has become a growing Internet subculture. This oncetechie phenomenon has now become an invaluable tool in the 2004presidential election, adding another innovative Internet componentto campaign communications.
The report, entitled "The Use of Blogs in the 2004 PresidentialElection," finds that Wesley Clark, Howard Dean, John Kerry, and JohnEdwards are the only candidates using official campaign blogs to getout their message. The report notes that without an official blog, acampaign "lacks the ability to directly communicate and create aninteractive dialog with supporters."
"Blogs are the biggest communication innovation for the 2004election," said Alexis Rice, author of the report and projectdirector of CampaignsOnline.org. "Blogs are transforming campaigncommunication and will become not only an important tool in thepresidential election, but in future state and local elections.
The report praises the Dean campaign for being the first to useblogs, but cautions, "While other candidates have joined the Dean'blogwagon' some campaigns have forgot that a blog is only acomponent of creating a successful online strategy."
As for President George W. Bush, the report notes that hiscampaign started a blog on October 6, 2003, but that the "blog doesnot allow for comments, which is a key element of most blogs." Thefull report can be downloaded at http://www.campaignsonline.org/. Thewebsite also features links, resources, and a blog on the use of theInternet and emerging technologies in the 2004 presidential campaign.
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The CampaignsOnline.org website project is a nonpartisan researchand educational initiative of the Johns Hopkins University Departmentof Communications in the Contemporary Society in Washington, DC. Themission of the project is to promote improvements and understandingin the usage of the Internet and emerging technologies in politicalcampaigns.
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