Given all the ways that one can use the Internet -email, graphics, video, social networking- it is no surprise that it has officially changed many of the aspects of politics. There definitely has been an increase in the use of the Internet by those seeking political information. It allows politicians, candidates, their campaigns and voters to have a rapid response to events and messages posted by their peers and opponents. Stories or events that used to take days to unfold are now coming out within minutes of occurrence. The numbers of people claiming to read a newspaper are declining daily and why wouldn’t they? I try to read the newspaper on a daily basis, but by the time I actually get to finishing it, there seem to be numerous add-ons to what I’ve already read, making it a must for late night recaps on the web. Being that this is the case, we should take a look at how the Internet has had an effect on mainstream media reporting. Reporters can now blog, post video clips and updates to their stories 24/7 using the web or their smart-phones, and we’re all here to watch.
In November of 2007, Mitt Romney was campaigning in South Carolina when 3 women in matching bright outfits approached him. Assuming they were cheerleaders from a nearby University he gave them a hug. Unfortunately for Mr. Romney, Scott Conroy, who worked for CBS News, filmed the hug with his hand-held camera and sent the image to the television network’s political desk in New York. The video was published online the next morning. “You’re standing there doing your job, and all of a sudden Mitt Romney’s hugging Hooter’s girls. It’s one of the times you’re glad you’re filming,’ Mr. Conroy recalled. It’s clear you can see the joy in this reporter’s tone.
When 61-year-old citizen journalist Mayhill Fowler elbowed her way through the crowd at a campaign event in South Dakota in 2008, no one was aware of her intentions. As Mr. Clinton shook her hand, she deftly drew him into a response to an article published in Vanity Fair that examined his post-presidential life. “Sleazy” and “Slimy” are among the words that issue from the former president’s mouth in regards to Todd Purdam, the magazine’s national editor. Within hours, audio of the exchange was available for the world to hear on the Huffington Post website. This brings up a question of ethics in the way technology is used in reporting today. This woman should have identified herself as to whom she was working for, and even more, Mr. Clinton should’ve asked or withheld from answering the question.
We see that journalism can get a little dirty sometimes. In this day and age everyone’s looking for a downfall, for a slip-up, and with the growth of social media, everyone’s lives are being exposed, making the search that much easier. So what happens when a public figure tries to deny a select few entry into his world?
Rick Perry, the Republican Governor of Texas, has been accused of blocking select journalists from access to his Twitter account. The thought of politicians even engaging in something called “Twitter” and participating in the act of “tweeting” sounds almost childish, but is a major reality in today’s society. It plays a major part in the way their campaigns run, and how the public perceives him, and for some, is a way they get their information. As someone who generally likes to give the benefit of the doubt when public figures make their dumb mistakes, I can see why someone whose position is Governor, would want to be on the lookout for anyone with negative intentions to have access to their lives. Unfortunately, this just doesn’t exist in today’s world. Even if he was to have blocked anyone from his account, that person can just create another username, and still gain admittance. Supposedly he has multiple Twitter accounts, and the one in question is claimed to be for his personal use, but has 30,000 followers. Kind of seems like a shady move to block a couple of journalists when you have 30,000 people following you. Although I understand the method behind the madness, what he should really do is change his name to something not as noticeable as @GovernorPerry, for an account that’s claimed to be so personal, if he really wants to keep the stalkers away.
