Obama brings social media into the mainstream
Barack Obama continues to use social media with confidence and style. Within weeks of becoming President-Elect, he is maintaining his presence online with the ease of a 21st century man, reaching out to Americans - and the world - via a weekly YouTube address.
Previous US presidents and the leaders of other nations have used radio and television - was it Roosevelt who instituted a weekly radio “fireside chat” with the nation? Today, social media allows anyone to deliver their message to a national and global audience unmediated by the press or advertisers. It makes sense for Obama to use YouTube during the transitional months - there can only be one President at any given time so he cannot broadcast a weekly address on the traditional broadcast media without undermining the sitting President. YouTube is the perfect alternative, enabling him to continue communicating his agenda in this hiatus period while connecting with the younger demographic his campaign was so successful in capturing via a thoroughly 21st century, up to the minute, “hot” medium.
Here is his Thanksgiving address.
More to explore
Barack Obama’s ChangeDotGov YouTube channel
- Posted on
Mon, December 15th, 2008 - Author
Yang-May Ooi - Category
- 4 responses
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December 15th, 2008 at 8:09 am
I agree with your assessment of Barack Obama’s skilful use of social media in his campaign and during this transition period. I expect he will continue along this path as President.
I do wish to point out that it is not only to the “younger demographic” that this approach appeals.
I belong to an older generation, and felt much more connected to his campaign than to any previous one, largely because of his use of IT. His placing of an App on the iPhone was the crowning touch. I could get in touch with his campaign even from my recliner ( we don’t use rocking chairs anymore) :)
We over-60 crowd may be much more active and available on the net than imagined. Last month I was on a long cruise on which 80 or 90 percent of the passengers were way over 60. The internet room was always filled with older users, and many carried around laptops and used them: no small indication of their commitment to being connected, given the exorbitant charge per minute.
December 15th, 2008 at 10:15 am
Thanks, Louis, for pointing out that over-60s also surf the net and are adept at and enjoy using new technology!
December 15th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
* Luddites and the internet
There are quite a significant
number of over-60s I personally know who will simply NOT connect despite exhortations so to do AND despite the numerous benefits being connected brings that I have spelt out to them. And these are guys and the odd female or two, mind you, who can well afford it and leading a lifestyle that reflects their high net worth. And very well-educated and intelligent too in case you think otherwise
who have or have had a career in managerial, academia and the professions.
I despair, deem them recluses not worth bothering who are not interested in social-interactivity or for that matter, the [wider] information superhighway, a term Al Gore was fond of using in the older days. And so far as they are concerned, the digital age has simply passed them by that don’t care one iota.
December 15th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Erratum: slight typo above - omission - ‘they’