Conversational politics
The implications of a changing media world on political discourse were discussed by Conall McDevitt and Mark Devenport at an agendaNi ‘Digital communications and New media’ seminar. Meadhbh Monahan reports.
The relationship between the media and politicians has historically been fraught with tension. With the advent of new media platforms such as twitter, facebook and blogging, a space has been created for “an entirely new type of politics” and a modern and efficient way for the media to hold public representatives to account.
In addition, citizens, businesses and organisations can use these new media platforms to dictate the relevant issues of the day.
McDevitt is active in the online world through twitter and his blog ‘O’Connall Street’, which he describes as: “Borderless thoughts on politics, public affairs, the media and anything else that matters”.
Devenport’s BBC blog ‘The Devenport Diaries’ is a lively, humorous day-to-day site which updates readers on political issues as well providing quirky, off-beat stories about Northern Ireland’s politicians, that might not get air-time on other media outlets.
“New media is a very real part of our political discourse,” McDevitt contends. He said that it is not always the case that “new media is a place of progressive, liberal discourse.” In fact, new media can “pander to the very worst prejudices at the heart of our politics in this region.”
Claiming that Northern Ireland’s press is “divided along sectarian lines and tells people what to think”, McDevitt said that new media offers the opportunity to discuss and debate issues without links to a particular party.
“It creates the space for an entirely new type of politics; an issues-based politics, a conversational politics, a politics that is not about where you have come from or what flag you might be standing under, but a particular issue and the argument in front of you.”
An example, McDevitt explained, was his facebook campaign against student university fees which gathered 5,000 supporters in eight days.
“Those people don’t break down along sectarian lines. They are not interested in the fact I am an SDLP MLA. In fact half of them probably don’t even know,” he said.
Devenport was initially reluctant about the idea of blogging, particularly because he thought it would be difficult to remain impartial.
“I felt that the best blogs in the political sphere tended to be partisan, written by insiders with strongly held opinions,” he recalled.
Three years later, his blog has “taken on a life of its own” and has been welcomed by journalists and politicians alike, with Devenport revealing he is often approached in Stormont by an MLA saying: “Here’s one for the blog.”
The technicalities of maintaining a new media presence were discussed with delegates.
“As stakeholders who aren’t public representatives that gives you a power that you simply wouldn’t enjoy in the traditional press. It allows you to define your own platform, to become an advocate for your own issue,” McDevitt said.
He told delegates that a blog will be judged on the strength of the argument, the context and the power of its networks, and the issues discussed.
Devenport agreed, adding that blogs must be distinct, with relevant, welldiscussed issues, they should be updated every day so that readers are sure to return, and they must be legally safe.
“You have to watch what you publish. Interactivity is important, but we do have the laws of libel,” he said.
The anonymity of commentators is “a passport for bringing out the worst elements in people,” according to Devenport.
“Quite often my regular commentators are anonymous and the exchanges can become personal, either between them, about me, or against named politicians. And if they were sitting here today they wouldn’t engage in it,” he commented.
McDevitt agreed saying: “As a blogger, twitterer and facebooker, all I have is my own opinion, and the consequence of that is I will be ‘trolled’ heavily by people who have no interest in what I have to say. They are only out to get me. If they were here they wouldn’t [say it] to my face but they will do it in the new media forum.”
Ultimately, trial and error is required to perfect a blog, delegates were told. They should have links to their twitter and facebook sites so that a genuine virtual medium is created.
