New Media Political Paradigm Shift

Huffingtonpost: "Social media" is merely a way to describe new tools in an old and narrow paradigm.

However, this term has become obsolete in a world where technology has become a critical tool for connecting people not only to information and ideas, but also to other individuals, entities. The term "social media" as we know it today appeared in July 2004 as a reference to participatory media like blogging, wikis, social networks, and related technologies.

This is all well and good if technology was still primarily about connecting people to information, which is really the essence of media. In this networked century, where access to technology is increasing exponentially, almost everybody is reachable. But more importantly, almost everybody has the ability to connect.

This new ability to connect is leveling the playing field and breaking down previous age, gender, socioeconomic, and circumstantial barriers to who can emerge as a leader, activist, or grassroots agent for change. The power of technology today will be determined not by web traffic and viewership, but by its ability to strengthen and more importantly facilitate connections in real time.

Read the full article at HuffingtonPost

This post continues with several videos after the "Read more" jump. First up are four interview segments that Peter Leyden, former Director of the New Politics Institute, did for LinkTV in September 2008, as commentary for their airing of a documentary on the 2004 election. The first Leyden video segment introduces the new media political paradigm shift that occurred in the 2008 election cycle. Additional videos follow the Leyden videos providing more background on the new media revolution in 21st century politics.

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This next section explains the rise of the young Millennial Generation, and compares them to the Generation X that preceded them. Gen X was very apathetic and disengaged from politics, as well as very conservative. But the Millennials are very different, and very progressive.

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The next section talks about the impact of new media and new technologies in revolutionizing how politics gets conducted. This is a concise version of talks that you can see in other parts of the website.

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This final section wraps up the analysis by laying out what Leyden means by The Obama Moment, the historical moment that America is now in. This was filmed in early September, right when Sarah Palin was rising and McCain was leading in polls. Leyden made the prediction then, that Obama was going to win in a landslide.

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What is New Media by Dan Brown


Taking Back Our Government with New Media by Dan Brown


ABC Social Networking Is Revolutionizing Politics - July 2010


PBSNewsHour - Republicans Hope to Maintain Social Media Edge into 2010 Midterm Elections - May 2010


Social Media 101, from Texans for Rick Perry


TexasTrib - Perry Campaign: Yard Signs Don't Win Elections
(DMN: Gov. Rick Perry's campaign is more text than talk)


See additional video - CNBC - The Facebook Obsession
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