People used to incorporate the word “politics” with the flowery words of a politician. Politics would tend to be a one-way process; it’s all about a politician’s campaign speeches, rallies, donations and other mass appearances to catch popularity, and at the same time, support for the next election. But, as the advent of the new media paves way for a more dynamic politician-and-the-world game, politics today becomes a two-way or even complex process, accommodating the heart of the mass, as well. What, then, is the new media?
Wikipedia.org says, “Most technologies described as new media are digital, often having characteristics of being manipulated, networkable, dense, compressible, and interactive.”[1] These characteristics make new media “new” and distinct from the traditional media (TV, films, etc.). It offers the democratic aspect of politics, making the people’s view as significant as campaign’s financial aid.
First, new media is all about computer and internet which is accessible by most of the people around the globe. With this, it brings politics closest to every home by making the people interact with some other distant people to talk about news that may influence each other’s views. Social networking sites such as Twitter, Yahoo Messenger and Facebook are just some of the popular trends where people meet each other, making everything possible digitally.
Second, since new media provides a living room for social gatherings, politicians come along to interrupt, befriend and influence people by their political advertisements promising a social change. One of the popular modes of these advertisements is usually a personal website where politicians voice out their daily “good” deeds, share their platforms and grants, and even post their “heroic” life story which is a common way of campaigning. But, one good thing about this is the ordinary people can create their own too as website hosting becomes available like Multiply and Blogspot. Thereby, new media becomes the network of all the people in the world- elite or ordinary man, politician or not.
Third, as the mass and the politicians meet in the new media, throwing and exchange of feedback and criticism, and promises become possible at every second. Here, people do not think much about being hunted for their prank feedback since new media is about manipulation, as Wikipedia says, giving them the opportunity to hide their identity.
Consequently, new media weakens and/or manipulates social hierarchy inasmuch as it is not only politicians influencing the mass, but also ordinary citizen influencing an ordinary citizen.
Indeed, the power of the new media becomes vast throughout the time as new people try to get an online account each day and later become addicted to it. Hence, politicians try to bring the realm of politics here, trying to control everything. However, the new media is too broad and dense that to control it is, perhaps, an endless trial. These make politics more challenging in the part of the politicians and more exciting in the part of the people.
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