Monday, January 25, 2010

Oratio obliqua options...

Twits, twats, tweets...One minor debate going on at ConservativeHome is why David Cameron isn't on Twitter. A quick glance shows probably half for and half against the idea of DC twittering...but one comment stands out (no, not mine although I added my tuppennyworth which coincides with the second bullet point below) but towards the bottom GuyTheMac nails it: as I've linked to his blog I'm sure won't mind if I copy most of his ConHome comment here (my emphasis):
  • The league tables for 'number of followers' are a nonsense - any quick google search will show you how to quickly 'buy' followers, and there is a juvenile (yet compelling) culture of 'I'll follow you if you follow me'. The magic is having quality followers not the quantity of them.
  • For Cameron a 'quality' follower would probably be swing voter. The reality is that most people on Twitter are either IT Geeks, Media/Marketing Types or Political Animals - the vast majority of whom are dead set in who they will vote for. As others have remarked those who aren't political are unlikely to be inclined to follow Cameron.
  • It is therefore simply not a good use of the Man's time and a distraction from methods of campaigning that could engage the people he isn't currently reaching.
  • Staying off also avoids the potential banana skin of the ill-advised tweets after a shandy or two. I actually follow our local Labour MP in the hope she drops a clanger.
  • Anyway, it's a neat technology and it has its place - but it aint the game changer its proponents think it is and DC is right in sidestepping it.
Looking at the league table published I think is a clear indication of what Guy says: the top 3 are Downing Street, Richard Bacon (For fuck's sake!) and Sarah Brown: IMHO all 3 must be falsely inflated, the 1st and 3rd by hordes of Labour minions - the 3rd probably hoping to boost Gordon's image by trying to convince anyone he is "normal" by association - the 2nd by complete morons. Anyway, last year Seldo told us ten things Twitter is not...

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10 comments:

Paddy Paws said...

Twitter will be here today, gone tomorrow. It's part of the no-substance layer of rubbish which is stopping us getting to the real issues, the real ideas.

People surely don't believe the great and the good (I use the term loosely) actually write their own tweets? I used to think David Cassidy wrote his own Jackie column, but I was 13.

P.S Mi gato se llama Bertie pero me no llaman Paddy! Una que sorpresa!

Paul said...

I've yet to find a really dull blog or a really interesting twitter page. Must try harder!

Span Ows said...

Agree with all those comments! I looked at the Downing Street one and saw some comments by GB...well, as Paddy - nice attempt at Spanish! - says...if that is actually Gordy I'll eat my hat (after going and buying a reasonable flavoured one).

Guy, I've updated the link to go to that blogpost.

I've no doubt some Twitter pages are interesting and do lead to good articles or stories but the whole thing is becoming a bit of a narcissistic.

Span Ows said...

P.S....of course blogs aren't like that at all

;-)

Name Witheld said...

All this fuss about whether David Cameron should "Twitter". I'd have thought his plans for public spending and regulation of the banking system were just a tad more important.

How the hell did we all manage in those days before Twitter?

The Great Gildersleeve said...

You know that you are in trouble when the best the politicians can do is go on a programme hosted by Richard Bacon...populist culture...Then again if that's now just bout all that the National News and Sports network can offer the masses, we're going down the celeb route.

The latest Government advert on television though done in a comic way is full of so called celebs like Suggs from Madness appearing as a street musician or Christopher Biggins as a baby.

There seems to be such a lull in commercial revenue on commercial radio stations when I tune in all I seem to hear are adverts funded by government money promoting some idea or threatening the public in some way.

Or offering information like those old public information films we used to see on tv or at the cinema.

The Great Gildersleeve said...

I was just wondering when we get near the election and tv and radio has to be careful about showing biasness to a particular party if such adverts will have to be dropped as they could be seen as a subtle way of electionearing.

Span Ows said...

Well reading all the news re Labour and their Special Investment Fund and 96% of it going to Labour constituencies (the remaining 4% to Lib Dem) and of the planned new Nuclear power sites ALL being in labour constituencies you'd expect the biasness to continue anywhere possible.

The Great Gildersleeve said...

It's been reported that Gordon Brown is going to give an interview to Piers Morgan so the populist use of the media goes on...and he is joining a list of interviewees such as Katie(Jordan)Price, Richard Madeley etc...

Span Ows said...

I hope Piers is as good as he can be but I presume he will be the not-good, jaded, partisan wanker....aprt from that no worries :-)