Debates and social media
October 3rd, 2008 by Melanie Lasoff Levs Posted in UncategorizedI admit I had not anticipated a TV event as much as the VP debate last night since the season finale of Friends. As soon as it ended, I switched around to the various networks to see which wonks they had on “analyzing” Biden and Palin, then promptly turned off the tube. I decided I wasn’t all that interested in other opinions, as I had my own to ponder.
Then this morning, I logged onto my Facebook account, as I do several times a day. Seeing how many of my friends weighed in on the debate made me change my mind: I WAS interested in what others thought. Some of my friends’ comments made me laugh; others made me angry; others I vehemently agreed or disagreed with. And it made me realize how vital the social media world is in this election. We can’t ignore that sites like Facebook and MySpace, and message boards both political and general are the virtual kitchen tables the candidates spoke about last night. Social media is where public opinion is formed and debated. I’ve known that conceptually; this morning I saw its richness in action.
Where are you sharing your opinions about the debate? Obviously, as journalists, we have to appear objective, but none of us truly is…do you feel comfortable commenting on these sites, either as yourself or anonymously? And if you’re not commenting, where do you like to read political comments from others?