New Progressive Politics

The Eventual Merging of the Online and Offline Advertising Worlds

Google’s attempts to evolve its advertising offering from the online into the offline worlds got a promising review in the New York Times. The short version of what’s going on is that Google is taking its online targeting ability, enhanced by technology, and trying to evolve it into the advertising world of traditional media.

One frontier is traditional radio, otherwise known as terrestrial radio (because  of the various new kinds like web-based radio and satellite radio). The Times piece interviews some of the early clients in the experiments and shows that they are encouraged that is seems to be working, thought the jury is still out. There is also a lot of worry from the traditional players and some legitimate concerns about whether it will ultimately work in a significant way.

Another frontier is the newspaper world, and those experiments seem to be going even better than radio. That makes sense because newspapers are text based and more fully integrated into the online world anyhow. But it’s interesting to see many of the top papers and chains talking about how it seems to be working.

The final frontier is the biggest one, television. Here’s one paragraph that gives you the sense of what is at stake:

Television advertising could prove particularly fruitful for Google, because the company might be able to combine its technology with that of cable systems to show different ads to different viewers based on demographics or personal interests. The company has said it is conducting a small trial with a few partners.

The point for politics is that all of the traditional broadcast media are evolving to take on more of the targeting capabilities of online advertising. This might take a long while to transition, but the trend is taking shape.

This is a good thing for those political people who take advantage early. It will allow you to use more effective, less expensive advertising to reach the people you need to reach.

Peter Leyden  

Yahoo is smart

For those looking to get a glimpse into where technology is headed, this article from the New York Times highlights an exciting new venture Yahoo is heading up (and one that combines areas we're more than familiar with). The company, which has lagged behind Google in internet search and search advertising, is taking the lead on bringing advertising and web search to mobile phones. To learn more, check out its new software entitled oneSEARCH.

Check out our New Politics Institute for more information on both mobile media and search (here and here). Also check out Media 50 Group, a company that helps folks master this new medium and whose co-founder is NPI fellow Tim Chambers.

UPDATE - the CTIA Wireless Conference is kicking off today, where there is a lot of talk about how to best integrate media with cell phone technology.

NDN and NPI on Political Video and the Web

It's hard to read the news these days - online, in print or otherwise - without hearing from Simon Rosenberg and Peter Leyden on the increasing influence of web video in politics and the end of the broadcast era.  Here's Simon in today's ABC News lead story on the "Hillary 1984" video and the broader phenomenon of web video in politics:

"This ad represents the emergence of a new era in political advertising," said Simon Rosenberg, president of the Washington-based New Democrat Network, an influential party advocacy group.

"It's a condition of 21st century politics," said Rosenberg. "It's a brave new world…the barrier to entry for politics has been lowered and it's much easier for average Americans to participate and engage..."

"It used to be that unless they bought tens of millions of dollars in advertising, you weren't going to be heard," said Rosenberg. "Now, if an ad catches on, on YouTube or wherever, and becomes trendy and exciting, it could have just as much impact," he said...

"This is unsettling, particularly for the candidate," said Rosenberg. "It means that increasingly, the political campaigns are going to be one voice among many, albeit a very loud one," he said.

"They're not going to be in control and there's nothing they can do about that," said Rosenberg...

"The next big thing to watch is broadcast quality video becoming available on mobile phones," said Rosenberg.

"We have no idea what the campaigns are going to look like in Fall 2008 because the velocity of change is increasing," said Rosenberg, noting that the Apple iPhone is scheduled for launch in June 2007.

"Broadband video will be in 80 million phones by 2009," said Rosenberg, "YouTube is going mobile by the end of the year. TiVo will soon allow you to record things off the Internet. Media, including these viral political ads, are going to be viewed in a rapidly accelerated way," he said.

And Peter joins Simon in talking about web video and politics in this Saturday's San Francisco Chronicle:

The compelling "Hillary 1984" video recently introduced on YouTube represents "a new era, a new wave of politics ... because it's not about Obama," said Peter Leyden, director of the New Politics Institute, a San Francisco-based think tank on politics and new media. "It's about the end of the broadcast era."

The ad is proof that "anybody can do powerful emotional ads ... and the campaigns are no longer in control," Rosenberg said. "It will no longer be a top-down candidate message; that's a 20th century broadcast model."

It also dramatizes that today, political activists with the Internet as their ammunition have gone from being "just donors to the cause," he said, "to being partners in the fight. And they don't have to wait for permission."

And just a few weeks ago Simon and a number of NPI fellows were featured in an article in The Hill looking at a host of emerging technologies and their effect on politics

Stay tuned for more analysis on web video from NPI soon and if you haven't already, make sure to read NPI fellow Julie Bergman-Sender's paper on viral video in politics

The Times looks at social networking and politics

The Times takes an indepth look at one of the "new tools."   For more on our take on the new tools for politics and how to best use them visit our New Politics Institute website and come back regularly to this blog.  There is little doubt that we are seeing a vastly different way to campaign, advocate and run our politics this year, and the change, if anything, seems to be increasing in velocity.

New issue of Democracy Journal online now

Our friends over at Democracy Journal have their new issue up.  Check it out.

Rep. Harman Calls For Better Light Bulbs

Beginning with an opening line that our own Peter Leyden would love - "As California-and Australia and Europe-goes, so (should) go the nation. That's why it's time for the country to phase out inefficient energy-consuming light-bulbs" - California Congresswoman Jane Harman announced a new bill today that would require light bulbs made or used in the US to meet a higher energy efficiency standard, dramatically reducing energy demands from that most-used of appliances, the lamp. 

Her post in the Huffington Post nicely sums up arguements that should be familiar to all of us.  Standard incandescent lights waste energy and don't last as long as compact flourescents.  And thanks to Rep. Harman, now Congress will have a chance to encourage American producers and consumers to make the switch-over.  As Rep. Harman herself says:

The old joke revolves around how many people it takes to change a light bulb. The answer is: 218 members of Congress, 51 Senators and one President. 

Event this week - The Dawn of a New Politics

I hope you'll join us for a joint NDN and New Politics Institute (NPI) presentation and lunch on Thursday, March 8. Simon and Peter Leyden, Director of NPI, will lay out how transformations in technology and media, changing demographics, and new governing challenges are transforming the political landscape.

The Dawn of a New Politics
Thursday, March 8
12:00pm
Human Rights Campaign
1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW

Since the 2006 elections, the political terrain for progressives has opened up in unexpected – and very positive – ways. And Peter and Simon's “New Politics” multimedia PowerPoint presentation provides high-level strategic analysis of these changes and what they mean for this emerging “New Politics.”

Their provocative thesis has been presented to various audiences – from elected officials in Congress to the Netroots – and now will be presented in an open public event for any interested individual or progressive group.

To RSVP, contact Tracy Leaman at tleaman@ndn.org or 202-842-7213.

Thoughts on the globalization of soccer

Yesterday, James Crabtree posted his latest essay here in a series he has been writing from Asia and India. This one reflected on the power of soccer, history’s first truly global sport. James talks about soccer as a sign of British “soft power.” It also says a great deal about the emergence of our first truly global communications network, a network that is in the process of bringing together all the world’s people onto a single real time, broadband communications platform. Soccer is becoming the universal sport of this emergent network, and as soccer becomes a globalized commodity, it is also changing the sport itself.

My kids and I watch a lot of soccer. My wife thinks way too much. Each weekend we are able to watch games Spain, England, Germany, Italy, Latin America and now that our MLS is back, here in the US. With our special soccer package on our Comcast system, there are as many as 5 games on the same time from all over the world. Players like Saha, Ronaldinho, Rooney, Adriano, Eto'o, Ronaldo and now DC United’s Christian Gomez are very important people in our lives, athletes we follow as closely as the baseball players of my youth. These players come from Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, England, France and Portugal.

On Thursday night I went to a DC United game here against a Honduran team, CD Olimpia. There were more fans at RFK that night rooting for Olimpia than DC United. DC United won, 3-2, and its goals came from players from Argentina and Brazil. Even here the sport has a global, universal feel. And that is before Mr. Beckham arrives this summer.

For my kids soccer has become as obsession. I can tell that they understand that when they play it, daily, they are playing a sport that is both played and watched all over the world. They are doing what all other kids are doing, everywhere. Soccer has become to sports what English has become to language. It is a global common experience, shared increasingly by all the people of the world, an experience that somehow knits all us together. It is remarkable to think that if my oldest son goes to China 30 years from now and has dinner with some Chinese of his age they could end sharing their opinions about the Zidane headbutt in the 2006 World Cup.

James talks about how what they see in Asia is not just soccer, but British soccer, the Premiereship, the top league in Britain. Soccer fans may find that strange, for why not the Spanish La Liga, or Italy’s Serie A, or Germany’s Bundesliga? Or the many magical teams in South America like Boca Juniors or Santos? First, I think English is the world’s tongue, making British soccer, broadcast in English, more accessible to more people. Second, Rupert Murdoch, owner of Skynews, Fox and so many other media outlets has a global footprint, and is using soccer to create a global, universal product that can transcend cultural boundries.

This globalization of the English Premiere League has had a huge impact on the League itself. Seeking a global audience its teams have been much more aggressive about signing players from all the over world. You see many more Africans, Americans and Asians in England than any other European league. Yes the Spanish have their Brazilians, but most of the European teams still draw heavily from players in their home countries. They are not yet truly globalized. But I expect that will come.

As this globalized 21st century media platform emerges, sports is increasingly becoming the lingua franca, the media experience that binds people together in a much more fragmented and personal media world. Remarkable soccer goals often make the top 10 on YouTube. ESPN is emerging as the most powerful cable channel among the hundreds now available. Mastery of the emerging media of this century will mean many things, but one thing it will mean for sure is the ability to connect one’s values to sport, as the Republicans have with NASCAR and the NFL. What is the progressive response? We tried soccer last year, with great success. But there is clearly much more to be learned and tried in the years to come.

What a mess Bush is leaving all of us

It just doesn't stop.  Now we have the Walter Reed scandal.  Has there been an Administration in American history who has failed so utterly at the very basics of governing?

The list is incredible.  2000 days later and Osama is still on the loose, and is now regaining strength.  Iraq continues to cost American lives, money and prestige, without making us safer.  New evidence out this week showed Bush and his team blew it on North Korea, completely misreading what was happening there, and ended up making the confrontation much worse.  The systemic undermining of our civil liberties, including the condoning of torture, the undermining of the Geneva Convention, warentless spying on our citizens and the stripping of habeas corpus from all non-US citizens in the US, even legal immigrants and of course tourists.  Our military has been degraded.  Trillons have been added to our debt.  Our Department of Homeland Security remains badly led, unorganized and unprepared.  This age has seen the greatest systemic corruption of Congress and the federal branch in our history.  The minimum wage has been allowed to erode to its lowest level in 50 years, and now earns a family just $11,000 a year.  Wages have dropped.   More are uninsured, more are in poverty and family debt has hit historic levels.  Tens of millions of dollars spent on ads demonizing Hispanics, comparing them to Middle Eastern terrorists. Our relations with Latin America have eroded terribly.  And, perhaps most perniciously, the serial lying of our leaders about just about everything that has caused many to wonder about the integrity and the values of America itself. 

And of course there are all the big challenges unmet.  Funding the retirement of the baby boom.  Providing health insurance, and good health care, to all Americans. Global climate change.  Modernizing our schools and creating a 21st century strategy to help existing our existing workforce transition into the digital age.  Bringing broadband to all Americans.........

The Bush era, this era of compassionate convervatism, has been a disapointing and shameful period in our history.  The country is oh so ready to go to a new and better place, and is looking, desperately, for leaders to take us there.

Ringtones as the Tip of the Mobile Media Iceberg

This week the Associated Press moved a story on how an environmental group is using ringtones of endangered species to raise awareness of this extinction  issue among people with mobile phones. You know, wolves in the wild or blue whales. I was quoted in the story as showing how this is just the tip of the iceberg of the ways that mobile media will be used in politics in the next couple years.

However, I elaborated on that concept this week in the public radio show Future Tense that airs on about 100 stations.  I talked about how those little snippets of sounds can actually have an impact on how people think. Remember that it goes off every time the phone rings, and that all of the person’s social network of friends and family who are around them will also hear the sounds and spark a conversation. And all those little sparks can add up to start a fire...

You can listen to the 5 minute podcast here.

Peter Leyden  

Syndicate content