Internet a possible factor in Labour's defeat
"When you consider the very small margin of votes between the Nationalist Party and the Malta Labour Party obtained in the general election of March 8, and when you keep in mind that the MLP did not successfully attract new voters aged between 18 and...
"When you consider the very small margin of votes between the Nationalist Party and the Malta Labour Party obtained in the general election of March 8, and when you keep in mind that the MLP did not successfully attract new voters aged between 18 and 22 years, then we can conclude that internet was one of the factors that could have contributed towards the defeat."
This is one of the conclusions of the report commissioned by the MLP to analyse the third successive electoral defeat suffered by the party. The report was made public as a download from the MLP website last Saturday, after The Times revealed its content earlier in the day.
I-Tech went through the report to see how the elements of internet and ICT could have impacted on the general election which, as we have witnessed, was the first one in Maltese political history that was also actively fought on internet. With the PN getting an easy walk-over, the report concludes.
"To make matters worse, the Party not only did not exploit ICT, but left almost all proposals mentioned by Mr Falzon (Claude Falzon - the campaign manager who resigned last September to pursue a career abroad) in the drawer. We heard different reasons, ranging from insufficient funds to internet did not have such a decisive role," the commissioners said in their report.
Mr Falzon had proposed several initiatives on internet which, with hindsight, could have well matched the online campaign rolled-out by the PN. Such measures include sending a weekly e-mail to voters; the Labour leader Alfred Sant chatting online for a couple of hours every week (something which PN leader Gonzi eventually did); the use of podcasts; SMS messages to mobile users; political adverts on local and international websites; and giving a branded USB flash drive to young voters. A lot of work had been done on the personal website of Dr Sant, but this was never launched.
The report goes on to give an assessment of the political campaigning on internet, comparing the activities of the two major political parties, within the context of the evolution of internet both locally and abroad in recent years.
Ironically, the MLP was a pioneer in the local political scene, launching its website before the 1996 electoral campaign; a year after internet was launched in Malta. Furthermore, its official weekly newspaper, Il-KullĦadd, was one of the first local newspapers to have its content posted online. At the time they served their purpose well.
However, it seems the MLP did not keep itself updated on the evolution of internet.
"We can safely say that the MLP ignored the recent internet trends called Web 2.0, especially where 'user generated content' is concerned', where users create and publish their own content on such websites as YouTube and blogs, as well as exploit the so-called social networking sites like facebook, MySpace and Hi5 that is very popular virtual territory with Maltese Youths. Facebook, where there are more than 18,000 registered Maltese users, creates an opportunity for interpersonal expression which is very important in politics because by human nature one gives weight to people he/she knows informally. Most probably facebook served as a persuasive tool and a means to exert peer pressure."
The reports claims that as a general rule, the MLP failed to update its strategy on the use of internet and was stuck to what it calls "the mentality of the 1990s", whereas the PN effectively managed to exploit Web 2.0 in the general election. "The launch of www.lawrence gonzi.info was no coincidence. Neither www.elezzjonigenerali. com, nor the blogs by Dr Gonzi or his wife that were updated every day, or the several pro-PN pages on facebook, or the river of videos on YouTube. The MLP's response to all this was weak. There was nothing to balance it out, except for a few attempts by Labour activists. To make matters worse, the MLP did nothing about blogs.
"In this campaign the PN emphasised as much as it could that it is 'The' party that will lead the ICT-led economy with the development of SmartCity. This re-enforced the perception that the PN looks forward to a bright future, especially among young voters, after the PN government gave cheap internet access (Blue Skies) and created the Faculty of ICT at the University of Malta.
"As we have seen in the section about youths, as a general
rule there was a significant strategic failure from the MLP where internet is concerned. The presence of MLP leader Dr Sant was very much missed on internet when compared to Dr Gonzi. Whoever led the campaign left the PN an open field to do whatever he liked. It seems the MLP was not aware of the developments and despite the fact that the campaign strategy made by Claude Falzon last year included an internet campaign, not even these proposals were implemented."
The report also comes up with a few suggestions on how the MLP should make up for the online deficit.
"All media must be more interactive, having a website where users can contribute in fora on internet. These should be interactive fora especially during and after live programmes. Maltastar.com should welcome political analysis. It should not be ashamed to channel self-criticism on internet, a medium that does not allow too much institutional control. The media should support user-generated material online. There's need of training. It's a known fact that Nationalist MEPs gained funds and offered internships in Brussels to youths to learn to exploit internet as a political tool through the latest interactive means on internet."
While this report was being compiled, the five candidates for the post of leader of the MLP were making full use of internet in their campaigns, raising questions as to how five senior and ambitious Labour figures were actively pursuing what the MLP had dismissed as 'not having a decisive role' just a couple of months earlier.
Indeed, all five candidates have a new and regularly updated website, providing interactive elements and space for users to leave their views and comments. All five of them are publishing content on YouTube. Four of them have facebook or Hi5 pages or both, with hundreds of online "friends" and supporters. Some of them are sending weekly e-mails to delegates and activists updating them on the candidate's views and endeavours.
Indeed, all five candidates are promising a stronger Labour presence online and better use of ICT if they are elected as leader of the party on June 5, in the hope of clinching a victory in the next general election.
This is one of the conclusions of the report commissioned by the MLP to analyse the third successive electoral defeat suffered by the party. The report was made public as a download from the MLP website last Saturday, after The Times revealed its content earlier in the day.
I-Tech went through the report to see how the elements of internet and ICT could have impacted on the general election which, as we have witnessed, was the first one in Maltese political history that was also actively fought on internet. With the PN getting an easy walk-over, the report concludes.
"To make matters worse, the Party not only did not exploit ICT, but left almost all proposals mentioned by Mr Falzon (Claude Falzon - the campaign manager who resigned last September to pursue a career abroad) in the drawer. We heard different reasons, ranging from insufficient funds to internet did not have such a decisive role," the commissioners said in their report.
Mr Falzon had proposed several initiatives on internet which, with hindsight, could have well matched the online campaign rolled-out by the PN. Such measures include sending a weekly e-mail to voters; the Labour leader Alfred Sant chatting online for a couple of hours every week (something which PN leader Gonzi eventually did); the use of podcasts; SMS messages to mobile users; political adverts on local and international websites; and giving a branded USB flash drive to young voters. A lot of work had been done on the personal website of Dr Sant, but this was never launched.
The report goes on to give an assessment of the political campaigning on internet, comparing the activities of the two major political parties, within the context of the evolution of internet both locally and abroad in recent years.
Ironically, the MLP was a pioneer in the local political scene, launching its website before the 1996 electoral campaign; a year after internet was launched in Malta. Furthermore, its official weekly newspaper, Il-KullĦadd, was one of the first local newspapers to have its content posted online. At the time they served their purpose well.
However, it seems the MLP did not keep itself updated on the evolution of internet.
"We can safely say that the MLP ignored the recent internet trends called Web 2.0, especially where 'user generated content' is concerned', where users create and publish their own content on such websites as YouTube and blogs, as well as exploit the so-called social networking sites like facebook, MySpace and Hi5 that is very popular virtual territory with Maltese Youths. Facebook, where there are more than 18,000 registered Maltese users, creates an opportunity for interpersonal expression which is very important in politics because by human nature one gives weight to people he/she knows informally. Most probably facebook served as a persuasive tool and a means to exert peer pressure."
The reports claims that as a general rule, the MLP failed to update its strategy on the use of internet and was stuck to what it calls "the mentality of the 1990s", whereas the PN effectively managed to exploit Web 2.0 in the general election. "The launch of www.lawrence gonzi.info was no coincidence. Neither www.elezzjonigenerali. com, nor the blogs by Dr Gonzi or his wife that were updated every day, or the several pro-PN pages on facebook, or the river of videos on YouTube. The MLP's response to all this was weak. There was nothing to balance it out, except for a few attempts by Labour activists. To make matters worse, the MLP did nothing about blogs.
"In this campaign the PN emphasised as much as it could that it is 'The' party that will lead the ICT-led economy with the development of SmartCity. This re-enforced the perception that the PN looks forward to a bright future, especially among young voters, after the PN government gave cheap internet access (Blue Skies) and created the Faculty of ICT at the University of Malta.
"As we have seen in the section about youths, as a general
rule there was a significant strategic failure from the MLP where internet is concerned. The presence of MLP leader Dr Sant was very much missed on internet when compared to Dr Gonzi. Whoever led the campaign left the PN an open field to do whatever he liked. It seems the MLP was not aware of the developments and despite the fact that the campaign strategy made by Claude Falzon last year included an internet campaign, not even these proposals were implemented."
The report also comes up with a few suggestions on how the MLP should make up for the online deficit.
"All media must be more interactive, having a website where users can contribute in fora on internet. These should be interactive fora especially during and after live programmes. Maltastar.com should welcome political analysis. It should not be ashamed to channel self-criticism on internet, a medium that does not allow too much institutional control. The media should support user-generated material online. There's need of training. It's a known fact that Nationalist MEPs gained funds and offered internships in Brussels to youths to learn to exploit internet as a political tool through the latest interactive means on internet."
While this report was being compiled, the five candidates for the post of leader of the MLP were making full use of internet in their campaigns, raising questions as to how five senior and ambitious Labour figures were actively pursuing what the MLP had dismissed as 'not having a decisive role' just a couple of months earlier.
Indeed, all five candidates have a new and regularly updated website, providing interactive elements and space for users to leave their views and comments. All five of them are publishing content on YouTube. Four of them have facebook or Hi5 pages or both, with hundreds of online "friends" and supporters. Some of them are sending weekly e-mails to delegates and activists updating them on the candidate's views and endeavours.
Indeed, all five candidates are promising a stronger Labour presence online and better use of ICT if they are elected as leader of the party on June 5, in the hope of clinching a victory in the next general election.