Thursday, January 15, 2009

Tories Reach Out to Social Media With New Appointment

Another debacle for the already ailing LabourList. They've posted a wafer thin attack on the Tories' online strategy by the normally in touch PR man Mark Hanson. He reckons the Tory online strategy is not getting any backing within CCHQ, although produces no evidence whatsoever. LibDem Voice happily rows in behind and repeats the spurious rumours.

As regular readers know, I have been a sporadic critic of the Tories' online offerings but whatever their faults, they have been light years ahead of the competition. But I learned tonight that far from rowing back their online presence they are expanding it. Today they appointed Craig Elder to the new post of Online Communities Editor. He's going to be concentrating on building the Tory presence in social media and has been tasked with coordinating the party's liaison with the blogosphere. He will be looking at new ways for the party to use all the different web tools that are popping up at the moment as well as twittering and blogging in these areas himself.

And tomorrow he is coordinating the environment policy launch, which is being live webcast through the Mogulus platform. David Cameron will be doing an In Conversation session with environmental journalist Geoffrey Lean. I'll be streaming it live too, from 1.30pm.

LabourList would do better to concentrate its efforts on Labour's own pisspoor web offerings, rather than trying to stir it with other parties. But I suppose we shouldn't expect anything else.

9 comments:

Old Holborn said...

What, in the name of God, is "social media" Iain?

Anonymous said...

A very welcome move!!

Iain Dale said...

Fabebook, Bebo, Twitter, blogs, MySpace and Christ alone knows what else!

Newmania said...

Am I getting old or is he six ?Don`t answer...

Old Holborn said...

Iain,

If Dolly Draper is teaching the world anything, it is that you cannot control free speech on the internet.

Editors control the MSM, TV, Radio. Before that, Gummints and the Monarchy controlled printing presses and minstrels.

Stop trying to control what people say and start listening. You might not like what you hear but at least listen.

Dick the Prick said...

The reason you and GF get good trade is that you make good copy. It's all very well for parties to navel gaze and then provide a platform for it but who the hell is gonna go there for entertainment.

Sure, they're useful if you wanna dip in on specifics but I wanna have a bit of a laugh and gibber on about politics.

I think they're missong a trick by not replicating what works, it smacks of a camel rather than common bloody sense.

Give 'em a bell Iain, get some wedge out of the dinosaurs.

rob's uncle said...

The 'environment policy launch' will no doubt leave crusty traditional Tories like you choking on their porridge; read all about it at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jan/16/conservatives-low-carbon-plan-heathrow

It strikes me [Lib Dem] as sensible but I can't see the Tories signing up for it.

Anonymous said...

Any comments on Harman and FOI re MPs expenses (buried in the Heathrow fracas yesterday)? Your e-mail isn't working.

Anonymous said...

I don't think it is a question of controling the internet merely seeking common ground.

Blogs are an organic thing!