Are All Politics Local Anymore?

Tip O’Neill, longtime Speaker of the House, once said “All Politics Are Local,” to explain how the problems and concerns of towns and cities around the country affect the actions of their representatives and Senators in Washington, DC. Our political system was designed in this fashion.   

We’re currently witnessing the power of local politics as moderate Democrats in Congress hold back on supporting Obama’s healthcare bill because the people in their districts are voicing concern about the growing budget deficit, potential tax consequences or the implications of single payor coverage in general.   http://www.abcnews.go.com/m/screen?id=8125359.  

In many respects, the way the media has divided and analyzed state and district influence as red or blue, conservative or liberal, continues to hold true. 

Yet the Web offers new ways of looking at local politics and new opportunities for journalists.  An October, 2008 MediaPost blog article points out that as the world grows smaller with ever increasing forms of communication, locale becomes less relevant while personal takes center stage, http://blog.spotxchange.com/2008/10/22/mediapost-are-all-politics-local-how-about-all-politics-are-personal/   

The Web has redefined what community means.  People now come together over certain issues and passions whether or not they live next door or on different coasts.  This phenomenon makes traditional demographic targeting less effective than it once was.  A 45-year-old woman in Nebraska may share views about an International conflict with a 30-year-old man in Florida.  Running an expensive television ad in Nebraska misses all communities of people throughout the country that share the Florida man’s perspective.  The same MediaPost article argues that online video can carry the same emotion as television, yet do a better job of reaching like-minded people on the basis of issue rather than locale (not to mention at a fraction of the cost).  Those with a platform or cause - politicians, journalists and marketers alike - have been rethinking how to move the emotional needle in a way that pulls or magnetizes rather than pushes or targets.

 

However, there is a converse way of looking at the issue that actually strengthens the local community.   David Perlmutters’ book Blog Wars offers a Case Study on that demonstrates how Bill Callahan, a blogger in Cleveland, http://www.callahansclevelanddiary.com, scrutinized a city planning issue in a way that could bring new strength and force to a community.  Perlmutter also cites Colorado Confidential,now known as the Colorado Independent, http://coloradoindependent.com/ as an example of a megablog that focuses on state issues in partnership with local journalists. “...blogging at its best (is) detailed, well-researched, full of facts, (and) adds value beyond what exists within the discourse of regular media and political speech, and richly local as well as analytical,” says Perlmutter.

    

 Local newspapers and television stations decided long ago that their niche was local over national, yet they have done a poor job of inspiring interest and action with citizens or strengthening local community through the power of the Web and blogs.  They have concentrated too much on gathering data and producing fun, exhaustive entertainment listings instead of offering readers a new look at what’s happening in their community or local perspective on national issues. Perhaps it’s because light news is connected to scarce advertising dollars or perhaps local media aren’t giving their readers and viewers much credit as involved citizens.  It’s true that though Congressional reps often vote alongside the wishes of their states, the local voices who speak up are few while the masses are often in the dark about issues, like healthcare, that could obviously affect could them deeply. 

Yet there is space for bloggers like Bill Callahan to step up, take the time to conduct research and provide useful journalism that could make it to the local masses particularly if picked up by a reach-medium.  Callahan does not have a big budget but he does recognize that “nonherd” journalism has an important place in society.  With so much focus on how to fix the media, Callahan has concentrated on improving journalism and is going where others haven’t. 

It’s good to remember that journalists can seek and deeply explore issues that build community in a meaningful way - whether that community is a local neighborhood or a dispersed affinity group that has never met.