The Channel 4 News produced Ask the Chancellors TV debate was proof that networked journalism makes for better political news media.
The debate itself, hosted by the ever-efficient Krishnan Guru-Murthy was lively and well-paced. Vince Cable came over as Mr Reasonable, but Labour will be pleased at the way that Alastair Darling stood up for the Government, while the Tories will be pleased that George Osborne got across all his main points with some killer soundbites on tax. But the real winner was the Internet.
This was the biggest live political social media event ever seen in the UK. Alongside the TV show was a Facedbook page, online voting and comment on the Channel 4 website and the Twitter #askthechancellors debate thread.
But when I went on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme to discuss this, presenter Jim Naughtie asked the right question about Twitter: ‘Does it matter?’
Some of the Twitter comments were inane – people seemed obsessed by haircuts to start off with. But as the TV debate warmed up, the comments became much more focused on politics. I don’t suppose it shifted many votes but it was clear how impressions were starting to trend.
Of course, the party spinners were online as well as in the press room. And no doubt, many of the journalists will also be casting an eye across Twitter and the blogs before writing and broadcasting their verdicts.
It all makes for much richer, multi-layered reportage. The TV debate alone would have been worth it. But the fact that tens of thousands of people were taking part reminds us that citizens do care about politics. And they want to be part of reporting the debate as it happens.
Viva digital democracy.
[For a different view go to George Brock’s thoughtful response to this – although please read my comment!]
Twitter was the real winner tonight. Much of what was said in the debate was dull but twitter added a layer of interaction that was often funny and sometimes informative. It provided great entertainment and reminded of me of when not too many years’ ago people at school, work and in the office talked about key TV moments everyone had seen. The only difference today is that it is in real time and between much larger groups of people. Politics, entertainment and the viewers/tweeters all benefit from this discourse.
The online angle adds depth to the debate. The TV debate, with the 1m answers has to be shallow by default, but seeing each line and promise analysed immediately by the online community was incredible. A great example was when Osborne talked about Barclays benefiting from the bank bailout… within moments an entire online thread formed to debate the value of bank guarantees to a bank that actually took no government money. Really very interesting, the leader debates will be good. I made a comment on my blog here about the audience, and the larger audience watching Coronation St… http://j.mp/bou25P
Reason for James Naughtie’s aloofness is he’s probably never used Twitter in his life and therefore has zero comprehension of what it is or does. He probably thinks it’s all a complete waste of time!