UK elected representatives and their weblogs: first impressions
Abstract
Purpose
To examine the weblogs written by members of UK legislatures and to determine whether such weblogs address commonly cited criticisms of MPs' web sites and serve to bridge the gap between representative and constituent.
Design/methodology/approach
Examination of the literature on MPs' web sites to draw up a list of common criticisms. Construction of evaluation criteria to analyse the blogs in terms of content, currency, design, interactivity and evidence of personality both as a snapshot and over a longer period.
Findings
That weblogs are, on the whole, kept up to date and show promising levels of activity. Blogs enable constituents to see with what their MPs have been involved (on both the local and the Parliamentary stages) and to see what areas of policy particularly interest their MP. Personality of the MPs is apparent on most of the blogs, which are less party‐oriented than many MPs' web sites. Although the gap between representatives and constituents may have been bridged to an extent, blogging is still largely a top‐down form of communication – even though people do submit relevant and pertinent comments to the blogs, proper two‐way debate is rarely seen and comments are not always acknowledged or answered.
Research limitations/implications
Based on a small number of blogs covering the UK only.
Practical implications
Provides simple evaluation criteria that could be applied to blogs in other areas.
Originality/value
Provides a useful first structured analysis of weblogs written by elected representatives, on which further work can be undertaken once the sample size has increased and existing blogs are more established.
Keywords
Citation
Auty, C. (2005), "UK elected representatives and their weblogs: first impressions", Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 57 No. 4, pp. 338-355. https://doi.org/10.1108/00012530510612077
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited