Adoption and Use of Digital media in Election Campaigns: Australia, Canada and New Zealand Compared

Abstract:
This paper examines the role of digital media in three recent national election campaigns: Australia (2007), Canada and New Zealand (2008). Examining the process of technology adoption and strategic use by parties and individual candidates, the analysis examines the similarities and differences in the use of these evolving campaigning channels. Against the current literature on variables influencing technology adoption, specific attention is given to the use of different communication channels as tools to target specific audiences, the adoption of a wide variety of technologies to ensure broad ("mass") reach, and the co-ordination of messages across different platforms. The comparative analysis aims to identify structural, organizational, technological and cultural determinants of variation in the adoption and deployment of these technologies, and provides insight into the democratic impact of new technologies.

Bio:
Peter Chen teaches public policy and politics in the Department of Government and International Relations, Faculty of Arts, The University of Sydney. His research interests focus on the relationship between information and communications technology and policy making process. He is a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Information Technology & Politics and the International Journal of Electronic Governance.