What do you get when you take a land claims dispute, a politician, an iconic Canadian doughnut shop and mix in a little social media? An innovative if somewhat hokey YouTube video.
Here's one of a series of five videos released last week by Michael Bryant, Ontario's minister for aboriginal affairs, to mark the two-year anniversary of the Six Nations dispute in Caledonia.
And here's what NDP Leader Howard Hampton had to say about it:
YouTube is not the place to communicate either policy or to communicate government messages.To me, Howard's comments show a complete lack of appreciation for the social media and the cultural revolution behind it.
Joseph Brean, a fine reporter at the National Post, called me up to get my thoughts on the tactic and did to me what I did to hundreds of others in my years as a reporter -- he boiled our ten minute talk into a dozen or so words.
Fortunately, I got the chance to expand on my views in the latest Inside PR podcast, which will be released tomorow. After 100 episodes, co-hosts David Jones and Terry Fallis have turned the show into a round-table format and invited me, Julie Rusciolelli and Martin Waxman to join them.
In episode 101 we discuss the thorny question of why PR people are somtimes seen as slimeballs and the Bryant YouTube video.
3 comments:
I completely agree. Of all parties, the NDP should be embracing a medium that is available to all and impartial. Hampton is right in that public policy cannot be solely discussed via the web, but he's certainly missing the point that huge number of Canadians consume their media online and fewer tune into their local news.
Great taking part of the discussion with you yesterday Keith. It was very insightful for me too! But god ... I hate my voice on a podcast ... talk to you soon, JULIE
Now, didn't I read somewhere that NDP MPP Charlie Angus used YouTube to post some stuff about getting an aboriginal school built in his riding? Something the provincial government promised 30 or 40 years ago?
I happen to think Charlie Angus is a bit of a maverick and he probably didn't get permission from Howard Hampton before going ahead, but I wonder if Howard's changed his tune now?
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