A New Communication Age

As I watched election coverage last night, I was keenly aware that I was witnessing an astonishing piece of history in the making, not only from a political perspective, but also from a communications viewpoint. The announcers on both CNN and FNC, kept referring to Obama’s rise from relative obscurity to winning the Democratic nomination, and eventually becoming president-elect, as fueled by an Internet strategy and groundswell. It seems the torch has been passed from TV to the Web.

After the networks confirmed his victory, I watched Obama address a throng of people gathered at Grant Park in Chicago. It reminded me of another young president — John F. Kennedy — and another communications era. I was only in seventh grade when Kennedy was elected, but I can remember sensing his charismatic powers even at that young age. At that time, everyone thought it would be impossible for a Catholic to be elected president of the United States, but he proved the pundits wrong. Many people pointed to the power of television as shaping the outcome of that election, and the famous televised Nixon/Kennedy debates as the turning point in that political contest. Now it appears the pivotal power of the Web will be the key to future election success – even the Republican right acknowledges that.

No doubt, television and other traditional media will continue to play an immensely important role in many elections to come, but the most important and most powerful network is the people’s network powered by pervasive Web technologies and strategies. That seemed a forgone conclusion at precisely 10 PM CST last night, and delivered, ironically enough, on television.