EU lawmakers warm up to online media: Survey 

96% of political staffers use the Web to forge public policy, according to the Capital Staffers Index, a transatlantic analysis of digital media’s impact on shaping policy presented in the European Parliament last week. 

Over half (54%) of all staffers said they first learn about policy issues online, according to the survey, which covered senior government personnel in EU capitals and Washington, D.C. 

One in five (19%) said they change their policy positions on the basis of online research.

However, while only 13% of respondents said MEPs are very effective at blogging, for example, only 7% underlined the high effectiveness of inbound digital communications, meaning much of MEPs' blogs do not trigger debate with constituents, one of the survey analysts noted.

Social media 'opportunity' 

Indeed, despite high levels of Internet awareness, many officials still prefer traditional text or graphics-based websites for professional applications, and primarily embrace Web 2.0 innovations like blogs, wikis, video, social networks and podcasts only for personal use. 

"There is a significant opportunity to help staffers to better employ the social media tools they are already using," the survey concluded. 

Although the majority of respondents said they use social networking websites such as Facebook and new media such as YouTube on a personal basis (60% and 52% respectively), over a third said they do not use either service at all.

Professionally, staffers use Facebook to connect with colleagues (28%) and communicate with constituents (21%), while some use YouTube to research policy issues (19%). "New media are changing how politicians communicate with the public and vice-versa," Welsh Labour MEP Derek Vaughan told participants during the launch of the servey.

"I’m certain that politicians and their staff will look to digital media in future, with new ideas like online advice surgeries and digital conferences. There are lots of things that politicians and their assistants could look at," Vaughan said. 

The majority of survey respondents, however, said they do not use personal blogs (80%), Twitter (83%), LinkedIn (83%) or MySpace (91%) at all.

Nevertheless, the researchers concluded that digital tools can play an effective role in public affairs communication, with websites and emails widely accepted by professionals and public alike, and advanced social media like online videos and blogs gaining in acceptance, "especially in terms of communicating to constituents".

MEPs communicating online 

Traditional means of online communication dominate the digital media strategies of assistants in the European Parliament, with three-quarters identifying websites as most effective in this regard and 30% declaring them "very effective". 

Nevertheless, 62% of MEP assistants consider online videos an effective means of communicating, compared with blogs and micro-blogs at 45% and 27% respectively. 

As for constituents, email remains by far and away their most effective means of contacting their MEP (87%). 

New media tools like blogs (31%) and social networks (22%) trail behind here, perhaps reflecting their relative low level of usage by EU assembly staff themselves. For Jere Sullivan, chairman for global public affairs at Edelman, the results show that "these are no longer just passive tools". 

"When it comes to policy development and public affairs, we’re seeing a digital about-face as staffers and elected officials move from face time to Facebook and other social media to research and communicate on critical issues," Sullivan said. 

"Digital communications is no longer just a young man’s game," he added, expressing his belief that "the digital advocacy gap will get narrower each year". 

"I'm not suggesting in any way that the old public affairs is being replaced, and face-to-face meetings still come out on top. But digital communications help complement and leverage all this," Sullivan explained. 

Rise of dedicated online services

"While policy framing is still dominated by traditional media outlets" like the BBC, the New York Times and Le Monde, "many dedicated online sources are beginning to emerge," the survey found, identifying Politico in the US and EurActiv in the EU as primary among these. 

In the European Parliament, for example, 79% of MEP respondents said they use news websites on a daily basis to conduct policy research, ahead of printed newspapers (69%) and TV news (66%). 

"Digital has started and the prevailing wind is coming from the US. It's cheaper, more environmentally-friendly and more effective," Edelman's Sullivan told the Parliament event. 

The survey also found that EurActiv is MEPs' most trusted online source for policy analysis. 

Commenting on the survey, Welsh Labour MEP Derek Vaughan said "many of us use online surveys, and have websites and blogs. I don't use a blog because I don't know what I'd say every day, but many of my colleagues do". 

"Many people don't buy newspapers any more and look elsewhere for their news," he added. "The better you target your information, the better your chances of it being read." 

Despite this assessment, Vaughan warned against neglecting established communication channels. 

"I cannot ignore traditional media like newspapers, magazines and TV, because only 60% of the Welsh have broadband access." 

Jere Sullivan, vice-chairman for global public affairs at Edelman, said the survey shows that "traditional communications and advocacy channels remain important and effective in all countries, but the growing influence of online cannot be overlooked and needs to be included in the mix of tools for communicating about and forming consensus on important policy issues". 

"Currently, staffers are showing a willingness to embrace these digital resources on a professional level, which will allow them to build on their effectiveness in communicating on policy issues," added Mike Krempasky, Edelman's executive vice-president for digital public affairs. 

"We were also encouraged by the fact that our survey sample was of senior, tenured staffers who dispelled the myth that digital is only used by younger entry-level staff," Krempasky said. 

EurActiv CEO Rick Zednik said the survey shows that "the change in media use is permanent," adding: "If you've got a website, it's a start, but you need an audience. You get this by providing content on a timely basis." 

"In the EU space, there isn't the legacy as the media brands and channels haven't been around that long. The European communication space is still at a nascent stage," Zednik said.