Political Influence: Advocacy Groups vs. Political Parties

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Political InfluenceAdvocacy Groups vs.
Political Parties

• By
• Joshua Gibson
• Tom Huszcza
• Jack Molina

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• The increased usage of the Internet allows
  political entities to develop new ways to rally
  support for their organizations.
• Online resources will be used primarily for
  reinforcement by those citizens who are already
  active and well-connected via traditional
  channels, wrote Norris (Norris 218). However,
  Advocacy groups are more to benefit from these
  channels.
• This report is intended to analyze the potential
  benefits of the Internet for both political
  parties and advocacy groups.

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• Political Parties
• Political parties dominate the current marketing
  structure.
• Parties are able to use their established
  notoriety to gain financial backing and put more
  emphasis on their agendas through the media.
• The Internet will benefit political parties as
  their specific platforms can be navigated and the
  information siphoned at the individuals
  discretion without predetermined order such as a
  televised news show.
• Norris theory (developed in the earlier stages
  of technology), actually support why additional
  access points for political ideas may benefit
  advocacy groups.

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• Advocacy Groups
• Traditional media formats are geared to provide
  information that will be relevant to the largest
  percentage of viewers and thus are dominated by
  large and well-funded political parties.
• Advocacy Groups, which are generally smaller and
  have less financial backing often find themselves
  competing for airtime in the media.
• Advocacy Groups can provide a more coherent
  forum of mobilization than large, individually
  removed political parties.

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Conclusion

• The Internet has been immensely grown through
  surges in connectivity and usage in the last
  decade.
• As citizens become more aware of cyberspace
  navigation techniques, more information will lye
  at their fingertips.
• Both political parties and advocacy groups
  should expect to see their particular influences
  and support grow through the availability of
  Internet.

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Questions????