Political Commentary, Web 3.0 Version
7th May 2008
Posted in: The Internet
Written by: Ali Gledhill
Avid viewers of Prime Minister’s Question Time, like myself, are now spoiled for choice over how to enjoy the weekly spectacle. One can watch live on BBC Parliament, BBC 2’s Daily Politics and (I think) Sky News. If you cannot make midday on Wednesday, it is available to view through the BBC’s iPlayer, and excerpts are often embedded in many websites.
Multi-tasking is now required to get the most out of PMQs; some of the blogs now provide top-notch commentary on events in Parliament. Iain Dale’s weekly comment has recently been boosted with the introdution of a video response, this week with Steve Richards from the Indy. ConservativeHome’s Cameron-centric liveblog has been overhauled with more use of the Cover It Live software that has shown itself so much lately. The moderated comments add little insight into proceedings, but are a useful enough diversion from Brown’s monotone.
For real flavour, though, Guido’s liveblog is well worth a read. Again using Cover It Live, commenters can spew all kinds of vitriol and bile to a receptive audience. Unlike the Dear Leader, Guido responds to readers’ requests. One such suggestion was for an instant poll on BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson. Is this the future of political commentary, or is it just an enjoyable diversion from the mainstream media?
