Voters use Internet more, big role seen in 2008

VOTERS USE INTERNET MORE, BIG ROLE SEEN IN 2008
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Jeremy Pelofsky]
Americans turned in growing numbers to the Internet for political news and information during the 2006 U.S. congressional campaign, as Web videos and blogs became more widespread, a report on Wednesday said. Fifteen percent of those surveyed said they relied on the Web for the bulk of their political news in 2006, up from 7 percent in the 2002 congressional campaign but down 2 points from 2004, when there was also a presidential race. Presidential contests tend to draw more intense interest. "We might begin to see 2008 as the year when the distinction between 'virtual' politics and 'real life' politics becomes much less meaningful," said Lee Rainie, director of the Pew Internet Project and co-author of the report.
http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID...

See "Election 2006 Online"
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/199/report_display.asp

* Internet Gains for Midterm Campaign News
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TECHBIT_POLITICS_ONLINE?SITE=MATA...