Archive
Year: 2009
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New FH Study Reveals Extent of MEPs Digital Communication With Voters
May 18, 2009
Fleishman-Hillard, one of Brussels’ leading public affairs and communication agencies, analysed data from 110 MEPs representing 26 Member States to create the first ever study on the digital habits of MEPs. The full results and analysis of the survey can be read online at www.epdigitaltrends.eu...
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Do MEPs tweet, blog and Facebook? We find out.
May 18, 2009
Image via Wikipedia Today we launch the results of our European Parliament Digital Trends Survey - www.epdigitaltrends.eu It examines how Members of the European Parliament are using the internet to communicate with their voters as well as how the same MEPs use the internet to inform their daily legislative work. As such, we hope that the results are interesting both for MEPs and for Brussels public affairs practitioners. In summary MEPs are using the internet...
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Social in Sweden? Yes, if it is social media.
May 15, 2009
In Sweden it’s also interesting to note the proliferation of the use of social media. All main candidates, irrespective of their political belonging, are using blogs, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to interact with potential voters on the Internet. The US presidential election campaign in 2008 is a source of inspiration and all Swedish candidates are eager to imitate Obama’s success in campaigning through social media. Swedish MEPs’ willingness to embrace digital communication channels is a...
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Illegal downloading ignites spark in Swedish election campaign
May 15, 2009
Until a few weeks ago the Swedish Piracy Party was unknown among most Swedish voters. Likewise few Swedes were aware of the upcoming elections to the European Parliament. The Pirate Bay verdict and the Telecoms Package changed all that. On 14 April the founders of Pirate Bay, an internet file-sharing service, were sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay about 3 million euros in damages to entertainment companies for having violated copyright...
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To Twitter or not to Twitter?
May 14, 2009
Can Twitter be used for advocacy? Well Pat Cleary, our resident digital public affairs guru at Fleishman-Hillard Washington D.C. has been converted to the cause following a recent legislative campaign for one of his clients. In the article attached he speaks to the National Journal about his experience of how the tool can help in advocacy towards legislatures. James National Journal Twitter Story...
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A brief definition: digital
May 12, 2009
Public Affairs 2.0 uses the word 'digital' a lot. It's a term used frequently in the Public Relations and Public Affairs business, but it is not immediately clear to someone unfamiliar with our specific lexicon. Digital does not mean 'digital' as in a digital calculator, or a digital watch, or a digital screen. For people in PR and PA, digital means communications over the internet. Fleishman-Hillard's global digital team offers this definition: Digital Communications (n...
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Welcome, The Lobby
May 11, 2009
We welcome another public affairs agency into the blogging world; Grayling EU has launched 'The Lobby'. While possibly mistaken for the title of John Grisham's next book (if only Brussels were so exciting), we eagerly await The Lobby's contributions to the Brussels Blog-Bubble...
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Enterprise underlines Commission’s naked ambition
May 11, 2009
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/profile?v=gFsQPfazBx0&user=eutube] I am sure this video shall spark debate, as I guess it is supposed to. Alas the story would have been so different had Sarah passed the concours. Is it me or is the idea of the Commission putting out a video (even a good one) to promote careers in the private sector ironic on so many levels? James...
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2009: A European Odyssey (into French online media)
May 8, 2009
French Europhiles always complain that the media never report anything (positive) about the European Union. In Le Point this week, the Chief Editor argues that " it is a well-known fact in press circles: put the word ‘Europe’ on first page or on a TV debate and you will only make readers and viewers change page or channel”. It tends to be true most of the time. Of course, you can read once a month about...
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What did Pottering really say?
May 7, 2009
Pottering's calm voice may be able to hide his emotions, but we found a nifty digital tool to unmask his true sentiments. Wordle creates "beautiful word clouds" (their words, not ours) based on a text or website that one inputs. It identifies the most often-used words and makes them larger to show their repetition. What did Pottering talk to the European Parliament about? Public Affairs 2.0 should also face up to it's own obsession. We...