FAST FACTS:
(Memphis 6/26/2009) The campaigning has already begun. And it looks like many candidates will try to "tweet" and "face-book" their way to the top job at City Hall.
We logged onto some of the candidates Facebook pages tonight. The familiar folks already have quite the following, but we also found some new faces gaining fans of their own.
You've probably never heard of Greg Graber, but according to the Facebook page he just launched he already has more than 100 followers.
"Isn't that what we always say we want in this country? More choices more people?" said Lurlene Kelley, an Asst. Broadcast Professor at the University of Memphis.
From the unknowns..to the familiar...the mayoral candidates are quickly showing up on social networking sites, making "friends" very quickly.
'Draft Jim Strickland for Memphis Mayor' boasts 500 followers in one week. 'Friends of A C Wharton' has more than 1300. And with just months to campaign for votes....
"I think someone who's good at using social media, if [it doesn't] get them elected, it could at least cause a lot of problems for the established candidates, at least in splitting votes," said Kelley.
From Carol Chumney to Kemp Conrad to Myron Lowery, fans post words of encouragement now, but some say just wait until this race really heats up.
"The good thing about social networking is, everyone has a voice. The bad thing about social networking is everyone has a voice," said New Media Consultant Rachel Hurley.
She says Memphis politics can get dirty... and news on these sites travels quickly.. even when it's not true.
"One thing its taught us is to be more discerning with information we're taking in," she said.
But both say the pros outweigh the cons. At the very least, it gets voters talking about the issues.
"Because so many people are talking about it, bringing up so many different points, I am going to pay more attention, I'm going to click on those news stories that are going on," said Hurley.
- Mayoral candidates are on Facebook
- New faces are creating their own following
- Could have an impact on election
(Memphis 6/26/2009) The campaigning has already begun. And it looks like many candidates will try to "tweet" and "face-book" their way to the top job at City Hall.
We logged onto some of the candidates Facebook pages tonight. The familiar folks already have quite the following, but we also found some new faces gaining fans of their own.
You've probably never heard of Greg Graber, but according to the Facebook page he just launched he already has more than 100 followers.
"Isn't that what we always say we want in this country? More choices more people?" said Lurlene Kelley, an Asst. Broadcast Professor at the University of Memphis.
From the unknowns..to the familiar...the mayoral candidates are quickly showing up on social networking sites, making "friends" very quickly.
'Draft Jim Strickland for Memphis Mayor' boasts 500 followers in one week. 'Friends of A C Wharton' has more than 1300. And with just months to campaign for votes....
"I think someone who's good at using social media, if [it doesn't] get them elected, it could at least cause a lot of problems for the established candidates, at least in splitting votes," said Kelley.
From Carol Chumney to Kemp Conrad to Myron Lowery, fans post words of encouragement now, but some say just wait until this race really heats up.
"The good thing about social networking is, everyone has a voice. The bad thing about social networking is everyone has a voice," said New Media Consultant Rachel Hurley.
She says Memphis politics can get dirty... and news on these sites travels quickly.. even when it's not true.
"One thing its taught us is to be more discerning with information we're taking in," she said.
But both say the pros outweigh the cons. At the very least, it gets voters talking about the issues.
"Because so many people are talking about it, bringing up so many different points, I am going to pay more attention, I'm going to click on those news stories that are going on," said Hurley.
