New Study Demonstrates Importance and Impact of Digital Media in U.S. and European Policy Making

New Study Demonstrates Importance and Impact of Digital Media in U.S. and
European Policy Making
Trans-Atlantic Poll of Senior Congressional and Parliamentarian Staff Reveals
Regular Usage of Digital Tools to Research and Influence Policy, Reach
Constituents

NEW YORK, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new five-country study of senior
staff in the U.S. Congress and European Parliaments released today revealed
the influential role of online resources and social media networks in setting
policy and communicating with constituents in political capitals across the
Atlantic.

The poll showed staffers regularly access digital outlets and social media to
research, influence and set policy. Nearly every staffer (96%) uses online
resources for public policy research, more than half (54%) reported learning
of policy issues for the first time online and one in five (19%) actually
changed policy positions based on information and opinions they found online.

The Capital Staffer Index, conducted by StrategyOne and involving interviews
of nearly 400 senior congressional and parliamentarian staff in Washington,
D.C., Brussels, London, Paris and Berlin, revealed that social networks like
Facebook are becoming an increasingly important resource for staffers.

Sixty percent said they access the social medium for personal reasons, but in
addition, nearly one-third use it for communicating with professional
colleagues (28%), one in five (21%) to reach out to constituents, and one in
ten (9%) to research policy issues. In addition, blogs are an important
resource for staffers with two in five (39%) using blogs and social media
sites in the past 30 days to monitor news about issues and the same percentage
(39%) to monitor constituent opinion about an issue.

"When it comes to policy development and public affairs, we're seeing a
digital about-face as staffers and elected officials move from face time to
Facebook and other social media to research and communicate on critical
issues," said Jere Sullivan, Vice Chairman of Global Public Affairs, Edelman.
"Traditional communications and advocacy channels remain important and
effective in all countries, but the growing influence of online cannot be
overlooked and needs to be included in the mix of tools for communicating
about and forming consensus on important policy issues."

The survey clearly identified the growing importance of digital tools for both
communicating with constituents and for constituents reaching their members.
They noted websites have become ubiquitous in terms of their usage and
effectiveness in reaching constituents (82% feel they are effective) while
other outlets have also demonstrated their positive impact - online videos
(52%), blogging (46%) and micro blogging such as Twitter (22%).

In terms of the effectiveness in reaching their members of Parliament and
Congress through digital means, e-mail scored the highest at 87% effective
with Member's blog rated at 31%, Member's social network at 22% and
microblogs, such as Twitter, at 7%.

The study found that staffers are turning to social networks, blogs and
microblogs more regularly for personal usage (Facebook 60%, YouTube 52%,
Personal Blog 12%, Twitter 11%) than they are for professional reasons.
However, their usage patterns reflect receptivity to these tools and an
opportunity to increase usage for analysis, communicating with constituents
and reaching colleagues on policy issues.

"Currently, staffers are showing a willingness to embrace these digital
resources on a professional level which will allow them to build on their
effectiveness in communicating on policy issues," said Mike Krempasky,
Executive Vice President, Digital Public Affairs. "We were also encouraged by
the fact that our survey sample was of senior, tenured staffers who dispelled
the myth that digital is only used by younger entry level staff."

The Index revealed staff regularly utilize online information sources for
policy analysis and tend to turn to regional traditional online media outlets
first to start their days. However, a number of other dedicated regional
online sources emerged as an option with Google being the only outlet accessed
across all five markets as an analysis resource and the first site visited
each day.

Comparing the five markets, the study showed U.S. Congressional, EU and German
Parliamentary staff ranked highest in terms of their perceived effectiveness
and utilization of digital communications tools. The U.S. ranked first in both
categories, the EU staff second on effectiveness and third on utilization and
Germany third on effectiveness and second on utilization.

For more information and country-specific information, please visit
http://www.edelman.com/Capital_Staffers_Index.pdf

About StrategyOne

StrategyOne is a strategic research firm providing evidence-based stakeholder
insights, analysis and media measurement. StrategyOne is owned by Daniel J.
Edelman, Inc., the world's largest independent PR company, and specializes in
multi-country reputation, branding and communications research with offices in
New York, Washington, D.C., Paris, London, Chicago, Atlanta, and Silicon
Valley.

About Edelman

Edelman is the world's leading independent public relations firm, with 3,200
employees in 52 offices worldwide. Edelman was named PRWeek's "2009 Agency of
the Year," PRWeek's "Large Agency of the Year" (for the third time in the last
four years), and Holmes Report's "2009 Best Large Agency to Work For" and was
listed as a top-10 firm by Advertising Age in 2007 and 2008. Edelman owns
specialty firms Blue (advertising), StrategyOne (research), and BioScience
Communications (medical education and publishing). Visit www.edelman.com for
more information.

CONTACT:
Latraviette D. Smith
212.704.4530
latraviette.smith@edelman.com

SOURCE Edelman

Latraviette D. Smith, +1-212-704-4530, latraviette.smith@edelman.com