*** Local elections and the Internet ***

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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What effect do you think the Internet is having on the up coming
2004 elections? Do the candidates care or understand it?

The Internet has become a very powerful tool for the "minority"
of the people in the DR to spread information. Two years ago
it was primarily the middle classes, but that's changing as more
and more people have access to the Internet locally.

Certainly the last few days have really opened up peoples eyes
here, especially the two recent newspaper hacks.

I wonder if any candidates have active web marketing people that
actually understand how viral and online marketing works?

Lots of questions, just curious to peoples thoughts on how the
Internet may effect the outcome...
 

Squat

Tropical geek in Las Terrenas
Jan 1, 2002
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My feeling is that most people here only see what internet looks like on AOL or MSN commercials in cable tv... They still take their news from FM broadcast. However, a small part of people are online, and yes, they won't believe the hype ! I wish this could contribute to open the eyes of dominicans about PRD crooks, and understanding better how economy works....
Most young people that go online usually use hotmail and msn messenger to send jokes to their friends, or love letter... Girls go to univison.com...
I wish people would use the internet to read thru the lies of "bank-controlled" media down here...
 

Chris

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Oct 21, 2002
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Very little effect, I think - unless the sites are promoted through conventional media for education. People still read newspapers here and depend on television for news.
 

Keith R

"Believe it!"
Jan 1, 2002
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Chris said:
Very little effect, I think - unless the sites are promoted through conventional media for education. People still read newspapers here and depend on television for news.
Actually, Chris, you'd be surprised at how few Dominicans read the newspapers, esp. for the news. The circulation of the dailies is not that high as a percentage of the adult population, and it overlaps (i.e., some of the people reading one daily in the morning are reading a second in the afternoon).
TV, radio and "street buzz" have a far greater impact. Anybody here remember when a Dominican diplomat told someone at a party in the US a few years back that Castro was dead but that the Cuban government was keeping it a secret, and how this fabrication was instantly reported as "news" in DR papers, TV, radio & street rumor within 24 hours? ;)
Regards,
Keith
 

DCfred

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Jun 19, 2003
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Things are starting to change. I've gotten many emails from people in Sto Dgo wanting to know what is being said here in the press about Banintergate. More and more people realize that the media there is very late in reporting news, and that there is a climate of fear...sounds like Venezuela last year.
 

Ken

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Jan 1, 2002
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I think like Keith R. Radio, street talk and TV still seem much more important than the internet for the lower income voters. And given the financial crunch being experienced by nearly everyone, I'm thinking time spent on the internet is now much reduced for a large percentage of those who surf the internet as opposed to using a computer strictly for work.

Also, I think that those likely to be influenced by the internet were probably those who have always considered the alternatives when voting. That large group of voters that traditionally votes the party line has few computer owners.
 

Jon S.

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Jan 25, 2003
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I believe, just like the rest of the posters here, that radio, TV and word-of-mouth are the most effective way to spread the news in the DR. The internet down there is now starting to spread a bit but when I was there it was mostly the upper and middle class people who had access to it. Just to show how effective the radio is down there, I can give the example of the "maremoto" back in 1998 after Hurricane Georges. People were paranoid after the hurricane did its damage and people started thinking that a "seaquake" (is there such a word?) was coming. The first, and in my opinion, most efficient quickest station to spread any news at the time was 95.7 FM and then everyone was tuned in at 4:30 AM. People living beyond the Mirador Sur park were scared and were all camping out on the park. The news weren't real but as a medium, radio and TV are king in the DR..........
 

Keith R

"Believe it!"
Jan 1, 2002
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Jon,
The maremoto scare of 1998 is a pretty good example of what I was talking about. I was living in the DR at the time (near the Mirador Sur, in fact). My next door neighbors received a call in the middle of the night (one hears such things when you sleep with your windows open!), shortly after which there was much commotion next door and they all jumped in their car and drove away. We thought it strange, but just assumed that they had received that middle-of-the-night call we all dread about a relative in the emergency room somewhere...It wasn't until the next morning we found out it was a relative phoning them from San Pedro de Macoris, warning them to get out to avoid the maremoto. And it seems that half of the city had gotten similar calls. Luckily, we had been spared such a call. This was word of mouth in action....

BTW, it was silly for our neighbor to run. Where we lived was probably far higher than any wave would have reached!

Regards,
Keith
 

Jon S.

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Jan 25, 2003
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Even my mother got up and woke me up. My whole complex was awake. All I could say to her was "go to sleep mom, You can't predict earthquakes" and that's we all did afterwards
 

Tico

New member
May 29, 2003
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Oh my God, I remember that!!

My sister who lives in Moca, called me at 3:00 am in NY to ask if the "maremoto" news was true. She said that everyone in SPM was scared to death. She asked me if I had heard anything in the news.

I was awake for about 90 mins waiting for news on the upcoming dooms day. Afterwards we all laughed until we turned blue. It was amazing how that prank spread like wild fire all over the country and beyond.::classic:

Tico
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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My wife,our family,and ALL THE NEIGHBORS took to the streets!

I stayed calmly in my bed! My wife came up from the street and begged me to come down!I told her that we lived on the highest point in Santo Domingo,that I peferred to "Die With Air-conditioning",and that If a "Tidal Wave" was coming it was better to be inside!They stayed outside till the sun came up Cris colon;)
 

bochinche

Bronze
Jun 19, 2003
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Tico said:
.... It was amazing how that prank spread like wild fire all over the country and beyond......

.....i'm not sure it was a prank.
i did hear (and i have no idea if it is true) that it was all an elaborate plan, in that whilst many families were worried out of their minds in mirador sur, several gangs were coolly robbing the poor unfortunates homes.
- if that was true, it was ingenious!
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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Let's get this back on topic. I would prefer some of you start a new thread rather than hijack one...