From broadcast to netcast: The Internet and the flow of political information

This thesis examines the effect of the Internet on the flow of political information. Case studies and an online survey test the hypothesis that the Internet is altering the political communication structure in the United States. The current Broadcast Structure, distinguished by the unidirectional redistribution of information by the press from organizational issue-networks to public social-networks, is found to be giving way to a new Netcast structure. This structure is distinguished by an omnidirectional flow of information that bypasses the press as an informational intermediary and provides new opportunities for political participation among privileged groups.;The hypothesized shift from a Broadcast to Netcast structure is tested using case studies of the Internet and one of the first online surveys. Case studies include analysis of the MN-Politics electronic mailing list, the alt.politics.homosexuality Usenet newsgroup, an online petition to protect PBS funding, and campaign activity on the World Wide Web. The online survey measures the demographics, usage, and political activity of citizens and organizations obtaining White House electronic documents.;The thesis finds support for ten hypothesized effects on the flow of political information. The hypotheses are derived from the unique properties of the Internet as a communication medium and the literature on political, social, and economic behavior. (1) An all-channel structure connecting active and attentive citizens, political organizations, government, and the press produces (2) disintermediation, turning traditional intermediaries into information brokers. (3) Virtual organizations arise around shared interests rather than shared geography, (4) integrating social networks and issue networks. The ability to redistribute digital information and maintain weak-tie networks promotes (5) propagation of information and contributes to (6) an increased volume of information and (7) the integration of personal, broadcast, and network media. The importance of education and income for Internet usage and political participation produces (8) a bias in favor of high-resourced individuals and organizations. Anonymity and the ability to deliver targeted, customized messages produces (9) heterogeneity in information sources and (10) the replacement of broadcasting with narrowcasting. There is some evidence that the Internet is increasing political participation among economically- and educationally-advantaged political agents.