Le Web 3 : Politicians and blogging

So instead of debating blogging and democracy, Le Web 3 was subverted by two french political presidential candidates into a party political pitch.

 Loic Le Meur (the organiser and avowed booster of Nicolas Sarkozy) invited Francois Bayroux this morning to an unadvertised meeting with no press where he did a short speech and took questions. This afternoon Nicolas Sarkozy turned up an did a party political broadcast and was then swept of the stage to talk to the press, so much for the power of blogging.

The whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I realise that the second day had a section devoted to politics but it feels like the whole thing was subverted by Loic to serve his own political agenda. The lack of parity of esteem for the two candidates (no press or translation headsets for Bayroux, full press and headsets for Sarkozy) told the lie of this debate.

If politicians want to embrace the very active blogging community they are going to have to engage them as equals all of who have a more or less powerful ability to broadcast and interpret what they hear. We are no longer a voiceless TV constituency who must consume an endless stream of toothless platitudes.

We have a voice and we can use it to expose these soundbite set pieces which is what Sarkozy’s event at Le Web 3 turned out to be.