Social Networking and Constituent Communication: Member Use of Twitter during a two-week period in the 111th Congress

The Report: Social Networking and Constituent Communication: Member Use of Twitter During a Two-Week Period in the 111th Congress



Location: R40823





What do you learn:
Obviously the most interesting CRS report this week. You had to know that when Twitter ,which is one of the world biggest social networking sites, was used by United States Senator Chuck Grassley to get a point across to President Barrack Obama that Twitter is now part of our political media food chain. Since 1995 the way members communicate with politicians has changed from "snail mail" to last year where 200 million emails were sent to Capitol Hill Offices. In the same time period, the amount of regular letters has dropped 50%

The study looked at a two week period and 1,187 congressional tweets averaging about 85 member tweets per day. One period of time that congress was in session (July 26- August 1) and one that it was not. (August 9- August 16) Of the 158 members of the Senate and House Registered on twitter there were about equal registration rates between each chamber 29% of all House members and 31% of all senators. Of that Republicans dominated both survey populations in the number of "Tweeters" (64% GOP to 36% DEM) and "Tweets" (74% of all tweets in session were sent by House Republicans) This was all despite being in the minority of each chamber.

The members are apparently being followed on their Twitter accounts members have total 1,733,065 followers and the average represenatative had 1,617 followers, but of those 1,187 tweets that were followed in the study only 17 (1.4%) were direct responses to other tweets.

The bizzare fact:
Restauant Associates the house dining vendor tweeted the following

It's Panini Week in the Cannon Cafe! Today's featured panini
is Chicken Parmesan. Buy a Panini and get a free 16oz drink all
week.

One had no idea the Cannon Cafe ever had specials.