GUWAHATI, April 19 – For the first time ever, Lok Sabha elections in Assam have drawn large online audiences, with many news websites getting large number of visitors. The Assam Tribune’s already popular website is among those that have seen an increase in the number of visitors. The fact that the website assamtribune.com is a reliable source of news update to scores of people from Assam living away from the State, has contributed to its increased appeal.
A resident of Virginia, Ankoor Roy with roots in Assam, is among those who have been following developments on the paper’s online edition. Even though he cannot vote, he remains interested in the political trend of the region.
Some other news portals have also caught the attention of the news-hungry media, including those, which have been dispensing political news exclusively. One of them, the borakvalley.com has collated a number of news reports on the region, sourced from different sources.
Among the interesting developments is a rise in the number of blogs maintained by people based in Assam or abroad, which have focused on the elections and issues that have figured. But unlike in the case of some other regions, most of the materials made available are from secondary sources, thus somewhat limiting their appeal.
“It appears that political commentators are yet to air their voices on blogs compared to their counterparts in other states...it is a space that is waiting to be filled,” said KK Sarma, an academic.
Not just information, visuals of election-related events and incidents have also made their way to the web. Demotix, a citizen website based in London, has started to feature photos of the election. A number of photos of Guwahati-based lensman S Bhattacharya are now on show providing the audience with a feel of the election fever.
Away from public eye, some discussion boards are also alive with debates on the Lok Sabha elections in Assam, where voters and non-resident Indians from the State are taking part. “It is interesting that people who cannot vote are so animated about the elections,” said Asma, a netizen from Guwahati.
The news of the elections in Assam on the Internet could have a spill-over effect on some other spheres as well. Some believe that news of a peaceful election would help the State improve its image among potential tourists and businessmen who gather their information from the World Wide Web.
Source: Assam Tribune
A resident of Virginia, Ankoor Roy with roots in Assam, is among those who have been following developments on the paper’s online edition. Even though he cannot vote, he remains interested in the political trend of the region.
Some other news portals have also caught the attention of the news-hungry media, including those, which have been dispensing political news exclusively. One of them, the borakvalley.com has collated a number of news reports on the region, sourced from different sources.
Among the interesting developments is a rise in the number of blogs maintained by people based in Assam or abroad, which have focused on the elections and issues that have figured. But unlike in the case of some other regions, most of the materials made available are from secondary sources, thus somewhat limiting their appeal.
“It appears that political commentators are yet to air their voices on blogs compared to their counterparts in other states...it is a space that is waiting to be filled,” said KK Sarma, an academic.
Not just information, visuals of election-related events and incidents have also made their way to the web. Demotix, a citizen website based in London, has started to feature photos of the election. A number of photos of Guwahati-based lensman S Bhattacharya are now on show providing the audience with a feel of the election fever.
Away from public eye, some discussion boards are also alive with debates on the Lok Sabha elections in Assam, where voters and non-resident Indians from the State are taking part. “It is interesting that people who cannot vote are so animated about the elections,” said Asma, a netizen from Guwahati.
The news of the elections in Assam on the Internet could have a spill-over effect on some other spheres as well. Some believe that news of a peaceful election would help the State improve its image among potential tourists and businessmen who gather their information from the World Wide Web.
Source: Assam Tribune
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