In announcing an "official" US government YouTube channel GSA is touting the potential of new media technologies for public outreach, something it sees as a means to augment limited website budgets at agencies.
GSA has signed legal agreements with Facebook, MySpace, Flickr, YouTube, Vimeo, Blist, Slideshare, AddThis and blip.tv, and says it is in discussions with other providers that offer free new media services authorizing agencies to use these services as part of their missions however they see fit.
"Many government websites lack a dedicated budget," said Martha Dorris, GSA’s acting associate administrator of the Office of Citizen Services and Communication.
"The use of new media helps attract the attention of audiences who choose to consume content in new ways and on new venues," she added.
GSA is still grappling with the implications of what these websites could mean to agencies — it said the USA.gov website that it runs is using new media to encourage people to call a phone number — so it will be up to agencies and programs to find a use for Twitter "tweets," Facebook.com groups or YouTube channels.
However, one promising use is to cultivate online communities of, for example, likeminded or sympathetic students to an agency mission or cause who could eventually be recruited for government positions.
