This document analyzes Twitter use during the 2010 Australian Federal Election. It finds that Twitter served as a space for commentary on political events and personalities rather than policy discussion. People used Twitter to engage with politicians, journalists, and other Australians with similar political interests. The election conversation on Twitter engaged over 36,000 unique users and 415,000 tweets, showing how the platform facilitated an online community around a shared political interest.

1. Twitter: Journalism and the
formation of online communities
A case study by A Brun and J Burgess on the
2010 Australian Federal Election and the use
of Twitter.

2. Introduction
• Twitter has become a standard element of
general Internet usage in Australia.
• It’s involvement in the 2010 Australian Federal
Election became a space for the general
Internet users in Australia to provide
commentary on political events and the
media.

3. What was Twitter used for? #ausvotes
• People provided commentary on political events, the
media and largely focused on the personalities of the
race rather than policy.
• Communicate and engage with political parties,
politicians, politics, journalist and other like-minded
Australians.
• A space to share feelings and opinions.
• Creation of a community based around a mutual
interest, where people with the same intentions have
come to share their opinions on the Australian
Election, as well as seeking information.

4. A professional space? #ausvotes
• An of journalists signed up to Twitter such as
@LaurieOaks, @michellegrattan and @
lenoretaylor
• Julia Gillard and Tony both opened Twitter
accounts for this election (both are still today).
– A tweet from Gillard the election wrote “"The
election will be on 21 August. With your I will
move Australia forward. JG”

5. Examples of #ausvotes Tweets:
• ''i don't want to vote for either of them after watching this
crap #middleclassnightmares #ausvotes”
• crazyjane13: “Dear Mr Speaker, Please excuse Wyatt from
Parliament today. He has a cold. Signed, Wyatt’s Mum.
#ausvotes.”
• benbirchall: “Nobody’s in charge, Australia! Let’s eat the
condensed milk out of the can! #ausvotes.”
• adzap: “It will truly be the death of chivalry if none of these
independent men offer their seat to a lady. #ausvotes.”
• RT @mikfrawley: “RT @oldspace Hello Australia. Look at
your parliament, now back at me. Sadly, it isn’t me, but it is
hung like me. #ausvotes.”

6. Brun and Burgess
• “explicit form of publicness”, which invites
attention from other participants in the
#ausvotes conversation.
• A conversation that engaged 36 287 unique
Twitter users and 415 009 Tweets

7. Class discussion:
• Is providing commentary a form of journalism
in the microblogging sphere?
• Opinion writing is journalism so is this form of
microblogging in 140 characters not a form of
journalism too?
• Is the Twittersphere considered a form of
citizen journalism?

8. Just a platform to throw around what’s
on your mind?
• It’s a platform where people are able to
interact with the process of journalism rather
than journalism itself.
• Mapping the on-goings of the campaign rather
than reporting news.
• One tweet can undermine what is being said
by a politician, giving us an honest
perspective.

9. Activity
• Spilt the room down into FOUR groups; journalists, general public, Jane
Jones and John Smith.
• We want you to REACT the way your group would do so in the following
situation, using the Twitter format of 140 characters. Add #mdia5003 and
@reply or reTweet at least one other Tweet made by someone else.
• Pretend it’s the lead up to a Federal Election in our fictional country
“land”, it’s John Smith up against Jane Jones once again. During the public
debate John Smith swears, not in a derogatory way towards anyone in
particular, he simply says the F-word. He is talking about his views on the
proposed National Broadband Network, and how they should be scrapped
to pay aid to those affected by the “Northern State” flood.

10. References:
Websites:
• Birmingham, J (14th August 2010), In cyberia, all the twitters is not gold, Sydney Morning Herald online;
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/in-cyberia-all-that-twitters-is-not-gold-20100813-1239q.html
• Bourke, L (29th July 2010), Twittersphere Day 11, Sydney Morning Herald online;
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/twittersphere-day-11-20100729-10wih.html
• Bruns, A., (27th July 2010), All a-Twitter on the campaign, Sydney Morning Herald online;
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/all-atwitter-on-the-campaign-trail-20100727-10tl9.html#ixzz23lyljmWr
• Delaney, B (29th July 2010), Our virtual selves linger on, long after we’ve shuffled off, Sydney Morning Herald
online;
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/our-virtual-selves-linger-on-long-after-weve-shuffled-off-
20100728-10w1w.html
• Maley, J (7th August, 2010), Twitter, the new kid in town with all the hot goss..er, news, Sydney Morning Herald
online;
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/twitter-the-new-kid-in-town-with-all-the-hot-goss--er-news-
20100809-11rmu.html
• Menzie’s House, Top 5 #ausvotes Twitter Posts, Menzie’s House blog online:
http://www.menzieshouse.com.au/2010/08/top-5-ausvotes-twitter-posts.html
Articles:
• Bruns, A. and Burgess, J. (2011), ‘#ausvotes: How Twitter covered the 2010 Australian Federal Election’ in
Communcation, Politics and Culture, Volume 44, Issue 2, RMIT Publishing: Australia, pages 37 – 56.
• Java, A. Song, X., Finin, T. and Tseng, B. (2007), ‘Why we Twitter: Understanding microblogging usage and
communities’ in Proceeding, ACM Publishing: New York, page 56 – 65.
• Lasorsa, D. L., Lewis, S. C. and Holton, A., E., (2012), ‘Normalising Twitter: Journalism practice in an emerging
communication space’ in Journalism Studies, Volume 13, Issue 1, Routledge: UK, pages 19 – 36.