Tuesday, July 15, 2008

GQ versus Cosmo

There are two new sites dedicated to politics. The first, also with a street publication, Total Politics seems more aimed at the more male end of the market perhaps. It is a lifestyle magazine for those working in politics and is very much about the nuts and bolts of politics. June Sarpong, ex-T4 presenter among other things, has created an online rival Politics and the City. More feminine and fluffier, Clare Staples blogs through the eyes of her dog, June blogs her appearance on Andrew Marr and coming soon will be the Minogue sisters. The links are predominantly the sort of content that would attract Heat/Cosmo readers and not those of the Economist etc. Iain Dale's Total Politics is much more serious and oriented towards those active in politics; Sarpong seems to be talking more to the women in the street. But will these find a wider audience, in particular will Sarpong manage to get women interested in politics? Given that the students who take my political communication option in October will most likely be predominantly female I will be interested in their evaluation of the site and how it compares to others (not sure about the lipstick though).

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