Social media comes to Town Hall, residents freak out

There's an interesting story developing in Portland, Oregon. Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler is looking for a Social Media Coordinator to communicate the local government's activities using tools like blogs, Facebook, and Twitter. Predictably -- and unfortunately -- many area residents are appalled. If the public outcry is any indication, Wheeler may find himself Tweeting from the unemployment line following the next local election.

Wheeler says there's more to the newly-posted job than meets the eye -- that it's actually a very important senior level communications position. "It is top-level strategy and content," he told local news channel KGW. "If this was just social networking, my wife and I could do it without further assistance."

Locals aren't buying it, though. They claim that as people face a sagging economy and massive unemployment, the last thing the government should worry about is social media. Blogger Jennifer Cloer disagrees and says this is exactly the time governments should be pulling out all the stops to connect with the people they serve.

"I found the negative responses extremely shortsighted," writes Cloer. "And not because I work in PR and social media, but because I’m an American citizen and want to be able to both monitor my government’s actions and engage on issues important to me. Social media brings this opportunity to every American citizen."

Wheeler's underlying goal is to reach out to residents and keep them in involved in local issues. Kudos to the government for being willing to think outside the box and use tools designed to encourage two-way communication. Traditional media is on the decline so it's time for a new approach and since the social-media-as-marketing concept is still relatively new, it's a good idea to hire someone who knows what they're doing.

Furthermore, simply relying on newspapers or local news shows isn't a guarantee your message will be heard. Consider what a 19-year old quoted in the article had to say about how plugged in he is (or, isn't, actually) with the world around him. "I don't watch a lot of TV so I'm kind of out of touch with a lot of news and stuff, so [Twitter] would be a good way to keep in touch, I guess."

Wheeler's plan to find a Social Media Coordinator demonstrates his willingness to try new tactics when the old ones stop working. The residents of Multnomah County may not like the new way the message is delivered, but they ought not shoot the messenger.