An investigation of journalists' use of the candidates' websites in the 2004 presidential election in Taiwan

Some attention has been paid to the implications of on-line campaign to the voters, but little attention has been given to how candidates' campaign websites may affect reporters' information gathering routines during the campaign. The adoption of the web technology seems to change the relationship between political campaign practitioners and journalists. This investigation was designed to gain insights on what factors may influence journalists' use of the web as a news gathering tool. Drawing upon the somewhat limited research to date about journalists' use of the web, this study also seeks to explore how relationship with the campaign organization affected journalists' use of the websites.