NPO 2.0? Exploring the Web Presence of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in Canada

This paper maps the web presence of environmental nonprofit organizations (ENPOs) in Canada. It focuses upon a sample of 43 websites which were examined in April/May 2009. All of the websites belong to member organizations of the Climate Action Network-Canada, a peak ENPO with collaborative networks...

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Main Authors: Josh Greenberg, Maggie MacAulay
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Saint Paul University 2009-01-01
Series:Global Media Journal: Canadian Edition
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.gmj.uottawa.ca/0901/v2i1_greenberg%20and%20macaulay.pdf
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author Josh Greenberg
Maggie MacAulay
author_facet Josh Greenberg
Maggie MacAulay
author_sort Josh Greenberg
collection DOAJ
description This paper maps the web presence of environmental nonprofit organizations (ENPOs) in Canada. It focuses upon a sample of 43 websites which were examined in April/May 2009. All of the websites belong to member organizations of the Climate Action Network-Canada, a peak ENPO with collaborative networks in the United States and Europe. Our interest is in examining the extent to which the online activities of ENPOs correspond with a ‘broadcast’ paradigm—based on the principle of one-way information flow—or a two-way ‘dialogical’ paradigm of communication. Special attention is given to addressing the use of social media technologies (Web 2.0) by these ENPOs, including Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds and blogs. The findings interrogate the tension between instrumental and dialogical forms of communication. They also demonstrate that although there are cases of effective web-based communication by ENPOs, most are not leveraging the potential these technologies afford for constituency engagement, relationship building and conversation. The findings contribute to scholarship on nonprofit communication, environmental communication, social media and public relations.
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spelling doaj.art-e3169eff949c4d21b7c07430cfd915b72022-12-21T23:08:28ZengSaint Paul UniversityGlobal Media Journal: Canadian Edition1918-59012009-01-01216388NPO 2.0? Exploring the Web Presence of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in CanadaJosh GreenbergMaggie MacAulayThis paper maps the web presence of environmental nonprofit organizations (ENPOs) in Canada. It focuses upon a sample of 43 websites which were examined in April/May 2009. All of the websites belong to member organizations of the Climate Action Network-Canada, a peak ENPO with collaborative networks in the United States and Europe. Our interest is in examining the extent to which the online activities of ENPOs correspond with a ‘broadcast’ paradigm—based on the principle of one-way information flow—or a two-way ‘dialogical’ paradigm of communication. Special attention is given to addressing the use of social media technologies (Web 2.0) by these ENPOs, including Facebook, Twitter, RSS feeds and blogs. The findings interrogate the tension between instrumental and dialogical forms of communication. They also demonstrate that although there are cases of effective web-based communication by ENPOs, most are not leveraging the potential these technologies afford for constituency engagement, relationship building and conversation. The findings contribute to scholarship on nonprofit communication, environmental communication, social media and public relations.http://www.gmj.uottawa.ca/0901/v2i1_greenberg%20and%20macaulay.pdfNonprofit OrganizationsCivil SocietyNGOsSocial MediaWeb 2.0EnvironmentalismClimate Change
spellingShingle Josh Greenberg
Maggie MacAulay
NPO 2.0? Exploring the Web Presence of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in Canada
Global Media Journal: Canadian Edition
Nonprofit Organizations
Civil Society
NGOs
Social Media
Web 2.0
Environmentalism
Climate Change
title NPO 2.0? Exploring the Web Presence of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in Canada
title_full NPO 2.0? Exploring the Web Presence of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in Canada
title_fullStr NPO 2.0? Exploring the Web Presence of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in Canada
title_full_unstemmed NPO 2.0? Exploring the Web Presence of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in Canada
title_short NPO 2.0? Exploring the Web Presence of Environmental Nonprofit Organizations in Canada
title_sort npo 2 0 exploring the web presence of environmental nonprofit organizations in canada
topic Nonprofit Organizations
Civil Society
NGOs
Social Media
Web 2.0
Environmentalism
Climate Change
url http://www.gmj.uottawa.ca/0901/v2i1_greenberg%20and%20macaulay.pdf
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AT maggiemacaulay npo20exploringthewebpresenceofenvironmentalnonprofitorganizationsincanada