New Statesman

in association with

New Media Awards Atos Origin

TheyWorkForYou

www.theyworkforyou.com

TheyWorkForYou is a volunteer-run website that makes it easier for members of the public to "keep tabs" on their member of parliament. Noticing the impenetrable nature of Hansard - the publicly available transcript of everything said in the House of Commons - the creators of the site developed an online tool that enables people to search the document more easily. In addition, it is possible to link to and annotate individual comments. As a political reference device, it makes the work of the Commons more transparent. Launched last summer, the site came into its own during the run-up to this year's general election and has been used extensively by citizens and those in involved in politics alike. The judges were unanimous in feeling that TheyWorkForYou was the nomination that has done most to contribute to civic society in the UK.

Vehicle Licensing Online

www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk

Vehicle Licensing Online (VLO) is one of the UK government's best-kept secrets. It is a government agency website that not only works well but also uses technology to greatly improve services. Instead of queuing at the Post Office to renew your tax disk, ensuring first that that you have selected a registered outlet and, then, that you have brought all the correct documents, drivers can now complete the whole process online using this site. The VLO service is simple, specific, and easily understood. If it were imitated in other areas, the public could really be turned on to the possibilities of e-government. In every way, VLO has used new media to both improve efficiency and modernise a service that affects a huge cross-section of society.

This award goes to the elected representative who best uses new media technology to communicate with the electorate. This award is open to councillors, MEPs, MPs, MSPs and members of the Welsh Assembly. For the first time in the history of the New Statesman New Media Awards, the judges have decided not to award a winner in this category. After much discussion and thought, they agreed that none of the shortlisted nominations deserved the accolade. Some of the elected representatives have made massive efforts in creating an interesting online presence. But it was recognised that they have done so with little official help, and mostly by being in a fortunate enough position to draw upon the technical and communication skills required. The result is a postcode lottery for citizens who wish to discover and communicate with their elected representatives online. There have been some efforts to redress this balance: ReadMyDay and Councillor.info are just two examples. But there is still more that needs to be done. The judges believe that elected representatives need more support, training and advice to help them use this media more effectively. In doing so there is a real opportunity for the UK to lead the way in communication between the representative and the represented.

Noise Mapping

www.noisemapping.org

The Noise Mapping England Project is the first stage of the development of the National Ambient Noise Strategy (NANS). The project aims to gather information on the ambient noise climate in England, determining the number of people affected by different levels of the noise, the source of that noise (ie, road, rail, air or industry) and the locations of the people affected by it. The London Road Traffic Noise Map was created as part of this project, providing online interactive maps of London with noise levels (in decibels) marked in coloured gradations. The user can search for data by postcode, street name, national grid or noise map grid reference. The scheme puts information previously unavailable into the hands of the public, and its potential benefits are enormous, particularly when partnered with other mapping information. As well as fusing several different new media technologies in an innovative way, Noise Mapping provides an immediately understandable service that can make a real difference to society.

Brookmans Park Newsletter

www.brookmans.com

Brookmans Park Newsletter is no stranger to the New Statesman New Media Awards - it has been selected as runner-up and winner in previous years - and has once again triumphed over the competition. Run by David Brewer, this site, which serves the community of North Mymms in Hertfordshire, is highly comprehensive, well designed and easy to use. As well as basic information on local schools, elected representatives and the deliberations of the parish council, it also has up-to-date news, features written by locals, a forum, suggested walks and information on local wildlife. It has become a centre point for community life through the quality of content provided and has established itself as a constant and reliable voice in the locality.

Phoneanything

www.phoneanything.com

The PhoneAnything Voice Portal provides UK land line and mobile phone users with voice access to standard internet pages, mobile internet content, internet radio and e-mail. Created and run by Stefan Haselwimmer, the service is available to anyone in the UK by dialling the local rate telephone number: 0845 333 0845. There are no registration fees or subscription charges to use the service and you do not need an internet-enabled phone to access content. In addition, PhoneAnything has developed a corporate service for website owners which was trialled last year by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Both services maximise access to information, particularly for the blind and visually impaired, and prove that you do not have to have a computer or monitor to "view" the web.

24 Hour Museum - City Heritage Guides

www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/cityheritage

The 24 Hour Museum is the UK's National Virtual Museum, promoting publicly funded UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions. As part of this service, the 24 Hour Museum City Heritage Guides were commissioned by Culture Online, part of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. There are currently ten city guides providing a wealth of cultural information, bringing together news, local history, and local museum listings. Each guide is a fantastic educational experience presented in an engaging and exciting way, encouraging users to visit the cities covered. In addition, users are invited to submit their own experiences and stories, enriching and informing our cultural heritage. The site uses new media to educate in a great variety of ways - not only for searching, aggregating and presenting information, but also for building communities through the contribution of individuals.

Pressureworks

www.pressureworks.org

Pressureworks, produced by Christian Aid, describes itself as "a website for a TV/consumer generation that's tired of being lied to". It aims to use "the tools of popular culture . . . to wake the world up". The site provides tools and tips on how to campaign for peace, economic justice, the root causes of poverty and basic rights for all. This is the ideal starting point for anyone wanting to make a difference, whether in the G8 summit protests, the Make Poverty History campaign, or more generally. Stylish, powerful and informative, it embraces new media - and the unique potential it offers - to bring its messages to a wider audience.

Photographs by Daniel Deme.