Congresswoman Doris Matsui Recognized for Having One of the Best Websites on Capitol Hill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 24, 2011
CONTACT: MARA LEE
(202) 225-7163
Congresswoman Doris Matsui Recognized for Having One of the Best Websites on Capitol Hill
Congressional Management Foundation Names Matsui Site Gold
Today, Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-05) was recognized for having one of the best websites on Capitol Hill and given a 112th Congress Gold Mouse Award. The award was given by the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF), a nonpartisan nonprofit working to improve communications between citizens and Congress and enhance operations in Capitol Hill offices. CMF has assessed and graded congressional websites and issued these awards since 2001.
Rep. Matsui is to be commended for educating citizens and achieving the highest degree of transparency and accountability in online communications, said Bradford Fitch, President and CEO of CMF. In the 21st Century, a website is much more than a broadcasting tool for a political message - it's a virtual office and a window into our democratic institutions. These winners of the Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze Mouse Awards understand the value of using the Internet to enlighten and serve constituents, and are examples for all congressional offices to follow, he said.
I am pleased to be recognized as a Gold Mouse Award winner because communicating with my constituents is an important priority of mine, and critical to representing Sacramento in Congress, said Congresswoman Matsui said. It is my hope that this award will help raise awareness about my website so that it will be an even greater resource for an increasing number of Sacramentans.
CMF conducted its analysis from June to September 2011 and today released its latest report, 112th Congress Gold Mouse Report: Best Practices in Online Communications on Capitol Hill. Of the 618 congressional websites graded, a total of 98 personal office, committee and leadership websites earned A's, and will therefore receive a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze Mouse Award. With the assistance and guidance of faculty from the University of California-Riverside, the Ohio State University, and Northeastern University, CMF staff assessed and graded the websites and gave each a numerical score, which was translated into a grade of A through F.
The criteria for website assessments have been developed and refined by CMF over the past decade based on survey research, focus groups with constituents, and interviews with key stakeholders to congressional offices. A total of 92 criteria were used to grade personal office websites, 66 criteria for committee websites, and 53 criteria for leadership sites. Reviewers assessed 10 categories of criteria: usability of website; timeliness of content; breadth and depth of information on issues; constituent services and casework information; promoting accountability to constituents; legislative process information; district/state information; floor proceedings information; availability of diverse forms of content; and availability of diverse forms of content channels. CMF reviewers also included social media components in the criteria.
To view Congresswoman Matsui's award-winning website click here.
Congresswoman Matsui is also on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.
To sign-up for Congresswoman Matsui's periodic e-newsletter click here.
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