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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
September 2, 2008
Contact: Gia Storms
(212) 669-4813; (917) 626-6757
Release # 033 – 2008
GotBlog? Public Advocate Gotbaum Launches New Office Blog
Public Advocate blog will give New Yorkers access to more government information
Visit the Public Advocate's Corner
MANHATTAN – Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum today launched a new blog to help her office communicate more directly with New Yorkers and open doors to city government. The blog, called, Public Advocate’s Corner, will provide “insights, information and issues from New York City’s Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum,” as well as allow New Yorkers to voice their opinions on relevant city issues. Betsy Gotbaum is only one of a few elected officials to embrace new media technologies, and the only citywide elected official to start a blog.
The Public Advocate launched her blog on the first day of school in order to provide extra support for parents struggling to get information and answers during the first weeks of school. Gotbaum encourages all New Yorkers to visit the blog and post their opinions and comments. The blog can be accessed at www.publicadvocatescorner.com.
Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum said, “Our office exists to remove the barriers to accessing city services and increase transparency in city government, so starting a blog seems like a no-brainer. It is also a great way to let more people know what I’m working on and what I care about, as well as hear from New Yorkers about issues that concern them most.”
Public Advocate’s Corner will offer content that is unique from the office’s website – weekly posts on how to better access city services, Betsy Gotbaum’s views on various public policy initiatives, guest posts from advocates and leaders from various fields – as well as provide a forum for discussion about current New York City issues.
Betsy Gotbaum is the Chair of the City’s Commission on Public Information and Communication (CoPIC), which is charged with, among other things, making recommendations on new technology to improve access to the city’s government information, including city cable offerings, and publishing a data access directory. Gotbaum’s blog will follow other technological innovations in New York City over the past decade, such as 311, improved information delivery, and text message notification systems.
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