Does the Scottish Executive listen?

I reported last January that the Scottish Executive was denying its officials the ability to access blogs from its internal office system. That remains the case today.

Since January, however, blogs have increasingly become part of mainstream political dialogue. The recent party conferences included bloggers - to a greater or lesser extent - in their communications strategies: the BBC reported:

"The three main parties are falling over themselves to woo this new breed of political blogger, offering computer facilities, background briefings and even access to big name politicians.
For Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats it is not just about appearing to be on top of the latest media trend - or showing how open to debate and criticism they are.
It is about getting a toe-hold in a medium which has been growing in influence at Westminster.
Far better, the thinking goes, to have a sympathetic blogger telling the world what you are up to than an off-message maverick internet voice, or a journalist writing for a newspaper which might have its own agenda."

The leader of Her Majesty's Opposition even has his own blog (here), and at least one of the UK cabinet ministers also dabbles (here).

In the circumstances, I wonder why the Executive is so terrified of allowing its officials to access blogs.

And, while we are on the subject of technology, I have noted that the Executive has embraced podcasts, even although virtually nobody listens to them (see here). But podcasts are a top-down communications medium. Is it not time that the Executive offered a little more interactivity? Or are they only interested in preaching to the peasants and not in listening to them?

The sad thing is that nobody in the Executive will read this post - for the reason stated in the first paragraph above. Well, hell mend them...