Four months into the job, Mr Barr's media advisers now stand alongside TV news cameras, video taping his comments on the news of the day. The content is packaged in videos posted to his social media accounts, presenting only the government's preferred message.

Where Ms Gallagher was known for wide-ranging, all-in "doorstop" interviews, Mr Barr appears to prefer smaller media events or interviews where he can pick the journalist.

In tactics more like state premiers and federal politicians, Mr Barr also has begun using paid promotion for video content on Facebook, putting his message in front of more potential voters.

On the day he took office in December, the 41-year-old gathered the small Assembly press corps at a construction site in Braddon.

With the mandatory hard hat and high-visibility vest, he described Canberra as "confident, bold and ready", standing before a backdrop demonstrating the construction happening around the city.

A day earlier, Labor members visited Turner Primary School, emphasising education and debuting the new strategy to come.

Assembly politicians regularly deal with a range of outlets, but daily press conferences usually attract just a handful of reporters. Government media releases are sent to at least 240 journalists, public servants and staffers, according to a distribution list used this year.

On at least one occasion, journalists from the Canberra Times have been excluded from press conferences, a move the Chief Minister defended on Twitter. It followed a series of stories about Education Minister Joy Burch that angered Mr Barr.

Last Friday he posted a new video to Facebook, speaking directly to the camera about a new Qantas maintenance base.

His backdrop for the 15 second video was a Boeing 717.

There are fewer of the media conferences traditionally held in the Legislative Assembly courtyard. Preferred by Ms Gallagher, Mr Barr is said not to like the format. When he does speak to reporters, the locations have less predictable backdrops and are chosen to emphasise the government's message.

During the Enlighten Festival in March, Mr Barr embraced the quirky side of social media. At an event for users of Instagram, a photo sharing application, he posed for TV news with a cat who has more than 7000 followers on the site.

Before speaking about the GST in New Acton last month, Mr Barr said paid promotion of videos online could reach a larger audience than Canberra's AM radio stations.

So far his videos have attracted between 200 and 1700 views and topics such as drinking taps, the University of Canberra and zoo animals.

Comments on the posts show some users like what they see, with one declaring Mr Barr was "cute and handsome as usual". Similar content appears regularly on his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Government media advisers don't follow a written social media strategy. The promoted videos, which can cost as little as $10, are paid for by Mr Barr personally.

"Social media is an incredibly important tool in communicating with a broad range of constituents, particularly younger people and the growing number who do not engage with traditional media," Mr Barr said via email.

"Quality video content is becoming increasingly easier to capture with basic equipment. My picture and video posts generally use digital cameras and smart phones."

Online video expert Dave Collins of production company Angry Chair agreed videos suits younger demographics.

"By posting content to social media, where young people are, politicians are taking a step in the right direction. It increases transparency and authenticity in every sense, more than a photo or words. But it makes you vulnerable if you mess it up," he said.

"To help build your credibility, your production value has to be at least half decent. There needs to be a reason for the video you are posting."

Asked how the tactics could be used ahead of next year's ACT election, Mr Collins said social media can win votes.

"Video is extremely shareable. That can be a good thing, but it can also go very badly."