YouTube, PBS Want You To "Video Your Vote"
Teaming up to monitor polling places, with best and most interesting user uploaded videos featured on the network.
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/15/2008 6:40:00 AM
YouTube continues to expand its presence in the political life of the nation, this time to become a polling place watchdog.
On Wednesday, the Google-owned video site announced that it was teaming with PBS to provide a platform for videos on voters' election-day experiences.
But in addition to the platform, they will provide the tools as well. PBS and YouTube will distribute 1,000 flip video camcorders to "nonpartisan nonprofits" and local PBS stations to capture polling place activities.
The Video Your Vote initiative is meant to document experiences, good and bad, from "thousands of precincts across the country," according to YouTube.
If there are problems with access to polling places or other efforts to hinder voting, PBS wants to know about it so they can analyze and comment on them.
PBS will then feature some of the videos on the Election Day broadcast of the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, as well as, potentially, in other PBS election coverage on the air and online.
YouTube has become the home of ads and videos for both campaigns, as was well as mash-ups, parodies and other commentary.
The Election Year That Was...On YouTube
11/02/2008PBS’ The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer Going HD
12/11/2007Jordan Hoffner
06/15/2009
