CNN to host YouTube presidential debates
Cory Bergman June 14th, 2007
Calling it the “first-ever voter-generated presidential debates,” CNN announced today it will host two debates that will feature video questions submitted by users through YouTube. Select YouTube users will also be part of the audience. After the debate, the questions will be edited together with the answers and posted on YouTube. “For the first time in the history of presidential debates, voters from around the country will be able to ask the future president of the United States a question in video form and hear the answer,” said YouTube CEO Chad Hurley. The debates — which are scheduled for July 23rd and September 17th — will also be streamed live and archived on CNN.com. YouTube users can start submitting questions today right here. Press release link after the grab…
PRESS RELEASE — CNN, the most trusted news source, and YouTube, the leading online video community that allows people to discover, watch and share originally created videos, today announced plans to bring two unprecedented presidential debates to the American public. For the first time in presidential debate history, the live forum will feature video questions submitted to YouTube which will be broadcast and answered by the candidates on CNN. CNN’s Anderson Cooper will moderate the two-hour debates and pose follow-up questions.
The Democratic debate, the first Democratic National Committee-sanctioned presidential forum of the 2008 election cycle, will be held at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C., on Monday, July 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. (ET) and will air live on CNN. The Republican presidential forum hosted by CNN and YouTube will take place on Monday, Sept 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. (ET) in Florida.
Starting today, YouTube users will be able to submit their questions at www.youtube.com/debates.
CNN will produce the televised events and will select the questions used in the debates. Select YouTube users will be among the live audience.
“YouTube enables voters and candidates to communicate in a way that simply was not possible during the last election,” said Chad Hurley, CEO and co-founder of YouTube. “For the first time in the history of presidential debates, voters from around the country will be able to ask the future president of the United States a question in video form and hear the answer.”
“These debates take the bold step of embracing the ever-increasing role of the Internet in politics,” said Jim Walton, CNN Worldwide president. “The inclusion of the massive online community enables these debates to engage more viewers – and potential voters – than ever before.”
YouTube will feature special debate coverage on its “You Choose ’08” platform and its Citizentube political channel before and after the debates. Immediately after the debates, user questions and candidate answers will be featured prominently on YouTube where people can interact with the content through YouTube’s community features, extending the life of the debates.
In addition to the live airing on CNN, the debates will appear on CNN’s multiple platforms. The events will be simulcast on CNN.com, CNN International, CNN en Español, CNN Radio and CNN Airport Network. CNN.com’s Election Center, available at www.CNN.com/ELECTION, also will provide extensive coverage and analysis of the debates, including behind-the-scenes reports, podcasts and on-demand video, including the entire debates in streaming and downloadable formats. The broadcast of the debates also will be made available to all CNN Radio affiliates worldwide, with special coverage available on Headline News and to CNN Newsource affiliates.
23 Comments Add your own
1. steve garfield | June 16th, 2007 at 7:29 am
I just visited the YouTube website, expecting to be able to look at all the questions submitted by people to the Democratic CNN*YouTube Debates.
They don’t have it set up so you can easily find the submitted videos.
If you click the submit button, you’ll see that you are presented with a list of your videos.
This means the the videos are public, just not officially organized by YouTube.
That’s easily fixed by publicizing a TAG for everyone to use on their videos. CNNYOUTUBEDEBATES seems reasonable to me.
I just did a search:
No Videos found for ‘cnnyoutubedebates’
That’s unique enough to allow us to see everyone’s submissions. let’s use it!
[ Comment cross posted from techpresident ]
2. thomasloiselle | June 24th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
i think ought to throw all of those people in office out and start all over again with new bunch
3. JAMES JOHN | June 27th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
OBAMA IS GONNA LEAD THIS COUNTRY TO ITS BEST.HE IS OF THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE. NOT BECAUSE OF HIS SKIN COLOR MAKES YOU THINK HIS NOT FIT TO MAKE A BIG CHANGE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF US ALL.IF YOU PICK ANOTHER CAUCASSIAN THEN THIS COUNTRY WILL CONTINUE TO FALL IN DEEP DISASTER. BE WISE AND MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE BY VOTING FOR OBAMA.
4. JAMES JOHN | June 27th, 2007 at 9:21 pm
HILARRY IS FAKE AND DOES NOT EVEN BELIEVE IN HER SELF… SHE DOES NOT CONNECT WITH CITIZEN,THEN HOW THE HECK IS SHE SUPPOSED TO LEAD US
5. PAT CROWE | July 2nd, 2007 at 1:02 pm
After your election, on what date and at what time will you begin to withdraw troops from Iraq?
6. ADAM PARKER | July 4th, 2007 at 2:20 am
It is clear that the vast majority of Americans want no part of a long and protracted war in Iraq. I wonder why none of the Presidential candidates have not suggested that the U.S and all it’s coalition partners ask the United Nations to take over complete control over the continued “building” of Iraq, whilst the current forces withdraw completely - including vacating all basis. Surely, the U.N. could man itself with non-alligned troops - who will not be seen to be occupiers, but instead keep the peace whilst rebuilding and training of various Iraqi bodies, groups and N.G.O’s take place.
It seems that none of the Candidates are trying along the lines withdrawing, because withdrawal seems to indicate a defeat! Surely, the killing must stop and that must be the overiding consideration.
Furthermore, is there any of the candidates willing to bring and end to the occupation of Palestine by Israel?
Hamas does NOT need to recognise the state of Israel in order to live in peace with them. Yasser Arafat DID recognise the State of Israel more than a decade ago. It got him no nearer to a peaceful solution - so why make an issue of it?
7. Esteban Leon | July 7th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
I believe that this online debate is a very bad idea, because it may cause fake videos and also can cause confusion between the people is too hard to decide which candidate to vote for by the internet, i believe it could only be for help in advertisement ads, just that but for a debate.
I don´t think the internet is ready for presidential debates of any country, i would suggest to do the debates on major news networks, local tv statios and cable stations.
Esteban Leon
Caracas Venezuela.
8. Con-sir-end | July 8th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Considering that as Peace Officer/ Law enforcement personnel you have to be mentally evaluated for your position and also when you discharge your weapon. Should the President (Commander in Chief) and Secretary of Defense, who are has all the power at their expense to destroy lives be under the same type of evaluation?
A question for all who would like to lead…
9. Con-sir-end | July 8th, 2007 at 9:53 am
Civil servants, serves the will of the people, they are randomly doled and doled also when an incident occurs to test whether they were in the right frame of mind and was not of the influence. Should the President and her/his cabinet be doled on a regular basis to ensure that our leaders are of sound mind and judgement and not creating a hostile environment for all concerned?
A question for all who would like to lead…
10. owen rebbe | July 8th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
is there any way for a text question to be presented tothe candidates. We don’t all have webcams.
11. blaise kolokolo | July 10th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Hi, my question is for all democrates specially to Bill Richardson.
Mr.Richardson with all my respect, I think in 1996,1997 you were in Kinshasa ,Democratic Republic of Congo my country with a message from Bill Clinton US president at that time.The message to the dictator Mobutu asking him to quit (live the power).After Mobutu until now Congo is at bloodly war that has cost about 4 millions deaths.
Now my question is to know what was then your(democrate) plan for this country?
Thank you.
12. JACK BRIGGS | July 16th, 2007 at 4:56 pm
i just have one question ? why should i vote for them when they can’t do the job now they are being paid for?
thank you jack nebraska
13. Albina Gerych | July 20th, 2007 at 11:00 am
The illegal issue seems to center around Mexican’s but
any law passed would benefit any person from Iraq,
Pakistan, Afganistan etc. Are you willing to give amnesty
to all illegal’s?
14. Albina Gerych | July 20th, 2007 at 11:00 am
The illegal issue seems to center around Mexican’s but
any law passed would benefit any person from Iraq,
Pakistan, Afganistan etc. Are you willing to give amnesty
to all illegal’s?
15. dolores stephens | July 22nd, 2007 at 11:14 am
a question for all candidates….WILL YOU PROMISE NOT TO USE SIGNING STATEMENTS
TI IMPOSE YOUR WILL/
16. Stan Morris | July 22nd, 2007 at 2:00 pm
I would like all candidates to answer if they define transparency in government as failure to secure our borders for forty years and failure to inform the American people they weren’t doing their job?
17. Doris Worthington | August 2nd, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Would you vote for a Bullet Control Law!
Gun themselves don’t kill unless it’s loaded with bullets.
With today’s micro tech a serial number on a bullet would let you know who and where that bullet was bought, regardless of who used it. You have to load a gun with bullets before it can be used to kill.
You don’t need a manufactured gun to fie a bullet, you can kill or mane a person with a zip-gun (stick, cloth-pin and a rubber band) or pop-gun (small pipe, nail, rage and hammer).
Manufactured guns don’t kill unless it loaded with bullets. In a country of high tech everything micro chip this and global tracking micro chip in your pet micro strips in the money that can be seen with satellites tracking, bullet control is possible.
We need a bullet control law and and you will see crime go down.
Doris Worthington
Chicago, Illinois
(773) 483-0817
18. Sheila Bryan | September 4th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Republican candidates: Have you read the conditions of the North American Union, and the Security and Prosperity Partnership? They are blending of both Canada and Mexico with the United States, connecting their economies, as well as their borders. How do you believe this will effect our United States Constitution?
19. Bob | September 20th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
The population of California has increased more than 50%
in 30 years. All of that increase is due to immigration.
Because of this increase, our schools are deteriorating,
our medical system is overrun, and our prison system is
in chaos. We are unable to maintain our freeways and
our crime goes up while our paychecks go down. We are
facing power and water shortages. Are there any polititions with the courage to address the problems due
to immigration? Do any of them even care.?
20. immanuel | September 21st, 2007 at 3:47 am
American need a president that will continue from where BUSH stops,especially the iraq saga,since terrorism has become a global threat. IMA .FROM Nigeria.
21. Richard Dixon | October 21st, 2007 at 2:23 pm
Why did the government decide to attack and stay in Iraq?
If someone had seriously studied the history of the political factions in Iraq and determined what we were up against, an intelligent person would never have given the go ahead no matter taking wmd into account.
Our government (for many years) has ignored the immigration problem by not enforcing the law. Now we have one hell of a problem with no easy solution.
Deficit spending by the government is destroying the economy of the USA. The dollar is worth nothing and continues to devaluate. An individual can´t spend more
than he makes, but the government seems to think
that they can. Are we facing the rise and fall of the
Roman Empire with the decision makers in Washington?
22. ROBERT SWEANEY | October 26th, 2007 at 11:00 am
when will we be able to submit questions for the Republican debate to be held in St Petersburg Florida on November 28th 2007?
23. sandyhakes | January 31st, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I could not believe the Republican debate Jan. 30 with Anderson Cooper as moderator. Finally, Huckabee stated that he would like to be considered as one of the candidates in the debate last night - same with John Paul.
Look at tape yourself to see that this was a twosome debate.
WHY DO YOU NOT ASK QUESTIONS THAT ALL = ALL CANDIDATES WILL ANSWER IN A SPECFIC AMT. OF TIME AND KEEP IT TO THAT TIME - OBVIOIUSLY, THAT SEEMS TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT TASK OF A MODERATOR. ALSO, THE SAME QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ASKED TONIGHT, AT THE DEMOCRATIC
DEBATE TONIGHT - TO GIVE US AN ACROSS THE BOARD ASSESSMENT. I would appreciate it if you would inform me that you received my comments. Thank you.
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