New politics section debuts on msnbc.com

Cory Bergman August 6th, 2008

The snazzy “Decision ‘08 Dashboard” features extensive politics coverage, live votes, interactive data maps, the latest FirstRead blog posts and embedded NBC News video, all in one place. More details in the release below. (Full disclosure: I work for msnbc.com.)

REDMOND, Wash. – August 6, 2008 – Today, msnbc.com unveiled its “Decision ‘08 Dashboard,” a one-of-a-kind destination featuring expansive politics coverage, exclusive multimedia features, live votes, the latest FirstRead blog posts, interactive maps and world-class video from NBC News. Consumers can dig in to the Decision ‘08 Dashboard, available at politics.msnbc.com, for the day’s political news as well as for special reporting from the campaign trail, live video streaming from both the Democratic and Republican conventions and up-to-the-minute coverage from the convention floors in both cities. The new design is a continuation of msnbc.com’s award-winning brand initiative aimed at delivering a fuller spectrum of news.

“Our users deserve a place where all the political information they need is at their fingertips, in whatever form they prefer, whether the latest video or a detailed statistic,” said Russ Shaw, deputy editor, news at msnbc.com. “We also value their conversation about politics and this site will offer a great community experience for those who want to express themselves and learn from others.”

Consumers are empowered to construct their own news experience on the Decision ‘08 Dashboard. The new, visually distinctive design allows them to customize the page by arranging sections as they prefer.

· “Top Stories” presents original stories and the latest breaking political news.
· The “Video” section features all of NBC News’ top politics-related videos in one place.
· The easy to navigate “Maps & Info” section presents users with the tools to explore rich demographic data about the nation or any state.
· The “Blog” section features FirstRead, and delivers the best insight on the day’s political news.
· The “Live Vote” section, powered by Newsvine, enables consumers to share opinions and see where their vote fits, in real time, on the political spectrum. Newsvine is msnbc.com’s social media news site.
· The “Features” section showcases msnbc.com’s special series, exclusive interactive tools, and coverage from National Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek and other partners.

According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center,* more consumers get their political news from msnbc.com than any other online site. One out of every four people surveyed who said they got their campaign news online named msnbc.com. Of the hundreds of sites users mentioned as sources for political news, msnbc.com was the only site to get over a 25% response.

To experience a fuller spectrum of news, consumers can visit the new politics.msnbc.com.