ATLANTA - CNN plans to stage a new sort of presidential debate, featuring questions submitted via Web powerhouse YouTube.

The companies announced Thursday they will collaborate on two debates — the first on July 23 for Democrats and the second on Sept. 17 for Republicans.

People can submit video questions through YouTube now, and CNN will sift through submissions to choose which ones to use.

What remains unknown is whether the CNN/YouTube combo will amount to a mere gimmick or breathe life into the staid world of televised debates.

CNN certainly thinks it's a good idea.

"These debates represent a giant leap forward," said Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. "What we are excited about here is the fact that no debate has ever had the potential of being more inclusive."

While YouTube remains best known for goofy videos of people doing rather stupid things, the site is a growing player in politics. Last year, the campaign of former U.S. Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) was tainted when a video of him using the word "macaca" to describe a man of Indian descent showed up on YouTube. The New York Times, noting the Allen brouhaha, dubbed 2006 the "YouTube Election."

Since then, YouTube has tried to lure more political junkies and candidates for office. A sub-area, called YouChoose, is a repository for the videos of presidential candidates. Chad Hurley, CEO and co-founder of YouTube, said 17 candidates are on YouChoose.

YouTube also has a section called CitizenTube for videos from average folks.

David Bohrman, Washington bureau chief for CNN, said the notion of using YouTube sprang from a desire to reach more people. The plan needed many sign-offs, starting with top CNN insiders.

"We took the crazy idea internally, then to YouTube," Bohrman said.

Financial terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

CNN has tried new tactics to keep pace with the rising use of the Web. CNN.com is a popular site, for example. The company also offers video streams via CNN Pipeline and asks viewers to send images under an initiative called I-Report.

Of course, CNN could have used its own Web site to lure people to submit questions for the debates. But the choice of YouTube is a reminder of just how much the Google-owned site has secured a place in modern culture.

"This just helps to amplify the amount of attention and traffic to both our TV network and our online site," Klein said.

Teaming with YouTube lets people know that CNN is "technologically savvy and understands where people who want information are going these days," he said

Read full article on chron.com

---

Last update : 18-06-2007 10:09