NPR: Networks Promise to Unshackle Their Debate Video

Networks Promise to Unshackle Their Debate Video

Another small victory for the citizen activists on the Web. They have convinced two more broadcast networks to make footage of presidential debates available on the Internet. ABC and NBC have joined CNN in allowing the video to be "legally shared, blogged, excerpted and put on sites like YouTube," MoveOn.org announced. Fox is still holding out. CBS is, so far, mum. (NPR already agreed to share tape of its debates next year.)

The New York Times' Caucus blog is amazed that conservative and liberal bloggers banded together to pressure the networks to open source the debates. They note that groups on the left like MoveOn.org joined with rightwing sites like Redstate.com. But we are seeing more of this cooperation. Both sides want the Internet to have a significant role in the 2008 elections, and if that takes a momentary truce, so be it. Both sides, for instance, are pushing Republicans to make sure that the GOP's CNN/YouTube debate actually happens.

There are, by the way, already more than a thousand questions for the Republican candidates waiting on YouTube for the debate to go forward. Remember the snowman at the Democratic debate? Over on the blog PrezVid, they found Santa Claus waiting for the GOP.

Watch Santa Claus ask the presidential candidates a question.

YouTube

- Robert Smith

10:45 AM ET | 08- 9-2007 | permalink

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