You Tube for NZ election debates

September 29th, 2008 at 9:40 am by David Farrar

Google has sent out a press release announcing their partnership with TVNZ for the election:

This morning, YouTube and TVNZ have announced a world-first political debate, where New Zealanders will be able to put questions directly to Prime Minister Helen Clark and Leader of the Opposition John Key via the ONE News YouTube Election Debate.

The leaders’ responses will be broadcast live on TVNZ’s flagship News channel, TV ONE, on October 14. ONE News’ Mark Sainsbury will moderate the 90 minute ONE News YouTube Election Debate, with three of New Zealand’s leading political journalists asking additional questions.

Starting today, YouTube users in New Zealand, and expats, can submit their questions at www.youtube.co.nz/debate.

This is the first time that a head of a national government and the challenger for the top job will appear in an official live televised debate, featuring video questions asked directly by people using YouTube. In the United States, two CNN/YouTube debates were held in 2007, featuring Democratic and Republican candidates. The debates married YouTube’s online video platform with CNN’s political coverage and broadcast reach, bringing candidates and voters together in a unique way.

This is a very good thing. In one sense it is what we did with the TVNZ 7 debate with InternetNZ on Internet issues – video questions were submitted in advance. But having You Tube and One News involved elevates it to another level.

People should start thinking about questions to ask. I suggest ones to both leaders that are not obvious attack questions will be more likely to get selected.

The only pity is the debate is on the same evening as the legendary Aro Valley Meet the Candidates meeting.

Tags: Aro Valley, Election 2008, TVNZ, You Tube

This entry was posted on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 9:40 am and is filed under Internet, NZ Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

8 Responses to “You Tube for NZ election debates”

Danyl Mclauchlan (1,040) Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 9:56 am
The only pity is the debate is on the same evening as the legendary Aro Valley Meet the Candidates meeting.

That’s a pretty tough call. Watching Stephen Franks debating a room full of hippies and anarchists is going to be rare fun.

[DPF: Yeah I think I will record the TVNZ debate. ]
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Turpin (342) Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 10:13 am
I hope you ask Stephen did he agree with Key and The National Party’s voting for the anti smacking bill and why?
Further you could ask
Did he think ordinary Kiwi parents have justification not to trust National and Key for helping vote in the anti smacking bill.
further you could ask.
Is there ever a time when voting on principle is the right thing to do?
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stephen (4,063) Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 10:20 am
These were at The Standard (‘oh no!’) for their ‘interview the leaders’ series – in this case I quite liked the last one:

General question: Of which of your achievements in politics are you most proud?

From Darryl: Under the last National government most people’s wages fell and the gap with Australia increased by 50%. Under Labour wage growth has been strong and the gap with Australia has remained static. How can National therefore claim any credibility to campaign on the wage gap?

From Nicholas O’Kane: Can you give one issue, where you hold a view that is unpopular with the New Zealand public, that you are not willing to compromise your position on, even if the refusal to compromise on that position may cost you many votes in the election?

http://www.thestandard.org.nz/key-refuses-to-answer-your-questions/
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Bryce Edwards (248) Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 10:34 am
This is a natural forward step – it’s good to see. Such innovations indicate how democracy and wider debate can better be served by technological advances.

However I would hope that the Youtube leaders debates are not limited to just Key and Clark, with the other leaders shunted off to a separate debate. This is a multi-party election, and we desperately need to see lots of different parties and ideas up against the two main leaders. If not, this positive democratic innovation could end up being a denial of democracy.

Bryce
http://www.liberation.org.nz
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Turpin (342) Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Great question Nicolas
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side show bob (3,660) Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 11:03 am
By the time I watch the youtube debates the bloody election will be well and truly over. Never mind, satellite broadband comming in three or four weeks.
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stephen (4,063) Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Broadband wired directly into our BRAINS in a few weeks once Labour and National are done throwing money around.
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big bruv (11,200) Says:
September 29th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Sad to see that these debates are going to be before a live audience and moderated by Sainsbury.

Sainsbury is weak, dear corrupt leader will get away with murder, far better to have somebody like Sean Plunket or even Paul Holmes host these debates.

The live audience is a joke, it ends up being full of socialist low life who think that yelling and screaming is going to help dear corrupt leader.
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