7 sitting ducks in a row
The penultimate Aras ’11 debate took place today in Google H.Q. Newstalk teamed up with Google and used Youtube as the medium on which to broadcast. “This is the first of many future collaborations it is hoped between the 2 companies,” said Deputy Station Editor at Newstalk Patricia Monahan. The event, chaired by Ivan Yates, could have been described as a softening up for this evening’s Frontline debate on RTE1. No punches of note landed, the usual bout of mudslinging ensued while front running candidates Michael D Higgins and Sean Gallagher chose to keep their fists up and and chins tucked firmly against their chest.
What set this debate out for special mention above others for Culch.ie was its interactive nature. Newstalk had questions banked for use after inviting members of the public to have their say. In addition to this a few curve balls were thrown at candidates via video link by the Irish abroad. A Cork-born journalist in Cambodia had her say as did a Dublin lad on his jollies in New Zealand. Reaction to answers was provided by live web stream at various Google+ hang-outs dotted country wide.
Stephen O’Leary of O’Leary Analytics did his thing and gave a light overview of what was trending over on Twitter. A quick count of the #aras11 and #newstalk tags revealed in and around 4000 mentions over the 90 minute debate.
Did we witness the future of how we receive news today? Certainly the average person was empowered to focus to a degree the direction of how the debate played out through monitored live online feedback. It has huge potential, it puts the listeners and viewers in the journalists position through live video chat and live to the second updates.
It’s instant and it’s at your finger tips.
