Elections 2012

Connecting with the Convention: Social media may be the next best thing to being in Charlotte as Democrats gather in September

Published

12 years ago

August 27, 2012

The first national political party convention to be televised was the Republican gathering in Philadelphia in 1940. It was a big deal for Americans to actually see and hear the nominating process in their homes.

Today, it’s almost a given that Americans will engage with Democratic and Republican conventions using media other than television, or at least in tandem with the tube.

A recent article in the Wall Street reported, “When Republicans convene next week in Tampa, Fla., and Democrats the week after in Charlotte, N.C., major broadcast networks will use the Internet to provide the kind of extensive coverage they long ago abandoned on their airwaves.”

Republican National Convention: Aug. 27 -30
Democratic National Convention: Sept. 4 – 6

Many broadcast and cable networks will streaming convention coverage online, keeping the airwaves open for such primetime priorities as the kickoff game of the NFL season between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys on NBC Sept. 5.

Get engaged, with politics

I’m There! Voters can print their own sign, take of a photo of themselves and share with the convention’s Flickr stream.

It’s a fair bet that millions of Americans are by now used to interacting with major happenings via mobile devices and through their computers: we do it during the Super Bowl and the Olympics; many of us learn of major news events via Twitter.

So which party has the edge when it comes to engaging with voters in the digital space. A recent study from the Pew Research Center showed President Obama has greater penetration, which bodes well for the way in which the Democrats will use social media and other tools to get voters involved.

New media novices may find the Democratic National Convention an opportune time to test the social media waters. Here are five easy ways to do so:

Your first stop is the Democratic National Convention website
For a fairly painless start, sign up for email updates by clicking “Get email updates” on the right side of the home page.
Just above the email signup is a logo for the convention’s mobile app. You can download it for free, whether you have an iPhone or Android. With the app, you can follow the convention as it unfolds, wherever you are.
Just below the “Get email updates” is “Share your idea.” You can actually send in your thoughts, opinions, and suggestions.
Below that is, “Stay Connected.” Click on this line and you find links to the convention’s Twitter feed and Facebook page, as well as its YouTube channel (for videos) and Flickr stream, featuring photographs.

There’s an app for that. You can download free convention apps for smart phones.

Be there, wherever you are

An interesting way to show support for the Democrats, whether you’re in Memphis or Milwaukee, is the “I’m There!” feature. (The actual link is near the bottom of the homepage)

The page for this interactive element includes a how-to video that kicks off with Vice President Biden holding an “I’m There!” sign. Below you can actually click and print your own sign (including options in Spanish), take a picture of yourself holding the sign and then submit it to the convention website.

There already are a number of these photos on the convention’s Flickr stream.

Connect with communities

At the top of convention homepage (just beneath the logo) is the word Communities. This page allows you to find other people around the country like you. For example, you can read what other African-American voters are sharing online. There also are sections for other ethnicities, women, senior citizens, veterans, and the LGBT community and many others.

So, come Sept. 4, get comfortable in your favorite television viewing spot (check your local listings); have your smart phone, tablet, laptop or other device at the ready and connect with history.

The blog roll at the convention website is interesting too, featuring stories about delegates and volunteers, updates about speakers, and social media conversation.