Do you YouTube?

About 20 years ago some newspaper editors began using questions from readers as part of political reporting and termed it public journalism. At the time, it was considered controversial by the more conservative members of the media, seen as a sort of abdication of responsibility by letting nonjournalists into the discussion alongside professionals. It was a return to the way newspapers had done things since their inception as the daily printed public forum.

Talk radio, the earliest broadcast version of citizen journalism, began in the 1920s, took off in the 1950s with Joe Pyne and others, migrated onto the FM format in the 1970s and became mainstream in the 1990s with the popularity rise of Rush Limbaugh and others. Beginning in the 1950s similar formats on television emerged although town hall type coverage on tv is a relatively recent trend.

Monday night's Democratic presidential debate on CNN featured video questions from citizens selected from YouTube entries. I thought it was terrific, primarily because it seemed to shorten the usual amount of political posturing and included questions that journalists wouldn't necessarily have in their notebooks to ask. Also, the range of topics was diverse. On the down side, some of the more substantive issues a new president might face were less than center stage.

I'd like to know what you think.

Comments

[Robert Meek]

What do I think? I think it's wonderful! I think, since the time is well past for us being capable of having true old-fashioned public speaking, that this is fantastic. It's not to replace anything, but to add to the total means of how to communicate to the voters.

I do not upload: period. Call it that I can't afford the equipment, call it that I don't want my ugly mug shot breaking everyone's monitor, call it being chicken. Call it what you will.

I do not upload.

But I download like crazy, and find it fascinating.

Samples of other places, two of which are more specialized than You Tube, listed below.

http://video.google.com/

http://www.thelastoutpost.com/

http://www.disclose.tv/

[wallbanger45]

I youtube occassionally. Lately, my favorite has been watching Sen. Byrds' speech regarding dogfighting. Youtube is valuable in that it allows someone to find visual media in a short period of time. The main downside is that people post a lot of irrelevant videos on there.

[bill]

we are very disappointed that our solicitor failed to establish probable cause during the murder charge hearing for Joseph Hankerson. Before going into a preliminary hearing on a murder case we expect Barbara Morgan to have her ducks in a row and at least be able to get the case bound over in front of the magistrate. Instead she can't even demonstrate probable cause and then runs to the grand jury for a direct indictment. what kind of weak case is this and how much of our money does she intend to waste this time?

[bill]

we are very disappointed that our solicitor failed to establish probable cause during the murder charge hearing for Joseph Hankerson. Before going into a preliminary hearing on a murder case we expect Barbara Morgan to have her ducks in a row and at least be able to get the case bound over in front of the magistrate. Instead she can't even demonstrate probable cause and then runs to the grand jury for a direct indictment. what kind of weak case is this and how much of our money does she intend to waste this time?

[bill]

we are very disappointed that our solicitor failed to establish probable cause during the murder charge hearing for Joseph Hankerson. Before going into a preliminary hearing on a murder case we expect Barbara Morgan to have her ducks in a row and at least be able to get the case bound over in front of the magistrate. Instead she can't even demonstrate probable cause and then runs to the grand jury for a direct indictment. what kind of weak case is this and how much of our money does she intend to waste this time?

[bill]

we are very disappointed that our solicitor failed to establish probable cause during the murder charge hearing for Joseph Hankerson. Before going into a preliminary hearing on a murder case we expect Barbara Morgan to have her ducks in a row and at least be able to get the case bound over in front of the magistrate. Instead she can't even demonstrate probable cause and then runs to the grand jury for a direct indictment. what kind of weak case is this and how much of our money does she intend to waste this time?

[Nick]

I don't know what to think. I think it was a great debate though. I listened to it on XM, they were playing it all day yesterday. Some questions were good, some were different. I just couldn't get over thinking that some were left out, while others seemed too much like what a journalist would ask. I'm sure some got left out, as there are idiots on the internet.

[John Fitzimonds]

bill
this is about You Tube you moron

[walter]

I want to thank Robert Meek for turning me on to the other video sites, I love them. Thelastoutpost.com site is great, so many informative and entertaining videos. I find myself checking out you tube and now Roberts recommendations quite frequently. Thanks