Beginning tomorrow, we’ll be showing you our OpenCdA Candidate Videos for Election 2008
Late last month, we sent out letters to all District 4 Legislative candidates as well as the County Commissioner candidates. In the letter, we invited them to be recorded on video to help promote their run for office. The videos would be published here on OpenCdA.
Each candidate was given the questions in advance. All received the same list of questions; one set of questions for the legislative candidates, and another for the county commissioner candidates. We allowed for a 1 minute (give-or-take) response to each question, simply to keep the videos short and interesting.
After the letters went out, we followed-up with a phone call, first to ensure that the candidate received the letter but also to encourage them to schedule an appointment.
All candidates have been treated fairly in this process. No candidate was phoned more than once, and no one was given any special treatment. As part of that, we feel that it’s only fair that all candidates have a video. This is true whether the candidate phoned us back or not. Again, we feel that it’s only fair that everyone have a video.
Our purpose here is to educate the public. The decisions legislators and the county commissioners make affect us here in Coeur d’Alene. We are not out to promote any one party or ideology other than open, honest, and transparent government. That goal must transcend party politics.
So stay tuned! Tomorrow you’ll see the first video, then one video a day for each seat afterwards. Follow by some commentary regarding the Jail and Facilities Bond and the Car Registration Fee proposals on the November ballot.
just two thoughts on this: 1 minute seems awfully short to give a anything more than a soundbite answer to a question and how does a candidates get a video if they did not phone you back?
Comment by reagan — October 22, 2008 @ 7:59 pm
We had five questions and we wanted to ensure that the videos didn’t run over 5 minutes. The “YouTube generation” has a short attention span. Also, we figured by both giving them the questions in advance and limiting the answer to 1 minute, we’d get their pithy sound bytes that could sell their campaigns. I’ve had media training, and as part of that they tell you to get your 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 second sound bytes memorized. Some of the candidates did well and came in under 1 minute. Some went on and on. You’ll see when the videos are posted. And if you have a better suggestion, I’d enjoy hearing it.
As far as your second question goes, you’ll have to see tomorrow! 🙂
Comment by Dan — October 22, 2008 @ 8:35 pm
i agree with you about short attention spans, that and media training have been huge factors in the descent of political discourse into a battle of sound bytes.
Comment by reagan — October 22, 2008 @ 10:04 pm
Since each candidate had the questions in advance, one minute was adequate response time.
A person can read approximately 160-170 words aloud in one minute at a rate that is both intelligible and comprehensible to listeners. In Dan’s post if you start reading aloud at “Beginning tomorrow…” and stop after reading , “No candidate was phoned more than once, and no one was given any special treatment,” you will have read that many words in approximately one minute.
Again, with the questions in advance, a candidate should be able to compose and deliver a one-minute response that will encourage listeners to contact the candidate for more detailed information. The objective of the videos was to generate viewer interest in each candidate and important local issues.
If a candidate wants more air time, the candidate can certainly make his or her own YouTube video and ramble on and on.
Comment by Bill — October 23, 2008 @ 7:33 am