While the cable networks are doing their best to cover every aspect of the activities at the DNC, they simply can't cover everything. And, certainly nothing but the biggest names are covered by the broadcast nets. However, there is one place where you can see and experience absolutely everything you might want to see in HD. Even if you don't have an HD television set or a DVR. http://www.demconvention.com.
The site uses a technology from Move Networks that will deliver HD-quality video to your computer and, in fact, it adjusts the video automatically to take advantage of the combination of the speed of your Internet connection and the quality of your computer. The video is brought to you commercial free and, more importantly, commentary free. It is just like being in the hall.
Rich media websites come in all shapes and sizes. Some are focused on video clips, some on interactivity, but they all have one goal - great UX. That's trade lingo for user experience. The DNC is about a great many things, but the speeches are front and center - and there are plenty of them. As far as UX goes, demconvention.com is excellent. Want to see President Clinton's speech, Hillary's, Joe Biden's? All just one click away. Interested in some of the interstitial material, the mini docs or some of the lesser-known speakers ... maybe two clicks away.
Is demconvention.com cannibalizing the traditional television audience or just making the party's message accessible to a younger, more tech-savvy voter? I think the later. And, I also think that millennials, digital natives, digital immigrants and even digital tourists are enjoying the ability to watch video of this quality on demand. This site truly delivers on the WIWWIWWIW (what I want, when I want, where I want) advanced media consumption promise.
Kudos to the convention organizers for putting together an excellent rich media website and for giving everyone access to both live and VOD full screen, high quality video. It just one more technical tour de force from a campaign that has mastered advanced media in this, first-ever, online presidential race.
Shelly Palmer is Managing Director of Advanced Media Ventures Group LLC and the author of Television Disrupted: The Transition from Network to Networked TV (2006, Focal Press). Shelly is also President of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, NY (the organization that bestows the coveted Emmy® Awards). He is the Vice-Chairman of the National Academy of Media Arts & Sciences an organization dedicated to education and leadership in the areas of technology, media and entertainment. Palmer also oversees the Advanced Media Technology Emmy® Awards which honors outstanding achievements in the science and technology of advanced media. You can read Shelly’s blog here. Shelly can be reached at shelly@palmer.net
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