USA TODAY NETWORK Unveils "Voting Because"

These candidates were and are made for TV. This past weekend, the cable and broadcast networks couldn't get enough from political pundits and other talking heads as the candidates and media geared up for Monday's debate.&#160;The networks announced that they were going big with wall to wall coverage of this Super Bowl-sized event (including countdowns and live viewing parties).In a strategic counterprogramming move, USA TODAY NETWORK&#160;last week launched Voting Because.&#160;This platform was designed to highlight the importance of voting to the public at large and for citizens to share their reasons for voting a particular way with others in their community.&#160; In a partnership with Rock the Vote, the platform reaches Millennials and other first time voters.&#160;It was launched in anticipation of an escalation in interest and passion for the candidates following Monday's debate and the need for a "how to" guide.For many, September 26&#160;marked the first time that many "non-political junkies" realized that the election is real.&#160;It is not reality television -- and the results of the presidential election in particular will impact their lives and the lives of generations to come.Voting Because marries social media, user generated content, "how to" tools, community partnerships, print and live events to provide real people with the skill-set required to make an informed decision on election day.&#160;Think about it: How many first-time voters even know that they can still register to vote in their state (each state is different)?&#160;Not only can they have a voice; particularly in swing states, they might just influence the outcome by turning out to vote.In keeping with the growing compulsion to share information, knowledge and points of view in 2016, #VotingBecause meme generators (found on the site) enable users to share their views on social channels which will contribute to grassroots momentum not only around the candidates but also regarding such key issues as&#160;immigration, healthcare, the economy/jobs, education, climate change, energy, terror and American innovation -- to name a few.USA TODAY NETWORK&#160;is partnering within its family of community touch points and also with other targeted groups.&#160; In addition to their partnership with Rock the Vote to activate Millennials, they are joining forces with the National League of Women Voters to host voter registration events and creating an exclusive "get out the vote" poster by artist Jermaine Rogers (pictured above).While USA TODAY NETWORK's activity is not as high profile as what you see and hear on TV, it is comprehensive and authentic.&#160;True to its&#160;brand, it&#160;has executed a strategy designed to motivate the massive number of unregistered voters to act.&#160;It is uniting its portfolio of trusted local and national brands into a powerful, singular network that connects and motivates communities in profound ways.&#160; As a political junkie, I am always looking to better understand what people outside of the beltway and urban bubbles think about the candidates and the issues.&#160; I am optimistic that I will learn from new voices as I check out&#160;www.VotingBecause.com.I am also curious to see if the impact of this grassroots/social strategy can be tracked via exit polls across the nation on November 8&#160;to see if and how it influences the outcome of the election.The opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet, Inc. management or associated bloggers.

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USA TODAY NETWORK Unveils "Voting Because"

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Mary Ellen Holden

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