IP Democracy: Web Video Plays Role in Local Texas Campaign

The Internet has changed political campaigning in ways that are only now — in this mid-term election season — becoming clear. From the biggest to the smallest political races, web video, social networking and, of course, email, are reshaping the TV ads-print-yard signs methods of pitching candidates.

This piece from the Dallas Morning News highlights a local contest in Plano, TX that is leveraging inexpensive video production and Google Video to get the world out. Ken Lambert and Pat Evans are running against each other for Mayor of Plano, and their respective campaigns are using the web.

Lambert’s campaign has produced two videos for a paltry $6,300 and is emailing the video pitches to voters. Evans’ supporters (high school students no less) made a video for the candidate and posted it on Google Video.

Political candidates have experimented with multimedia for years, particularly in national and statewide races. In this year’s race for Texas governor, incumbent Rick Perry’s site has a video welcome from the candidate, iconoclast Kinky Friedman offers animated KinkyToons, and dark horses Carole Keeton Strayhorn and Chris Bell link to broadcast video coverage of their campaigns. But with more people now using digital video equipment and high-speed Internet connections, multimedia ads are becoming more commonplace in local campaigns. “We’re starting to see the true convergence of video, television and the Web,” said Darren McDougal, president of MCD Communications in Dallas, which produced Mr. Lambert’s videos.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on May 12, 2006 10:40 AM to IP Democracy