YouTube has created a channel for the politically minded and has launched CitizenTube. Their goal is to attract people to express themselves using video on political topics covering local, state, national and international politics.
Steve Grove, YouTube’s News and Political Editor will edit the channel. The channel will aggregate political videos that currently exist on the site as well as new user generated content. They also request political video links that users think deserve more attention.
On YouTube’s blog they provide further detail on the channel. “As YouTube’s political video blog, Citizentube’s mission is to add fuel to the revolution that is YouTube politics.”
“What is YouTube politics? The answer to that question is as varied as the users who jump onto the platform. But it’s one thing for certain: a place where everyone, from users to candidates, has the same chance to be seen and heard. Let the best ideas win.”
So far CitizenTube has only 788 subscribers. As the political climate heats up and the 2008 election draws closer I would expect the number of subscribers to increase.
This is YouTube’s second entry into politics as they have all ready-launched YouChoose the presidential channel, which features videos from the major presidential candidates such as Barack Obama and John McCain.
MySpace has also entered into the political arena by offering their own presidential primaries in January of 08′.
In a forum post Drew Dupont wrote,” The difference between you tube media and mainstream media is that you tube has the potential of being entirely reflective of the peoples actual concerns.”
“And if properly done we can avoid the political attachment some medias form based on the sponsors that support them!”
Whether CitizenTube becomes a credible place to see political videos and exchange ideas will determine its level of success.
