Barack Obama is already being called the YouTube President because of the 1,800 YouTube videos that help propel him to win the election and have been watched more than 110 million times. So it seems fitting that Obama will continue to use YouTube to get his message out once he takes office. The weekly radio address that every president has done since FDR will be videotaped and put onto YouTube.
These “fireside chats” were started by FDR during the depression as a way to reassure Americans that everything was going to be all right. Now Obama will have some of his own reassuring to do as we grapple with the current economic crisis.
The Presidential radio address is somewhat of an anachronism that Obama hopes to reinvigorate by bringing his message on-demand to people’s computers. So the weekly chat is skipping TV entirely and going straight from radio to YouTube. The address (which will still be broadcast over the radio) is usually only about four minutes long, a perfect length for YouTube. The videos will be posted on Obama.s Change.Gov website, as well as its dedicated YouTube channel. I wonder if they will ever turn comments on.
Update 11/15: Here is Obama’s first YouTube address.
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This is really cool and yeah, I hope they turn comments on. Would be really cool to see the weekly address answer specific questions or respond to discussion threads in the comment space.
Thanks for the heads up Erick!
I’m glad we have a President who understands how to use the Internets and specifically, the Google.
All kidding aside, I hope they leave comments off on the YouTube vids. Given the sheer number of idiots on YouTube and the comments they post, I’m sure the Secret Service will have to work overtime.
The post could’ve been a lot more effective with the Barack Roll video embedded instead of an image. Geez.
And Nirav, you are absolutely spot on about the comments. The trash spewed on there is just some of the most ignorant crap.
“The trash spewed on there is just some of the most ignorant crap” Ditto,
As we all know, “ignorant crap” comes from “ignorant idiots” who cannot wait for more kool-aid from the Messiah-President….
Obama has been elected already, so, now he is going to share his “vision” for the country on radio/youtube. Is only downhill from now on…
*Yawn*
Those eyes, those eyes over the left shoulder of President-elect Obama…
I think Rahm Emmanuel has hyPno-tized me.
But seriously, it is curious how this does a complete run-around of the traditional media.
Also I think that leaving comments enabled on these White House videos is an awful idea, given the general tenor of many youtube comments.
Half of the comments would surely be incredibly pro-Presidential but not that insightful. Which can be helpful from the stand point of the White House in showing support, but can become redundant and ultimately a turn-off for those who may waiver on the policy issue at hand.
One quarter of the comments could be virulently anti-White House and the final quarter could purely self promotion.
Could Google instigate some manner of moderation of the comments?
Emmanuel is the hypnotoad.
I wonder if/when Youtube will do live streaming - it would be pretty cool to watch this live on Youtube instead of waiting for it to end and be uploaded to Youtube.
It seems your statement: “The weekly radio address that every president has done since FDR …” is completely incorrect. A Senator recommended that Bush begin weekly fireside chats, but as far as I know he never did (and I’m pretty sure he’s not the only one):
http://www.oblogatoryanecdotes.....chats.html
Um.. not true. Bush’s radio addresses can be found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/radio.
I must say, this is pretty cool news. I don’t know if I would label him the “youtube president”, but he is definitely the most personable president that I’ve seen in my lifetime. I’m excited to see what he is going to do with this country in the coming years.
Yes, “excited” then “disappointed” then “outraged” — You’ll see.
“what he is going to do with this country in the coming years” — Breaking news: presidents don’t do much… American citizens decide what to do with “this” country.
Tall Dude: see the dozens of weekly segments here: whitehouse.gov/news/radio
And, the profile linked above is to ChangeDotGov. The issue with BHO’s campaign videos in a different channel wasn’t that comments were off, but that comments and video replies were moderated and only the ones that were favorable to him were allowed. OTOH, I was able to leave several negative comments on McCain’s videos and I left this as a video reply on a couple: youtube.com/watch?v=YRWRzZ_yPnk
The best thing to do would be for BHO to either disallow everything or allow everything, but based on his past history he might continue to allow only the favorable comments. And, based on that history expect even more fun to come:
http://24ahead.com/blog/archives/008047.html
Although you are actually describing it, it seems that “media manipulation” is a strange concept to you…
Have to say in agreement with the others, I’d hate to see comments turned on. They are so thoughtless and redundant…
(hypocrisy intended)
I’d hate to see comments turned on. They are so thoughtless and redundant
Obama rocks my socks…
… did you enjoy it, darling?
Am I the only one who thinks it is a little odd that a government representative (in this case future president) is solely using youtube as a video plattform? I understand youtube is the largest plattform, but shouldn´t the government be plattform neutral?
a lot of the younger people (and coincidentally) the ones who voted for Obama use it, so I dont find it odd at all that he’s appealing to them.
Are you serious? You think that the Obama administration will be *neutral*?
BTW, Obama videos will appear on all major media outlets: The NY Times, Washington Post, CNN, etc. They are actually the ones that elected him [plus the Internet]
Funny thing is that he is going to disappoint all of them together with millions of liberals… He promised *Change We Need* and two days after winning the election he installs Rahm Emanuel… the ultimate Washington insider [wait a minute! *he* is not *Change*!!!] plus, there are no blacks mentioned/nominated: all his “people” are old white Washington insiders = what we all would call the *establishment*.
What did I vote for???? — Ooooooh, yes, wasn’t it for “Change”???
Use of the term “liberal” = your argument automatically loses credibility.
Try calling up Rush or Hannity.
Marcie, you’re two weeks too late. The election is over, deal with it.
@Nirav & @biscuits
“Yes, “excited” then “disappointed” then “outraged” — You’ll see.
“what he is going to do with this country in the coming years” — Breaking news: presidents don’t do much… American citizens decide what to do with “this” country.”
BTW “liberal” is an accepted word in the English language, as are “socialist,” “Democrat,” “Conservative,” “Republicans,” and many others — the fact that you two idiots don’t ‘like’ them shows how retarded and irrelevant you are.
It seems that you two, as many others, are celebrating [absolutely nothing wrong with that!] but you fail to realize that *life goes on* and what IS important now is what Obama is going *TO DO* –It does not look good.
I am so fascinated by every single move Obama has made. What an amazing Presidency this will be…
GoBama: http://tinyurl.com/2008Bama
Based on what? Obama was elected, but he is not the President, yet.
Anytime a politician makes any vote, decision, or announcement it should be on video, stored and indexed so we can easily find information about that politician when it comes time to vote.
How many times do political figures say one thing, then some obscure video shows up with them saying the complete opposite…including Barack
I agree — But you are describing a fantasy…. Videos=reality, but politicians would never stick to the truth, ever. Including Barack…
I don’t think weekly chats are that great. It depends on what he wants to cover and how long it goes. There can be a million things to discuss or nothing major due to confidentiality issues on future decisions and policies.
This goes to show that he is going to be committed to technology and open to new ideas. It will be interesting to see what comes of this.
Kevin
http://www.kidsdesk.net
> These “fireside chats” were started by FDR during the depression as a way to reassure Americans that everything was going to be all right.
Meanwhile, FDR’s policies made it the “Great Depression” - they extended it by seven years.
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/porta.....elNum=5409
Lol, opening up youtube comments. Like anything worthwhile is ever said by a youtube comment. They are only good for telling people they suck dick.
I cant wait to buy ads on these streams!
It’s refreshing to see that we have a President-elect and a group of leaders who will be coming direct to the people without the prism of the media. It’s going to be interesting to see how this changes the dynamic in Washington.
“a group of leaders who will be coming direct to the people” The Internet savvy “people” you mean? Agreed. Now, these “people” voted for Obama, but none of them know why,
“It’s going to be interesting to see how this changes the dynamic in Washington” — The “fireside chats” and the Youtube vids will not change *ANYTHING* in Washington, with the exception of using the Internet to get more money for the politicians’ campaigns…
Remember the idiom “the more things change, the more they stay the same” — Please don’t tell me that Rahm Emauel, Hillary Clinton and so many others tapped for Obama’s new administration is *CHANGE* It is NOT, you suckers!
Interesting. This is a fact: the millions of Internet-savvy youngsters that voted for Obama have no clue about taxes (of any kind) - One of the reasons is that many of them are still supported by their parents, have no real jobs, do not know what “hidden” taxes are, etc.
We can all be sure of one thing, as per Obama’s own words: he and the Democratic Congress WILL raise all kinds of taxes, for everybody. We will all get to the point that we realize that we don’t have much left after paying for all the new taxes….
DIMOCRAT MUST KEEP OBAMA, EVRY MINIT EVRY SECOUND EVERY DAY FROM DENGER, BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE HIM FROM WHERE HE WILL TEKEN US,BECAUSE OF HIM ALLRADY MANY GOOD THINGS HAPPEN.
PLEASE GOD HELP HIM.
Well now if Google ever tries to shelve YouTube for not making money, I guess they can expect a bailout!
I’m a regular TC reader and am not the type to comment with my own agenda. But it is on topic so I want to announce that I just launched a site for people to discuss Obama’s fireside chats.
http://www.DiscussTheFireside.com
Hi,
If TC won’t, then who’ll keep an eye on any conflicts of Interest.
The Google Posse is high up within the Obama camp. The campaign needs to be kept in check so that just because its not about war, that the same thing as Halliburton and Bush is still not repeated.
Kind regards,
Shakir Razak
It’s refreshing to have a president broadcast propaganda over the internet.
chinese youtube fans~hoho