Official YouTube Blog: politics

Throwing a virtual debate watch party: a primer

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Two down, two to go. We’re not sure about you, but last week’s energetic Vice Presidential debate left us wanting more. Luckily, you’ll have your second chance to watch Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama face off in the second Presidential debate tonight at 9:00 pm ET at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. Tune in to the YouTube Elections Hub to watch the whole debate live from the comfort of your own chair.

But if you’re tired of watching the debates all by your lonesome, well, no longer. You can create your very own virtual debate “watch parties” tonight inside a Google+ Hangout. All you have to do is click on this link, which will open up a Hangout window. Then, you can invite some friends, name your debate watch party (if you like), and enter the Hangout. The ABC News debate live stream will already be loaded inside the Hangout.

You’ll each have to make your own popcorn, but it’s worth it to see your friends’ real-time reactions and exchange color commentary while the candidates go head-to-head.

Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched “Frontline |The Choice 2012".

The U.S. election, live on YouTube

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

YouTube Elections HubherehubABC NewsAl Jazeera EnglishBuzzFeedLarry KingThe New York TimesPhil DeFrancoUnivisionWall Street JournalBookmark the Elections Hub nowOlivia Ma, YouTube News Manager, recently watched "Sarah Palin Gives Obama Advice to Win the Election - The DeFranco US Election Weekly Recap #1."

How November Will Be Won: By the Numbers

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Did you know that 1/3 of people who see a campaign ad on YouTube have not seen it on TV? We recently shared this on our Politics & Elections Blog. You can read an example of the types of things we talk about on that blog below. For more information about marketing a campaign on YouTube visit our YouTube for politicians website.
Earlier this year, we introduced “Four Screens to Victory”, a framework for political campaigns that outlined how Google can help make the web work for candidates and issues groups up and down the ballot. With these digital platforms, campaigns can build their organizations, define the issues, persuade the electorate and - importantly - get the vote out and win the moment that matters in November on Election Day.

More than 80% of eligible voters are online

Similarly, 83% of mobile phone owners are registered voters

1 out of every 3 likely voters in November say that they didn’t watch tv in the past week

Voters are spending more media time on their mobile devices than newspapers & magazines combined

(Click the infographic below to get a larger version)

“Four Screens to Victory” site
David Kaufman, Google Politics & Elections Team, recently watched "i like ike"

JetBlue emergency landing, Pope visits Latin America, Wildfire devastates Colorado

Friday, March 30, 2012

Everyday on the CitizenTube channel (and @CitizenTube on Twitter), along with our curation partners @storyful, we look at how the top news stories are covered on YouTube. Each week we post a weekly recap of the top news stories of the week, as seen through the lens of both citizen-reported footage and professional news coverage.

We viewed appalling scenes in the air over America as a JetBlue flight was forced to make an emergency landing after the pilot was restrained for "erratic behavior".
We saw the Pope endear himself to Latin America, donning a sombrero in Mexico and meeting Fidel Castro in Cuba.
We witnessed devastating wildfires in Colorado force the evacuation of hundreds of residents, with at least one death reported.
We observed a sense of 'petrol panic' as motorists in the UK and beyond were worried by rising oil prices and a potential fuel shortage because of strikes.
We followed the GOP candidates as the presidential race took yet another turn, with Rick Santorum winning his 11th state of the campaign in Louisiana.
We marked a successful run-off presidential election in Senegal, won by Macky Sall amid many economic challenges in the country.
We saw no let up in the controversy surrounding the Trayvon Martin case, as Trayvon's frustrated parents took their plea for justice to a Congressional forum on neighborhood watch groups and racial profiling.
We overheard US President Barack Obama talking about a future after the next presidential election during a 3-day tour in South Korea that focused on securing nuclear stability in the region.
And finally, we watched one man go where few have gone before, as Titanic director James Cameron plunged to the deepest point on Earth in his submarine: the Deepsea Challenger.

Come back to see the news unfold on YouTube.

Olivia Ma, YouTube News & Politics, recently watched "Suu Kyi set for parliament in key Myanmar vote".

Follow the Burma Elections on YouTube

Thursday, March 29, 2012

On Sunday, April 1, millions of voters in Burma will cast a ballot in the parliamentary by-elections. This year, Burma is opening its doors to media and election observers alike to document the election proceedings in real-time. With support from Google Ideas, our friends at the J-School News Lab, a real-time reporting training program for Burmese journalists, will be curating a Burma Elections news channel on YouTube. Here, they will feature original reporting from J-School journalists on the ground, Burmese media outlets, and international broadcasters.

Until recently, Burma has been more or less closed to the outside world, making it difficult to find news and information about what was happening inside the country. We’re pleased that people around the world will be able follow what’s happening as Burmese voters head to the polls on election day.

Visit youtube.com/burmaelections for the latest news and developments.

Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched “Wine: ‘I’ve Never Voted’”.

Tornadoes in the U.S. Midwest, Super Tuesday, Elections in Russia

Friday, March 9, 2012

We saw record flooding in New South Wales and Northern Victoria force the evacuation of thousands from their homes in the region.

We observed a high-ranking defection in the Syrian government, as deputy Oil Minister Abdo Hussameldin quit his post saying he could not go on "serving the crimes of this regime."

We watched Vladimir Putin secure the presidency of Russia for a third time, amid heavy protests at alleged electoral fraud.

We were pummeled by a geomagnetic storm of charged particles after two unusually large solar flares erupted from the sun.

We followed the GOP candidates during one of the high points of the US campaign trail: Super Tuesday. Of the ten states on offer, Mitt Romney took six, Rick Santorum took three and Newt Gingrich took one.

We watched protesters rally against possible military action in Iran, as Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu held talks with in Washington DC with President Barack Obama.

We witnessed fast-moving twisters devastate America's heartland as homes, school buildings and as prison were destroyed by the powerful tornadoes.

We marked International Women's Day with a variety of profiles, messages, and historical facts on women that were uploaded to YouTube for the occasion.

And finally, we waited eagerly with the rest of the world to see what exactly Apple had up their sleeve at the unveiling of the new iPad.

Come back next week to see the news unfold on YouTube.

Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched "Two massive solar flares erupt from the sun."

Super Tuesday Coverage, Live and from the Trail

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

The election season heats up today as voters in ten states -- with a total of 419 delegates at stake -- head to the polls to cast a ballot in the GOP primary.

We’ve been following the race closely on YouTube, featuring this cycle’s trending videos, political advertisements and campaign highlights on youtube.com/politics. Tonight, you can watch live coverage from the Wall Street Journal, whose top editors and reporters will be providing commentary and analysis as the results come in.

Tune in to youtube.com/wsj starting at 7pm ET to follow the evening’s returns.

And if you’re in one of the ten states holding a primary or caucus today, we’d love to see your videos! For those on the campaign trail documenting the political process at work, you can upload your videos to YouTube using a new mobile app created by the team at Storyful. Available for both Android and iOS, Storyful Direct is an easy way to share your videos with Storyful, who will be choosing a selection to be featured on YouTube and google.com/elections.

Even if you don’t live in a state that’s holding a primary tomorrow, Storyful Direct can be used to document your experience during the run-up to the Presidential election in November.

Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched “The Fix: What's at stake on Super Tuesday?"

Syria approves new constitution, tornadoes ravage Mid-West, Breitbart dies age 43

Friday, March 2, 2012

CitizenTube@CitizenTube@storyful

We monitored events in Syria, where the populace said a resounding yes to a new constitution and Red Cross continued their attempts to evacuate the wounded from Homs.

We saw a string of tornadoes across the US Midwest claim the lives of at least twelve people, injure hundreds and destroy countless properties.

We were saddened to hear of the death of conservative journalist Andrew Breitbart, who died of unexpected natural causes, aged 43, while walking this week.

We observed thousands in Moscow protest against Vladimir Putin by forming a human chain that encircled the inner city.

We followed the remaining GOP candidates on the US campaign trail as Mitt Romney claimed victories in Arizona and his home state of Michigan.

We were shocked as another US school was plunged into violence with the deaths of three students in a shooting at Chardon High School, Ohio.

We watched the ailing Costa Allegra, sister ship of the Costa Concordia, being towed back to the Seychelles after a serious engine fire.

We witnessed police and bailiffs evict members of Occupy London from their base at St. Paul's Cathedral.

We remembered with a heavy heart some of the greatest music of the 1960's, as Monkees heart-throb Davy Jones passed away, aged 66.

Finally, we saw all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, as the world's biggest movie stars came together for the 84th Academy Awards.

Come back next week to see the news unfold on YouTube.
Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched "New Worry on Global Warming: Mass Shrinkage".

Whitney Houston tributes, Athens burns, Syria protests continue - News of the Week

Friday, February 17, 2012

CitizenTube@CitizenTube@storyful

We paid tribute to the late Whitney Houston by compiling some of her all time classic performances.

We observed Syrian towns such as Daraa, Homs and Hama receive heavy bombardment as fighting between military forces and rebels continued.

We were saddened to hear of the death of New York Times Foreign Correspondent Anthony Shadid, who died this week while working in Syria.

We saw parts of Athens burn as protests over austerity measures in Greece turned violent.

We followed Mitt Romney as he got his campaign back on track by winning both the CPAC straw poll and the Maine caucuses.

We witnessed anger in Israel as two of the country's envoys in India and Turkey were attacked with bombs.

We viewed mourning in Honduras after a large fire claimed the lives of hundreds of inmates in a prison there.

We saw North Korea hold extravagant celebrations to celebrate the 70th birthday of their late leader Kim Jong-il.

We watched Bahrain police use tear gas to disperse large crowds marching towards a historic landmark.

We monitored the progress of Madagascar-bound Cyclone Giovanni with the help of a schoolboy reporter named John.

Finally, we gave into 'Linsanity' as NBA star Jeremy Lin's popularity exploded worldwide after he hit a last-second 3-pointer to win a game for the New York Knicks.

Come back next week to see the news unfold on YouTube.

Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched "Kobe Bryant, meet Jeremy Lin -- Rough Cuts".

Syria unrest, Denver snowstorm, earthquake in the Philippines

Friday, February 10, 2012

CitizenTube channel@CitizenTube@storyful

We watched the situation in Syria deteriorate into almost relentless violence as military forces laid siege to neighborhoods in Homs.

We witnessed unrest in the Maldives as President Mohamed Nasheed resigned, handing over power to vice president Mohammed Waheed Hassan Manik.

We monitored the harsh weather in the United States, as cities like Denver suffered record snowfall.

We saw the New York Giants win their fourth Super Bowl, and the resulting celebrations in New York City.

We followed the GOP candidates continue their toil on the US campaign trail as Rick Santorum pulled off the hat-trick of Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.

We were saddened as scores were killed or injured after a powerful earthquake rocked the Philippines.

We viewed pro & anti-Putin protesters brave the cold in Moscow to voice their opinion of Russia's polemical Prime Minister.

We observed public anger in Greece despite officials announcing that coalition partners had reached a bailout deal.

Come back next week to see the news unfold on YouTube.
Posted by Olivia Ma, YouTube News and Politics Manager, recently watched "War Torn: An Iraq Veteran's Story."

This week's top news stories on YouTube

Friday, February 3, 2012

To help you learn about the big stories of the week, we’re kicking off a new series from CitizenTube, a YouTube channel focusing on global news and politics. CitizenTube@CitizenTube@storyful

We witnessed widespread protests in Cairo, Egypt after the tragic deaths of over 70 people at a soccer game in Port Said.

We monitored reports of violence in Syria, where fighting intensified causing the Arab League to suspend its monitoring mission in the country.

We observed parts of Queensland and New South Wales being declared natural disaster zones due to flooding after days of heavy rainfall.

We watched Eastern and Southern Europe come to a standstill due to freezing temperatures and unprecedented levels of snowfall.

We followed the GOP candidates do battle in Florida as tensions grew on the US campaign trail, with Mitt Romney emerging as the comprehensive victor in the Sunshine state.

We watched social networking giant Facebook announce that it was going public, as it sought to raise $5bn in the largest IPO by a technology company.

We viewed Occupy Oakland protesters burn the Star Spangled Banner after clashes with police.

We saw Novak Djokovic defeat Rafael Nadal to claim the Australian Open final, in a match that will go down in history as one of the greatest of all time.

And finally, we looked forward to Super Bowl XLVI, as some companies released advanced versions of their half-time commercials.

Olivia Ma, YouTube News & Politics Manager, recently watched “Inside Syria: Escalating violence pushes country toward full-blown war”.

From the West Wing: Hanging out with President Obama on YouTube

Monday, January 30, 2012

connect face-to-faceHangoutWhite House YouTube Channel White House YouTube channel youtube.com/whitehouseRamya Raghavan, YouTube News and Politics Manager, recently watched “Ask Obama: Why Tuesday”

Your Interview with President Obama

Sunday, January 22, 2012

If you could hang out with President Obama, what would you ask him? Would your question be about jobs or unemployment? The threat of nuclear weapons? Immigration reform? Whatever your question is, submit it on YouTube for the opportunity to ask the President directly in a special interview over a Google+ Hangout from the White House.

On Monday, January 30, a few days after delivering his State of the Union address to the nation, President Obama will answer a selection of top-voted questions you’ve submitted in a live-streamed interview. Starting today through January 28, you can visit the White House YouTube channel to submit your video and text questions and vote on your favorites. Your YouTube questions will drive the interview, and several participants with top-voted questions will be selected to join the President in the Google+ Hangout to take part in the conversation live.

So take out your camera, check your hair and go to youtube.com/whitehouse to submit your question now. Need ideas? Visit youtube.com/whitehouse on Tuesday night to watch the President’s State of the Union address live. The address will be followed by the Republican response on Speaker Boehner’s YouTube channel.

Video questions are preferred (though we also accept text) and should be about 20 seconds long. In the video description, be sure to tell us a little bit about yourself, like where you’re from.

Your Interview with President Obama will be streamed live at 5:30 p.m. ET on January 30 on youtube.com/whitehouse. You have until midnight ET on January 28 to submit your question and make your voice heard on the issues that matter to you.

Ramya Raghavan, YouTube News and Politics Manager, recently watched, “How to Buy a Car, Using Game Theory”

YouTube.com/Politics: Tracking the 2012 election campaign through online video

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

“Macaca” moment of 2006 Fox News/Google Debate youtube.com/politics YouTube Politics Youtube.com/politics
Ramya Raghavan, YouTube News and Politics Manager, recently watched “Republican Debate: Books, Boos, Gay Soldier and Ron Paul.”

European Commission President Barroso takes your questions on YouTube World View

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Cross-posted from The Official Google Blog.José Manuel BarrosoState of the Union AddressEuronewsYouTube World Viewyoutube.com/worldviewGoogle TranslateWorld ViewWorld ViewAl Verney, Head of Communications, Google Brussels, recently watched “The YouTube Interview with President Obama 2011.”

Grade the candidates in last night's Fox News/Google Debate

Friday, September 23, 2011

youtube.com/foxnews

In addition to voting on videos of the debate, you’ll find a “Pulse” tab on the channel that shows data visualizations of the questions you submitted. You’ll also be able to watch clips from our online show with Shannon Bream and Chris Stirewalt, where we examined your questions and issue searches in more detail.

During the debate, we also looked at what searches were spiking on Google. Of all of the candidates names, the underdog former Governor of New Mexico Gary Johnson’s name saw the biggest spikes.

Viewers were also interested in finding out more about Herman Cain’s “9-9-9” plan -- every time he mentioned the plan, searches for it on Google spiked.

Check out more search trends on the Google Public Sector Blog.

As the GOP primary continues to heat up, you’ll be able to find information straight from the candidates right here on YouTube. Our next scheduled debate is with PBS and the Des Moines Register on January 12th in Iowa -- stay tuned for more information on how you can participate.

Steve Grove, Head of News and Politics, YouTube, recently watched Fox News/Google Debate (Full Length)

The Fox News/Google Debate live tonight on YouTube: GOP candidates answer your questions

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Cross posted from the Official Google Blog.Fox News YouTube channelimmigration reformhealth careforeign aidsocial securityyoutube.com/foxnews

youtube.com/foxnewsRamya Raghavan, YouTube News and Politics Manager, recently watched “Candidate Question IRS.”

Fox News/Google Debate: Digging into your questions

Monday, September 19, 2011

YouTube channelunemployment above 9 percent

* NOTE: This chart excludes the “Other” category, which has received 26% of all questions, ranging from education to State’s rights.

Houston

Miami

New York

San Diego

Austin

www.youtube.com/foxnews
Will Houghteling, YouTube News and Politics, recently watched “Flying over planet Earth.”

Choose the questions for the GOP candidates in the FOX News/Google Debate

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Cross-posted on the Official Google Blog and the Public Sector Blog.

If you’ve been watching the 2012 Republican presidential race from the sidelines, now is your chance to get involved: Google and FOX News will present a GOP primary debate in Orlando, Florida on September 22, and you can drive the conversation by submitting and voting on questions for the candidates. The Fox News/Google Debate will combine the questions you submit on YouTube with maps, facts and information to enrich and guide the discussion. You can vote thumbs up or down on the questions using Google Moderator, and many of the top-voted will be put straight to the candidates to answer. The result—an informative dialogue about the future of our country centered on the issues you care most about.

You can submit your questions starting today, in video or in text, at www.youtube.com/foxnews. The debate will be live streamed on YouTube as well as broadcast on the FOX News Channel at 9pm ET on Thursday, September 22. Throughout the evening, we’ll use Google’s public data and search trends on air to give greater context to the questions, and help you make a more informed decision at the polls come November 2012. We hope you’ll join us—submit your question now and let your voice be heard.

Steve Grove, Head of YouTube News and Politics, recently watched “Ask the GOP Candidates.”

Reflections on September 11 - Share Your Story

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The New York TimesYouTube channel

Your strongest memory of that day or that time period

How 9/11 changed you, and how you believe it changed America

What you lost — or gained -- because of 9/11

youtube.com/September11Olivia Ma, YouTube News & Politics Manager, recently watched “Portraits Redrawn: Alissa Torres”

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