ObamaTube: President-Elect to Make Weekly YouTube Broadcasts

While the generation that would remember Franklin D. Roosevelt's radio-broadcasted "fireside chats" is dwindling, President-elect Barack Obama is looking to bring the fireside chat back.

With less emphasis on the fireside and more on the chat.



Obama has said he will start making weekly addresses to the nation on...wait for it...YouTube (did you see that coming?).

Obviously the people who remember Roosevelt's broadcasts aren't the targeted demographic, since they aren't known to spend much time on YouTube (or even know what it is). But Obama has a high approval rating among younger generations, making this a smart choice for him. And regardless of the demographics on YouTube, the internet is and will continue to be one of the easiest ways to reach the public.

Obama already knows how to put YouTube to good use; his campaign has almost 2000 videos already posted. Videos are also an advantage as they allow users to post comments, share the videos with others and feel like they can be heard.

The only question is, "How long will this last?" Participation will probably remain high for a little while following the inauguration as everybody marvels at the novelty of hearing from their President on a weekly basis. But let's be realistic; will Presidential Updates really be able to compete against all the gazillion other videos on YouTube for a generation that's addicted to distraction?

Maybe I should retract my previous statement. Obama's biggest audience may just be the declining fireside chat generation after all.

You can see our reviews of the best video sharing sites and internet TV sites, or you can get distracted by a few more fireside blog posts:

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