| Those heading to Minneapolis-St. Paul to participate | | | | Research numbers, "are using the Web in |
| in or report on the gathering of the G.O.P. faithful | | | | different ways than other generations." C/Net |
| at the end of the summer may want to get in | | | | reports that, "young voters are consuming more |
| touch with a provider of Minneapolis computer | | | | political online video than older adults, while creating |
| rentals to ensure that they will have the | | | | their own political commentary with posts, e-mails, |
| computer resources and support to fully cover | | | | text messages, and social-networking sites." The |
| and participate in what is emerging as a digital | | | | Pwew Survey numbers indicate that, "One-third |
| media extravaganza. The beefing up of the digital | | | | of all 18- to 29-year-old adults used a |
| infrastructure that will support the demands of | | | | social-networking site for political activities like |
| media, political operatives, conventioneers and | | | | adding candidates as their friends." |
| bloggers who will descend on the Twin Cities for | | | | As the online politcal debate between Republicans |
| the September 1-4 Republican National Convention | | | | and Democrats heats up, it appears clear that the |
| highlight the increasing role that the Internet is | | | | digital media - particularly videocasting and |
| playing in this year's election. | | | | emerging videocast giant YouTube - will be a |
| In anticipation of what will be one of the two | | | | significant battleground for both parties in trying to |
| most heavily wired political conventions ever - the | | | | shape the views of the American electorate. |
| August 25-28 Democratic National Convention in | | | | Videocasts have begun to take up an |
| Denver being the other - the telecommunication | | | | exponentially growing swath of digital bandwidth, |
| giants that are set to bring the RNC to the world | | | | and the use of videocasts as a source of |
| have significantly beefed up their infrastructure. | | | | information and entertainment is growing each |
| Verizon Wireless recently announced that it has | | | | month. With exponential increases in the demand |
| "upgraded its capacity to meet an expected 33 | | | | for bandwidth, one can only hope that the |
| percent increase in voice calling and a whopping | | | | infrastructure enhancement undertaken by |
| 150 percent rise in data transmissions" over its | | | | Verizon, Qwest et, al, will be sufficient for the |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul network. Sprint, Nextel and | | | | ensuing demand. |
| AT&T have also announced that they will be | | | | When the political pundits, pickers and press meet |
| augmenting their service in Minnesota in | | | | in Minneapolis, one can expect the digital images |
| anticipation of the RNC. | | | | and information streaming out of one of the two |
| Meanwhile, at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center, the | | | | ground zeroes for the biggest news story of the |
| site of the RNC proper, Qwest Communications | | | | year to crest. Those covering the political beat in |
| International is adding 100 miles of fiber-optic and | | | | Minneapolis-St. Paul, as well as those wishing to |
| copper wiring to bring the RNC to the world. By all | | | | play their part in an increasingly digital political race, |
| accounts, both Denver and Minneapolis promise to | | | | will want to ensure they have secured the |
| be the digital media epicenter of the Internet as | | | | computer rentals, server rentals and technical |
| the fall presidential elections kick off. | | | | support to bring the American electorate what |
| Preparations for the Republican National | | | | they have come to expect - real-time, live video |
| Convention highlight the growing importance of | | | | coverage and analysis of all the nuances of |
| the Internet in American politics. Recent survey | | | | American politics. Contracting now with a national |
| results from Pew Internet and American Life | | | | provider who is gearing up to provide the |
| Project (in conjunction with Princeton Survey | | | | Minnesota computer rentals that RNC operatives, |
| Research Associates) show that 46 per cent of | | | | reporters and commentators will require is the |
| Americans so far this year have used the | | | | necessary initial step for the pundits and politicos |
| Internet to track the unfolding 2008 presidential | | | | that will be bringing the machinations of the RNC |
| election. | | | | to America and the world. |
| "Young voters," according to reports of the Pew | | | | |