Leslie Bradshaw

Communications Manager, NMS Public Affairs

President, JESS3

William Beutler

Innovation Manager, NMS Public Affairs

BarCampDC II October 18, 2008

Zvi Band

Chief Technology Officer, JESS3

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Sharing Our Experience

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C-SPAN The Opportunities, Technologies and VisionThe Opportunities, Technologies and Vision

Answer: Create and promote

“one-stop-shop” online hubs for the

National Conventions and Presidential

Debates

How can we:

• Leverage social and open-source technologies to further C-SPAN’s mission?

• Introduce C-SPAN to new audiences?• Introduce C-SPAN audiences to

online media, reporting and communities?

• Establish lasting resources with a one-time investment?

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NMS & JESS3 The ExecutionThe Execution• Created innovative online

platforms for users to be informed and connected

• Worked with the Twitter community to brand hashtags #DNC08, #RNC08, #debate08 & assisted with others

• Engaged bloggers and Twitter users through links, emails, phone call interviews, tweets and on-air mentions

• Secured top placements on tech, media and political blogs

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JESS3 The ExecutionThe Execution• Moved quickly for a

one-week turnaround on each Hub, from design to deployment

• Used entirely open-source software

• Based on heavily-customized WordPress

• Ran on Windows IIS servers (don’t do that!)

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JESS3 The Debate Hub TimelineThe Debate Hub Timeline

• Data/Video provided by C-SPAN Archives

• Transcript and video searchable, embeddable, editable

• Powered by MIT’s Simile Project http://simile.mit.edu

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JESS3 Debate Hub Transcript AnalysisDebate Hub Transcript Analysis• Custom PHP/jQuery was powered off C-SPAN Transcripts

• Word Tree was based off http://www.jquery.info/The-TreeMap-plugin

• Sparklines were based off http://omnipotent.net/jquery.sparkline/

• Inspiration from Edward Tufte and http://sparkline.org/

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C-SPAN Getting Down With Digg and TwitterGetting Down With Digg and Twitter

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C-SPAN Adding Access via Qik and YouTubeAdding Access via Qik and YouTube

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“Video, thanks to C-SPAN's awesome convention hub website.”

TIME’s Ana Marie Cox, Swampland blog

C-SPAN Seen as a ‘Resource’ and ‘Hip’Seen as a ‘Resource’ and ‘Hip’

“Nice online channel for videos from conventions, along with live streams on Qik.”PBS’ Media Shift blog

“Check out C-SPAN's convention hub for the Democrats and the Republicans.”Insight CEO Michael Willner’s blog

“C-SPAN Gets Even Cooler”techPresident blog

“When did C-SPAN suddenly get so hip and with it?”

Lost Remote blog

“Is C-SPAN Web Cultured? Seems So. Take That, CNN!”

Mashable blog

Media

Technology

Technology

Politics

Politics

Mainstream

Media

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C-SPAN Providing Access and Showcasing MasteryProviding Access and Showcasing Mastery

“New moment for C-SPAN as a modern Internet information provider.”Sunlight Foundation blog

“C-SPAN has set up a special website just for convention coverage. They really seem to have gotten this new media

thing down.”National Review’s Corner blog

“C-SPAN's loosening of copyright restriction over the past few months (embeddable video is new for the conventions) is enabling bloggers to use C-SPAN content in creative ways and helps to expand C-SPAN's core mission to educate and inform the American populace.”Cable Tech Talk blog

“Kudos to C-Span for understanding the power of social media.”

Blog World Expo blog

Technology

Politics

Media

Media

Conservative

Technology

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NMS Mixing-it-Up with BlogadsMixing-it-Up with Blogads

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NMS The ResultsThe Results• NMS secured 400+ blog

placements; 700+ inbound links; millions of online views

• C-SPAN transformed their image in the eyes of online influencers and tech communities

• C-SPAN reengaged their core political audience through embeddable video and blogger link-backs

• C-SPAN exchanged their limited advertising budget for social capital, search engine optimization (SEO), brand awareness and historical, lasting resources

Furthering their mission, C-SPAN connected millions to the political

process

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We Had a Blast.