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Shel Holtz
Communicating at the Intersection of Business and Technology
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Washington Post invites co-created video

This could be loads of fun.

The Washington Post has launched a consumer participation activity that starts with a video of political reporter Dana Milbank asking questions. You’re invited to download the video and, using your own software, insert your own answers. (The premise: You’re a candidate in an election that’s a week away.) The questions themselves are fun to watch, but it’ll be entertaining as hell to see what people come up with.

Shel Holtz

It’s not a contest, exactly, since there’s no judging and no winners. In fact, the Post says it’ll continue to upload new videos for as long as people continue to submit them. Viewers will rate and comment on what they’ve seen. (I expect bunches of these to find their way to YouTube, as well.)

The rules are simple. Submissions have to be under three minutes and submitted in either Quicktime or Windows Media format. You have to own all the rights to anything you include. And that’s it.

I’m sure this will have its share of detractors. However, it’s nothing but fun and invites readers to co-create with the Post. It could be a win for the newspaper and a model for others to adopt.

Comments
  • 1.Oh, boy ... I can't wait to see what people come up with. Will you be participating, Shel?

    Bryan Person | August 2006 | Boston

  • 2.What, in my copious free time?

    Shel Holtz | August 2006 | Concord, CA

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