Just wanted to share a little behind the scenes video from the Streamys, courtesy of The Bui Brothers. That’s me with the clipboard!

Other than the Streamys last weekend, pretty much all my spare time in the last few weeks has been going into Live! From the Future. Making lots of progress! Can’t wait to unveil our new website & youtube channel which are coming soon. I’ll keep you posted, and I’ll be sure to share some behind the scenes videos of that too! Until then, check TheSteam.TV Blog & Live! From the Future Message Board for show info.

I just read an article in the Orange County Register this morning discussing Obama’s plans to post youtube videos to his website every week of his presidency. Taking a cue from Roosevelt and his radio fireside chats, Obama will use the media of the day, web 2.0, in an attempt to settle Americans facing troubled times.

Maybe its because of my background studying the media, but these sorts of stories always jump out at me. Something about the way media affects our lives as both individuals and a society interests me. The more the internet has grown, the more interactive and almost personal our interaction with media has become. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that the internet has democratized the media, but the amount of user-generated content, and the ease with which one can respond to online items disperses power more evenly. Viewers and consumers are now also creators and producers in this new media economy.

I seem to have gotten off topic as I tend to do, but back to Obama’s plans… At first glance the thought of a president using youtube (also home to Obama girl’s “I got a crush on Obama” video) as a platform seems like an outlandish joke.  At least for me, when I think of youtube, I think of clever flash videos and silly viral videos meant for a laugh. But the more you think about it, the more it makes perfect sense. It is the simplest and most effective way to reach millions. Especially for Obama, who largely built his campaign over the internet with young people. It is a new generation equipped with a new set of media tools.

It will be interesting to see the effect this switch will have on Americans’ relationship to the president and the role the internet plays in this dynamic. There is just something different about watching someone on the small screen of your laptop speaking to you. Its like they are speaking directly to you rather than to the masses. Either way, it is refreshing to know that he is keeping up with the times unlike McCain who admitted his internet illiteracy.

That said, check out the first of many web addresses to come:

For more visit Obama’s transition website!