PoliticsTV - new US internet initiative (en francais)

A new initiative from the left in the US. Slick new site. Taking streaming video and the internet to new levels. PTV has established themselves as a media company.

PoliticsTV.com is an Internet TV network for progressives, independents, Democrats – or any American opposed to the Republicans’ radical right agenda.

Over the next several months, it will roll out several video shows and channels in addition to those on the site today. Future channels and shows include:

* THE CANDIDATE CHANNEL, featuring videos of candidates for office for state, local, federal office.

* THE CITIZENS CHANNEL, featuring video editorials - often video "rants" by PTV personalities and submitted by PTV viewers.

* THE SATIRE CHANNEL, featuring flash cartoons, sketch comedy, and other humorous and creative content contributed by PTV viewers.

* THE BLOG CHANNEL, featuring the PTV Blog, and shows featuring and about bloggers and the blogosphere.

* THE PUNDIT CHANNEL, featuring Pundit Search, a nationwide contest among would-be political pundits – a sort of "American Idol" of politics!

* THE LEADERS CHANNEL, featuring profiles of leaders from the halls of Congress to your neighborhood – and everywhere in between.

* THE IDEAS & ISSUES CHANNEL, featuring programs on the issues, opportunities and challenges facing America, and ideas and proposals for how to address them.

PoliticsTV.com was started by a group of bloggers, activists, and political professionals who believe that InternetTV presents an unprecedented communications opportunity to progressives. It is a media company under the Federal Election Campaign Act.

This is something to keep an eye on. With mid-term elections coming up we are likely to see many different applications being tested online in the US. While election regulations and financing are distinctly different between Canada and the US, many of these initiatives can be duplicated in Canada, albeit on a smaller scale.