MTV Amped Up Final ‘Choose or Lose’ Push
In the activist spirit that permeated this presidential election, MTV screened an 11th-hour question-and-answer session with Sen. Barack Obama on air and online as part of its “Choose or Lose” sprint to the finish.
The 30-minute “Ask Obama” on Monday night was one final interaction with the Democratic candidate, with questions submitted via video or written form. The Monday morning half-hour on MTV (9 a.m. ET) was repeated in early evening and subsequently aired on MTV Tr3s and mtvU.
But clips of the show aired and released online Sunday night “went everywhere ” long before, according to Ian Rowe, MTV senior vice president of public affairs, who estimated 25 million millennials would be voting in this election – a 3-4 million rise that MTV has helped along.
Sen. John McCain declined the same opportunity. On July 4, “Choose or Lose” presented 60-minute recorded videos from Obama and McCain, who were then presumptive nominees of their respective parties.
“Our audience is extremely interested, but this year we’re seeing engagement at unusual levels,” Rowe said. “It’s certainly looking like young people are going to be significant factor in the process.”
MTV provided a “Youth Voice Map” on ChooseorLose.com to collect Twitter messages on Nov. 4 and 5 from young people around the country, along with messages from 51 Choose or Lose journalists and blogs from street team members. People could comment in an “I voted because…” section of the website to record their motivating sentiments.
Mobile Web coverage with MTV/Knight Street reporters from 15 “battleground” states ran through Election Day online.
An MTV Virtual World Pre-Election Buzz Party enabled fans in MTV Virtual World to chat about the election with musical artists and MTV celebs.
MTV’s research indicated that 82% of those aged 18 to 29 considered this to be the most important election of their lives. In that demographic, 74% personally know someone who has served in the armed forces in Iraq or Afghanistan.
