CBS engages with students through Twitter partnership

STORY BY DRAKE RHONE

This Saturday, November 14, CBS News will partner with Twitter to gather conversation and insight from the whole country and broadcast it live during the CBS News Democratic Debate. The debate is the first Democratic Debate in Iowa, and it takes place here at Drake University. The debate will be broadcast across the country from this CBS/Twitter news team.

As of this moment, Hilary Clinton, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) are confirmed to be participating in the CBS News Democratic Debate.

The partnership between CBS News and Twitter for this debate is essentially just integration between tweets using the #DemDebate hashtag, the candidates’ own campaign Twitter accounts and the live television broadcast. Through this method, tweeters from all over the world can review, discuss and report on the debate while the feed is shared live on CBS News as a way for the general public to participate. The Twitter partnership also extends to CBSN, their 24/7 online new streaming site.

“CBS News is so pleased to partner with Twitter on our Democratic Debate,” said David Rhodes, CBS News president, in an official statement. “Our people have worked with Twitter’s unique curator tools to measure changing responses to what viewers will see on the screen. This Twitter integration will inform our coverage and integrate seamlessly with CBSN, our always-on digital network.”

Since only a very small number of Drake’s student body can be present at the debate, some students feel that participating in Twitter’s partnership with CBS News can keep them involved even if they don’t get to be at the debate in person.

“I think that having the Democratic Debate connected through Twitter lets me be more involved in the political scene,” said Connor Gordon, a first-year at Drake University. “Especially as a Drake student, because I feel like it gives us a voice.”

It’s not only students who want to learn more about politics who find Twitter’s partnership with CBS News to be helpful.

“It really allows us to get more involved in the political process,” said Emma Muth, a politically active student and writer for Drake Political Review. “Especially with Twitter since it’s an active forum that’s so accessible and easy to use, I think it’s something to look forward to because people can get their voice out there.”

Part of Twitter’s partnership with CBS News has to do with informing reporters and cameras covering the debate which aspect of the debate to focus on.

However, in the interest of being impartial, Twitter will also be gathering tweets from current Republican candidates and broadcasting their reactions to the Democratic debate alongside the live debate footage and tweets using the official hashtag.

CBS News will broadcast the debate live from Drake, but the Twitter feed is gathered from all tweets from around the world. To participate in the conversation on Twitter, use the assigned hashtag #DemDebate and follow the current list of candidates’ Twitter accounts at https://twitter. com/gov/lists/presidential-candidates.