Microsoft Announces New Election 2012 Hub for Xbox Live

News
By Jane McEntegart
published

Microsoft is looking to make Xbox Live a top destination for election coverage.

Microsoft has announced plans to launch an Election 2012 hub for Xbox users. The Redmond-based company is collaborating with NBCNews.com, Rock the Vote, YouGov and Face the Facts USA, to produce "Election 2012 on Xbox LIVE." The hub will allow users to watch and interact with coverage of the three presidential debates as well as learn facts about candidates and issues from Face the Facts USA. Additionally, you'll be able to register to vote through Rock the Vote, and participate in live daily polls from YouGov. Election coverage will come courtesy of NBCNews.com, which will provide daily programming with the latest news and analysis on the election and the candidates.

"We want to provide our passionate Xbox LIVE community with a great way to experience the election process with TV that makes them participants — and not just viewers," said Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "This is a great example of how our Xbox capabilities are making the promise of interactive television a reality."

The 2008 presidential election saw a lot of action on Twitter and other social networks, especially from Barack Obama's team, so this evolution isn't at all surprising but it will be interesting to see how much users really interact with the content being presented. Microsoft also plans to air live feeds from the Republican and Democratic national conventions, and is planning additional programming on the "Conversations with the Next Generation" youth town halls in Tampa, (August 29) and Charlotte, North Carolina (September 5).

The Election 2012 on Xbox LIVE hub will launch on Monday, August 27. According to the Xbox Live Election 2012 page, the NBC News and Live Event Player apps are needed to view news and live events. These apps require an Xbox LIVE Gold membership, so if you don't have one, you'll miss out on a lot of the coverage the hub has to offer. 

Things will kick off on August 29 at 2:3pm Eastern Time. Chelsea Clinton and Chuck Todd will be hosting live coverage of the first "Conversations with the Next Generation" youth town hall.

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Jane McEntegart
11 Comments Comment from the forums
  • leongrado
    Not really sure what to make of this. I have my doubts that anyone who can't get off live to even use their computer will care about politics.
    Reply
  • Inferno1217
    Does it matter anymore? All politicians are liars and crooks.
    Reply
  • bourgeoisdude
    Chelsea Clinton and NBC...at least it will be unbiased. /sarcasm
    Reply
  • Pennanen
    If someone has money and time to do politics on xbox live they obviously dont need to. Those who really need to get their voice heard, they dont have xbox or free time to play around with one.
    Reply
  • senkasaw
    Inferno1217Does it matter anymore? All politicians are liars and crooks.
    ^ ...what he said. I'm sick of politics.
    Reply
  • senkasaw
    I get on my Xbox to get away from all that crap.

    When you are facing off with some random guy in Halo, it doesn't matter what his (or my) political affiliations are...we both hate each other equally and strive hard to see to the other's demise. And next game, if we are on the same team, we are the best of friends. It's a beautiful thing really.

    No need for politics on Xbox.
    Reply
  • dalethepcman
    Because having crap like this in TV.radio.newspaper isn't enough. Now you can pay to have politicians lie to you while you play a video game. I'm sure this will be completely unbiased, and include as much information about Ron Paull as it will about the other candidates.
    Reply
  • jhansonxi
    While I don't think the NBC feed will be popular, I do think political arguments would best be resolved in an FPS.
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    American politics is a good entertainment show.
    Reply
  • Benihana
    "This is a great example of how our Xbox capabilities are making the promise of interactive television a reality."

    That's not even a good example. Sex sells, find a way to put that into the Xbox creatively and you have a great example. You won't even have to pay the marketing boys for a name, 'cause it'll just name itself.
    Reply