Commission on Presidential Debates Announces New Digital Coalition with AOL, Google and Yahoo! To Engage & Educate American Public

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) today announced "The Voice Of ___," the online destination for the 2012 presidential debates. Beginning later this month, "The Voice Of ___" digital initiative will provide the American public with access to information about the issues at large, feature the live debates, allow access to archival debate footage, and give people throughout the country the opportunity to share their voice.  "The Voice Of ____" will be showcased exclusively across a coalition of partners – AOL (aol.com/thevoiceof), Google (youtube.com/thevoiceof) and Yahoo! (yahoo.com/thevoiceof) – to reach a massive online audience.

"The 2012 debates can be the foundation for a season of conversation, and the internet initiative will provide unprecedented access for citizens to participate in that conversation," said CPD co-chairmen Michael D. McCurry and Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. "This initiative recognizes that technology offers the means to provide, receive and share information about the topics that will be discussed during the debates – it has the potential to reach and engage more people than have ever participated in these voter education forums."

AOL, Google and Yahoo!, along with back-end partners HAUS and Heroku, have all agreed to lend their technology, audiences or expertise to the program. They are collaborating to showcase an experience that will enhance every citizen's ability to further their education on the issues and add a voice to the national conversation.

"AOL is very excited to be a part of the new coalition of digital media leaders, providing an interactive program for citizens to gather information about the issues and spark discussions about the 2012 presidential debate topics," said Artie Minson, Chief Operating Officer, AOL. "We look forward to partnering with the other partners, and we believe we can play an important role in helping drive the national conversation." 

"Technology is transforming the political process from one that voters watch from afar, to one that people can participate in, engage with, and shape in a democratic way," said Susan Molinari, Google's Vice President of Public Policy and Government Affairs. "We are excited to join the Commission on Presidential Debates to help educate voters on key issues in this election and provide a front row seat to the presidential debates." 

"Yahoo! is excited to share our technology and content with voters, helping them make the most informed decisions this election year," said Mickie Rosen, SVP, Global Media & Commerce, Yahoo!. "From creative ways to engage citizens in conversations around important issues, to the most relevant news articles, we're excited to do more by being a part of this incredible digital initiative. We couldn't be more proud to work with the Commission on Presidential Debates."

"We are excited to be a part of the coalition that provides voters a better way to find, digest and process online information about the upcoming presidential election," said Oren Teich, COO, Heroku. "We wholeheartedly support the CPD's commitment to using technology to promote open debate within the political process, and look forward to seeing how it will impact the election."

The coalition and project are being led by BBH New York – the Commission on Presidential Debates' agency since 2008 – and production partner HAUS, with cloud deployment provided by Heroku.  The Paley Center for Media is the official subscriber of the live debate feed.  "The Voice Of ___" will have a dynamic name that reveals the exact number of people who have engaged with the experience at any given time. "Though it may start out as 'The Voice Of 1,' the intent is that it will grow to educate thousands – if not millions – of Americans," said Jennifer Gavin, head of digital development, BBH NY.

BACKGROUND

The Commission on Presidential Debates is the non-partisan, non-profit organization that has sponsored and produced all presidential and vice presidential debates since 1987, the year it was established.  On July 25, 2012, the CPD announced formats for the 2012 debates; sites and dates were announced on October 31, 2011.  More information can be found at http://www.debates.org.

About AOL
AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) is a brand company, committed to continuously innovating, growing and investing in brands and experiences that inform, entertain and connect the world. The home of a world-class collection of premium brands, AOL creates original content that engages audiences on a local and global scale. We help marketers connect with these audiences through effective and engaging digital advertising solutions.

About Google
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

About Yahoo!
Yahoo! is focused on creating deeply personal digital experiences that keep more than half a billion people connected to what matters most to them, across devices and around the globe. Yahoo!'s unique combination of Science + Art + Scale connects advertisers to the consumers who build their businesses. Yahoo! is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit the pressroom at pressroom.yahoo.net or the company's blog, Yodel Anecdotal at yodel.yahoo.com.

About BBH New York
BBH is a full-service creative company and has served as the agency of the Commission on Presidential Debates since 2008.  In North America, the agency has offices in New York and Los Angeles, and its clients include Axe, Bailey's, BBC, British Airways, Cole Haan, Google, Johnnie Walker, The Weather Channel Companies, Vaseline, Westin Hotels & Resorts and World Gold Council.  In 2011, BBH NY was named to the Creativity "A-List" of the 10 most creative shops of the year, and the agency ranked first among the "2011 Most Awarded in Digital in the World, " according to The Gunn Report.  BBH NY has recently been named The Webby Awards' "Agency of the Year".  Further information is available at www.bartleboglehegarty.com.

About HAUS
Since the dawn of the online era, HAUS has been instrumental in shaping how the internet looks, feels and integrates into our daily lives. Our collaborative culture combines design, technology and digital filmmaking to create responsive, state-of-the-art websites, rich media campaigns, social media applications, eCommerce and apps for mobile, tablet and the web. For more information, contact Jeremy Moss, [email protected] or visit www.madeinhaus.com.

About Heroku
Heroku, a salesforce.com company, has enabled hundreds of thousands of developers to build and run more than two million applications – all entirely in the cloud, without the need to purchase or maintain any servers or software. With support for the most popular languages, an enterprise class database service and an add-on ecosystem featuring the most innovative development tools, Heroku provides start-ups, IT organizations and agencies with a faster and more effective way to create and deploy apps. For more information, please visit http://heroku.com.

About The Paley Center for Media
The Paley Center for Media is the official subscriber of the live debate feed for "The Voice Of ____" experience.  With locations in New York and Los Angeles, the Paley Center leads the discussion about the cultural, creative and social significance of television, radio and emerging platforms for the professional community and media-interested public. Drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection and close relationships with the leaders of the media community, the Paley Center examines the intersections between media and society. The general public can access the collection and participate in programs that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the personalities and the leaders who are shaping media. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry. For more information, visit http://www.paleycenter.org/.

SOURCE Commission on Presidential Debates