After last night’s incredibly successful Digital President event (video to be posted here by next week), I’ve turned my attention to Barack Obama’s inauguration.
Specifically, how will I actually watch it here on the Pacific coast? Should I share the experience communally with others at the university club? Watch it online (MSNBC has just launched a really cool viewer). Or just stay at home and view it in HD glory? [For you iPhone folks, there's even a streaming app].

















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4 Comments, Comment or Ping
Roni Ayalla
We’ve talked so much about convergence not just in a technological sense but what it means to our culture this quarter.
Is there a relationship between the perceived value and significance of events and the way we choose to consume?
Jan 17th, 2009
hrhmedia
Opted for an excellent hybrid combination: NBC in HD on a widescreen TV, and CNN/Facebook feed/comment combo (superbly done).
Jan 20th, 2009
Margery Nabors
It sounds like the majority of people used a combination of old and new media to experience the inauguration. I believe the reason is; there is not quite a medium to capture and broadcast live content like TV.
That being said, I believe the only advantage of old media today is relating to live, streaming content. New media, to-date, can not guarantee an uninterrupted, a/v synced viewing experience like old media can. U-streaming on your cell-phone and web streaming on your computer simply can not compete with TV in real time coverage.
Any other time, I would argue it can. New media enabled me to not only enjoy the video of the inaugural speech, but also the content in the dedicated Twitter channel #inaug09 channel, the commentary within international blogs, as well as my friends’ status updates on Facebook.
New media offers a more in-depth and interactive experience of content than old media. So, once sites are able to handle the elevated traffic levels at one time (i.e. during live broadcasts), old media will have no advantages over new media.
Jan 21st, 2009
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