James Kotecki is an online ’poli-tech-cal’ activist. Would he agree?
Let’s ask him: James Kotecki, who do you think you are?
I doubt that Kotecki gave much thought to whether he would be viewed as a blogger, or citizen journalist when he made is YouTube debut (from his dorm room at Georgetown University). His mission was simple: use YouTube as a platform to encourage politicians to interact with the online community. He uses the journalistic process to research, compile and analyze the political process and the presidential candidate videos he critiques. He also writes and produces his scripts and uploades his vlog regularly on YouTube.
What’s more relevant than whether Kotecki is a “real” journalist, is his innovative way of getting politicians’ attention and initiating conversations with them. Kotecki has a humorously natural ability to get young voters interested or more involved in the political process. He presents political information the way online viewers prefer to see it –fast and informal. Kotecki has also changed the way some politicians view the role of Internet in the political process, and that’s a big first step toward his ultimate goal, which is to use online video to change democracy.
“Online video can change democracy by changing they way we interact with our politicians,” Kotecki said in his vlog in which he applauded the video response he’d received from Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
Kotecki’s passion for politics and his desire to have the kind of one-on-one conversations with presidential candidates most journalists don’t have time for, is what initially inspired him to launch his YouTube channel Emergency Cheese. The difference between what Kotecki did from his dorm room and what political pundits like Chris Matthews does on Hardball, is very obvious. Kotecki’s production is more like Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, but way cheaper and up-close and personal. Kotecki also appears to be non-partisan and he doesn’t have big media breathing down his back.
Yes. Kotecki is a vlog activist who is pro democracy. Instead of ratings and sweeps, he thrives on getting as much feedback and have ongoing conversations with politicians and Web viewers. He’s helping to break down the barriers to online communication and participation. And as charismatic as Kotecki is, he insists that “It’s not about me … it’s about all of us changing politics for the better.”
