Boston Election Panel: Live Streaming in The Political World

The political world has no doubt grasped onto the power of livestreaming. Earlier in the 2016 presidential race, for example, Hillary Clinton used Periscope to stream a campaign speech; further, the congressional gun control sit-in streamed over Periscope last June. Similarly, on September 26th, the Trump v. Clinton debate went live on various platforms and included real-time fact checking.

Beyond these mainstream broadcasts, political practitioners, educators, and observers have been streaming discussions about the current presidential race. Nevin Zais, Varvid’s Boston Team Lead, operated a Connected Event for The Boston Election Panel discussion.

Nevin’s task was to execute a smooth livestream (and recording) by live switching between presenters and making the event look outstanding to remote viewers.

“We’re using three Sony EX1’s, a Roland VR-50HD video switcher, and a Blackmagic 4K recorder,” he said.

By supporting The Colby Club of Boston and the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, the “Pulling Back the Curtain on The 2016 Election” discussion was accessible to the public on September 27th. 

“Events like this one really help connect and educate the community,” said Nevin, “especially if people can’t make it to the venue.”

This panel dissected the strategies behind endorsements, campaign finance, and voter behavior throughout 2016. Certainly, this year’s election has a one-word description: unconventional.

This panel discussion was presented by the Alumni of Colby College. To learn more about Colby College events, you can find a calendar here.