Governors Speak to the People via YouTube

Oct. 24, 2010 -- A growing number of the nation's governors are joining the laughing babies and dancing cats on YouTube with videos aimed at getting their unfiltered messages to constituents.

At least 38 governors have videos on the online site, including nine who have started this year, a USA TODAY review shows. At least nine other governors have posted videos using other services and state websites.

"It's helpful in getting the message out directly to the public," says Rachel Reeves, a spokeswoman for Kansas Democratic Gov. Mark Parkinson. "Social media in general really helps in getting your message out directly to constituents, unfiltered, without any sort of press sort of narrowing it down to a couple of quotes he may have used." YouTube use by governors is a bipartisan activity. Seventeen Republicans, 20 Democrats and one independent — Florida Gov. Charlie Crist— currently have videos posted there, the review shows.

Some, like Minnesota Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty, are using online videos for their campaigns ads. Others, such as Democrat Jim Doyle in Wisconsin, are using YouTube to broadcast official speeches and events. Two governors, Crist and Democratic West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, are using YouTube videos in their U.S. Senate campaigns.

In Maryland, Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley posts videos on YouTube channels that also include other state agency information, such as, in the case of Maryland, tips on how to track black bears. Republican Gov. Rick Perry in Texas has posted videos of speeches, statements and interviews, and he has recently posted videos that use the work of Texas animators.

Arnold Shober, an assistant professor of government at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., said online videos allow candidates or sitting governors to control the content.

"They don't have to worry that the newsroom is going to slice up their video package with only the juiciest quote," Shober said. "This gives candidates a lot more control over their message."

That control, however, doesn't guarantee an audience.