Everybody knows that technology is changing how people talk politics. Websites like YouTube gives anyone with a video camera the chance to express their opinions. Of course, visitors to the site don't have to watch every video that is uploaded. Starting last week though, if you've got some cash you can get your own homemade political advertisement onto television and make everybody see it (well more than on YouTube at least) with the help of WideOrbit. The ad company launched the nonpartisan Website VoterVoter.com to help those not familiar with the TV advertising world get their message out. WideOrbit does all the hard stuff like identifying where in the country your advertisement would best fit based on demographics and filing the paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. Of course it's ultimately up to the television stations to decide if your ad is acceptable and can run though.
However, what's acceptable is still nothing I'd like to have to watch over and over. Remember the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth campaign ads against John Kerry in 2004 that constantly ran on TV? Those were made by a 527 group. These groups exist to try and get their candidate elected, but really all they are doing is playing dirty politics and slinging more mud. Something that every Tom, Dick and Harry doesn't need to be doing.