The DNCC held its first media walk through at the venue for the Denver convention today, and there's fantastic news for bloggers. They are extending the 50 state strategy to include us, the bloggers, at the convention. They are reserving 56 credentials for state and local bloggers, hoping that bloggers from all across the country (and territories) will come to Denver and cover the convention from their perspective.
From their materials:
To qualify as a state blogger, the applicant's blog must have been in existence six months prior to requesting credentials and have at least 120 politically related blog posts. Bloggers must submit their daily audience and list their authority based on Technorati stats. Bloggers may also provide examples of posts that make their blog stand out as an effective online organizing tool and/or agent of change.
In addition, the DNCC will provide an as-of-yet undetermined number of credentials for national political bloggers and "niche" bloggers whose main focus is not politics, but who do write about politics or issues around politics. This pool will also be available to video bloggers.
Group state or local blogs can apply for one credential for the site, and share it among writers, if more than one wants to attend the convention. And Progress Now, located conveniently near the convention site, has teamed up with Markos to make the convention experience even better for bloggers by setting up ProgressCon2008. They're opening up their space as a home away from home for bloggers with all the resources we could possibly need.
In the special breakout session for bloggers we stressed that the state and local bloggers particularly need to have floor access to be able to spend time with their states' delegations, and that all bloggers need to be credentialed for not only the convention floor, but for the meetings that take place around the convention, where some of the real news will be happening.
Additionally, we pointed out how critical it is that traditional media who happen to also have blogs should not be considered part of the blogger pool when it comes to credentialling--credentials are a very limited resource, and if the DNC really wants to have alternative voices reporting on the convention--the aim of having so many of us there--then they should reserve all of the blogging credentials for those who can't get them as standard press.
The Colorado bloggers were well represented at the walk-through, and are already planning their host role. Rest assured that they'll extent the welcome mat to help folks figure out places to stay and ways to make this venture doable for as many bloggers as can come.
So start planning. The DNCC will start accepting applications for blogger credentialss (both for the state blogger corps and the general blogger pool) on December 10. Applications will be accepted through April 15, 2008. Applications will be available online starting Dec. 10 at DemConvention.com.