IT worked a treat when STV was broadcasting – on the telly, a fortnight ago – a debate involving the leaders of the three main UK political parties.
Now that it is, this evening, the turn of the BBC to broadcast its own leaders’ debate – the third and final one of this General Election campaign – does not mean a simultaneous comments board on STV’s website has had to be put into cold storage.
Just as it was possible a fortnight ago to watch the debate on a computer screen and make comments for all to see, at any time, so the service is being repeated: here.
Two weeks ago, it was so easy to sign up to make comment that even allmediascotland.com was able to take part. There is a degree of moderation of comments by the STV team and, occasionally, it provide an editorial prompt, such as a snap poll as to how the leaders – Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg – are performing.
The result is a constant and sometimes fast-moving stream of short, often entertaining, comments as the debate is unfolding.
Says Matt Roper, STV’s digital news editor: “We’re delighted that STV is the only media organisation to be showing all the UK and Scottish televised debates of this campaign live online. Our political team will provide online commentary, bringing to life the Scottish context of the debate questions, while our online team will highlight the key quotes and the best of the debate analysis from across the web.”
Tonight’s clash of the leaders kicks off at 8.30pm.
