Those heading to Minneapolis-St. Paul to participate in or report on the gathering of the G.O.P. faithful at the end of the summer may want to get in touch with a provider of Minneapolis computer rentals to ensure that they will have the computer resources and support to fully cover and participate in what is emerging as a digital media extravaganza. The beefing up of the digital infrastructure that will support the demands of media, political operatives, conventioneers and bloggers who will descend on the Twin Cities for the September 1-4 Republican National Convention highlight the increasing role that the Internet is playing in this year's election.
In anticipation of what will be one of the two most heavily wired political conventions ever - the August 25-28 Democratic National Convention in Denver being the other ? the telecommunication giants that are set to bring the RNC to the world have significantly beefed up their infrastructure. Verizon Wireless recently announced that it has ?upgraded its capacity to meet an expected 33 percent increase in voice calling and a whopping 150 percent rise in data transmissions? over its Minneapolis-St. Paul network. Sprint, Nextel and AT&T have also announced that they will be augmenting their service in Minnesota in anticipation of the RNC.
Meanwhile, at St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center, the site of the RNC proper, Qwest Communications International is adding 100 miles of fiber-optic and copper wiring to bring the RNC to the world. By all accounts, both Denver and Minneapolis promise to be the digital media epicenter of the Internet as the fall presidential elections kick off.
Preparations for the Republican National Convention highlight the growing importance of the Internet in American politics. Recent survey results from Pew Internet and American Life Project (in conjunction with Princeton Survey Research Associates) show that 46 per cent of Americans so far this year have used the Internet to track the unfolding 2008 presidential election.
?Young voters,? according to reports of the Pew Research numbers, ?are using the Web in different ways than other generations.? C/Net News.Com reports that, ?young voters are consuming more political online video than older adults, while creating their own political commentary with posts, e-mails, text messages, and social-networking sites.? The Pwew Survey numbers indicate that, ?One-third of all 18- to 29-year-old adults used a social-networking site for political activities like adding candidates as their friends.?
As the online politcal debate between Republicans and Democrats heats up, it appears clear that the digital media - particularly videocasting and emerging videocast giant YouTube - will be a significant battleground for both parties in trying to shape the views of the American electorate. Videocasts have begun to take up an exponentially growing swath of digital bandwidth, and the use of videocasts as a source of information and entertainment is growing each month. With exponential increases in the demand for bandwidth, one can only hope that the infrastructure enhancement undertaken by Verizon, Qwest et, al, will be sufficient for the ensuing demand.
When the political pundits, pickers and press meet in Minneapolis, one can expect the digital images and information streaming out of one of the two ground zeroes for the biggest news story of the year to crest. Those covering the political beat in Minneapolis-St. Paul, as well as those wishing to play their part in an increasingly digital political race, will want to ensure they have secured the computer rentals, server rentals and technical support to bring the American electorate what they have come to expect ? real-time, live video coverage and analysis of all the nuances of American politics. Contracting now with a national provider who is gearing up to provide the Minnesota computer rentals that RNC operatives, reporters and commentators will require is the necessary initial step for the pundits and politicos that will be bringing the machinations of the RNC to America and the world.
