Guardian Media Ltd (the parent company of the Sunday Guardian) is this week launching a far-reaching, hi-tech rollout of election-related content across radio, TV, print and online. The new offerings include a brand new Web site, elections.tt, that will house content drawn from all of the media platforms.
“It is an innovative package for coverage of Election 2015,” according to GML’s General Manager Group Marketing, Cyntra Achong.
“A one-stop shop for everything to do with the elections.”
Content will include electoral data and laws, campaign news, views and interviews, and election-related business and entertainment content.
Elections.tt goes live this Friday and will be interactive, GML planners say, and uniquely audience responsive.
“The site draws on cutting edge infographics to track and capture audience sentiment related to developing issues on an ongoing basis,” Achong said.
“The site will connect the many audiences who come to elections from different perspectives and with different interests.”
The three new broadcast programmes to be launched are On The Margin, Youth Elect TT and Ringside 2015.
Promotions began last week for Youth Elect TT, a radio/TV production that will be launched simultaneously on CNC3 Television, SLAM 100.5FM and Sangeet 106.1FM on May 6 at 8 pm.
Youth Elect TT is a national search for political talent among the 18-25 age group. GML planners aim for it to provide a high-energy platform for young people with ideas and plans for moving the country forward. This campaign will be driven by hashtag #youthelecttt, which will allow the public an opportunity to vote over a period of eight weeks. One youth candidate a week will be eliminated until the final match-up between the two who received the largest number of votes from the national audience.
“We believe that Youth Elect TT has the potential to influence and lift the tone of the national election campaign. We’re giving the youth a powerful opportunity to have their voices heard, to distil the youth agenda and to demonstrate quality engagement with public issues,” said Nicholas Sabga, general manager of CNC3.
Organisers say that the programme is already generating a strong response from young people vying for a place on the show.
The two other programmes, On The Margin and Ringside 2015, will both premiere on CNC3, on April 21 and on May 7, respectively, at 8 pm.
On The Margin focuses on key marginal constituencies.
“It is about real people, living in real communities and dealing with the real issues that will determine how they vote in the upcoming election,” Sabga said.
The programme combines on-the-ground reporting with expert analysis and graphics in discussing how people in the all-important marginal constituencies will affect the outcome of Election 2015. It will be presented by Paige De Leon and CNC3 journalists Urvashi Tiwari-Roopnarine and Kristy Ramnarine. A companion project is planned for the T&T Guardian which will produce constituency-focused special sections in sync with the TV show.
The final programme, Ringside 2015, promises to go where no election-related television programme has gone before, Sabga said.
“Ringside 2015 brings the energy of sport and excitement of entertainment to the field of politics. Here’s where the political-minded will get a chance to go beyond the banal,” he added.
All three programmes will be linked to Facebook, Twitter and other social media by elections.tt.
“Expect more exciting campaigns, features, one-on-one interaction with journalists via live chat,” Achong said.
“The Web site will also be fuelled by one of the most sophisticated mobile app solutions giving the public access in the palm of their hands. We are very excited by what’s on our electoral menu.”