Microsoft to Launch Election 2012 Hub on Xbox LIVE

RMN Digital | August 23, 2012 | Americas, Consumer, Corporate, E-Governance, Games, Masses, Regions, Strategy | No Comments

Microsoft today announced “Election 2012 on Xbox LIVE,” an opportunity for Xbox 360 owners to watch and interact with live election coverage of the presidential debates, learn the facts about the candidates and issues from Face the Facts USA, register to vote through Rock the Vote, and participate in live daily polling from YouGov.

NBCNews.com will deliver daily election programming to keep users up-to-date on the latest news and analysis about the election and the candidates. All these experiences will be featured on a brand new Election 2012 Hub on Xbox LIVE.

Members will be able to fully access the first wave of content, which will focus on convention-related news, beginning Monday, Aug. 27.

Through this platform, U.S.-based Xbox LIVE members will be able to interact in real time throughout the three scheduled presidential debates, as well as enjoy live feeds from the Republican and Democratic national conventions.

[ Also Read: Democrats vs. Republicans: Campaign Coverage ]

Xbox LIVE members will also be able to voice their opinions by responding to poll questions throughout live programming of the debates and other unique election events hosted on Xbox LIVE throughout the campaign season.

As the electioneering is gaining momentum in the U.S., tech companies are offering a slew of solutions to make political processes efficient for the parties and candidates. (Read: How Technology is Entering the American Political Arena)

“We want to provide our passionate Xbox LIVE community with a great way to experience the election process with TV that makes them participants — and not just viewers,” said Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. “This is a great example of how our Xbox capabilities are making the promise of interactive television a reality.”

[ Also Read: 10 Reasons I Like Indian TV Shows ]

To understand more about the political attitudes, behaviors and issue priorities of Xbox LIVE members, Xbox commissioned StrategyOne to conduct a survey of 1,678 Xbox LIVE households. The survey, which was conducted June 19 to July 3, 2012, found that 40 percent are Xbox Swing Voters — those who are not firmly committed to a presidential candidate.

Xbox Swing Voters say the most important issues facing the country are unemployment and jobs (39 percent), healthcare (29 percent) and taxes (22 percent).

Xbox Swing Voters say they follow politics and public policy matters in the news at least once per week, including 23 percent who follow these issues daily. Thirty-nine percent say they often watch information about the presidential election with other people in their household.

[ Also Read: What Twitter Says for Barack Obama and Mitt Romney ]

Xbox is Microsoft’s entertainment service for the TV, phone, PC and tablet. It’s home to top video games, as well as one of the world’s largest libraries of music, movies, TV and sports.

With Kinect, Xbox 360 transforms gaming and entertainment in the living room with a whole new way to play games and find entertainment — no controller required. More information about Xbox can be found online at http://xbox.com/election2012.

Photo courtesy: Microsoft