The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recently posted a video on YouTube asking people to try to capture Republicans on camera in compromising situations.



“The next time a Republican has a 'Macaca Moment,' will you be there to capture it? The power to hold Republicans accountable for their lies, distortions, and attacks belongs to you. Keep an eye on your local newspaper and your Member of Congress' web site to see when they are having their next public event. Don't forget to bring your camera!”

This is all becoming rather ridiculous. Let’s get past the fact that it isn’t smart to throw stones if you live in a glass house. But are all these “I-report, you-report, we all-report” videos changing politics as we know it? CNN uses I-Report, a way to allow viewers to submit their own videos and stories on the promise that they may make it onto the CNN airwaves. MSNBC and FOX News both have similar programs. Some media analysts and experts say that this is new media, where viral video sets the terms of the debate. It only takes one viral video to dominate the 24-cable news cycle for the day.

Sure, it's easy to score political points by sending out an army of activists hell-bent on catching candidates in an unflattering situation. Gaffe-prone politicians favor the odds that someone armed with a video camera will be there the next time a senator has a macaca moment. But as this study shows, the public is growing impatient with the media's focus on the horserace and 'gotcha' journalism at the expense of issue coverage.