Could the IRS’ YouTube Videos be the Start of Something Big?

Ethan Klapper — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 00:34:35 +0000

In the past few weeks, the Internal Revenue Service has started posting a their videos on YouTube. While the videos themselves aren’t new (in fact most are a couple of months old), the potential here is big for this agency that many Americans love to hate.

The short videos focus on everything from charitable contributions to tax scams.

Could Americans be able get help filing their 2009 1040s from an official government YouTube video? Tax season is a headache, and a series of comprehensive YouTube videos from the IRS could certainly help alleviate the stress.

The IRS also deserves major props for offering the videos in American Sign Language and Spanish.

See another agency doing something cool with YouTube? Let me know.

Introducing CNN.com’s “Freshman Year”

Ethan Klapper — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 22:03:39 +0000

Wow. That was my reaction after watching CNN.com’s first installment of Freshman Year, a new Web video series that follows two freshman House members.

While the members, Reps. Jared Polis, D-Colo., and Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, are ideological opposites, they seem to have a lot in common as freshman members of the House.

CNN.com issued both of the congressmen the Flip camera to document their Capitol Hill whereabouts.

We see both personal and professional sides of the new congressmen. We also see both of their private bathrooms.

But of course, we see that members of congress are people too.

What a great use of video. This is unprecedented transparency!

Social Government » Video

Could the IRS’ YouTube Videos be the Start of Something Big?

Introducing CNN.com’s “Freshman Year”