The presence of the coaxial cable on the East Coast convinced the Democrats to hold their convention in Philadelphia three weeks later. Just as television provided a glimpse from inside the convention hall in 1948, the Internet has the potential to add new dimensions to national politics through its coverage of the same event 52 years later. The similarities between the introduction of television and the Internet go beyond the coincidence of the host city. The excitement about the advent of television in 1948 is visible in the press coverage of the run-up to the conventions.
Similar expectations surround Internet reporting of the two upcoming conventions.
Although the Internet was available to reasonably large numbers during the 1996 campaign, the 2000 political conventions are the first to have been planned and executed in the Internet age. Both parties have set up Internet alleys for use by Web journalists. The Internet coverage of these conventions will range over thousands of different Web sites updated by teams of journalists working for established newspapers or television stations, the parties and candidates, grassroots organizations as well as any citizen who feels a need to add his or her view to the summers' political activities. Twenty-four hour also offers worldwide access to those interested in the proceedings. Even more significant is the high expectations being placed on the interactivity involved in many of the political Web sites today.