MTV Generation, Mobile Journalism, and Election 2008

I just read on PicturePhoning that MTV's Choose or Lose campaign to get younger voters involved in politics has started a mobile journalism campaign. MTV has selected 51 student reporters (one for each state) to report on election coverage in their state and send updates to young voters tailed specifically for mobile devices. While MTV's Choose or Lose campaign is not new (it was around when I was in high school and that is almost 20 years ago), but I think it is significant to note that MTV has always been on the "pulse" of how to get youth involved in democratic citizenship and important issues. I think that social studies teachers could take note of this mobile campaign and have their own mobile campaign reporters for local elections such as school board, city council, or mayor. Students could be assigned to follow different candidates and create mobile updates on campaign activities. It would allow them to use their favorite "toy" for an educative purpose and get an insider's view of politics! Students could use free text message alert sites such as Textmarks.