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Zannel offers mobile blogging from Democratic convention floor

Mobile media network Zannel is allowing designated bloggers to file mobile reports from the floor of the ongoing Democratic National Convention.

Bloggers are broadcasting video, pictures and text updates from the convention floor in host city Denver, CO. The convention runs through Thursday, Aug. 28.

"We thought it would be really neat if they could connect with their audience to take pictures and videos with their mobile phones so that their audience could see it immediately," said Adam Zbar, CEO of Zannel, San Francisco.

The convention -- where Sen. Obama will be anointed as the Democratic Party candidate for president -- has accredited a number of state-based bloggers with floor access to the whole show.

Fourteen bloggers from this lot and representing all U.S. regions are blogging for Zannel's PoliticsBlue community channel. The posts run from the convention right through Election Day in November.

The blog posts can be accessed by texting DEM to the short code 58888 or viewed online at www.zannel.com/politicsblue.

Postings on the Zannel mobile platform will include the bloggers' journey to this event, their observations, impromptu interviews, meetings with delegates and images of politicians.

"We're personally excited about this because it's an important election and we're excited to be part of the process," Mr. Zbar said.

Blog-cabin Democrats
The participating grassroots blogs in the PoliticsBlue community are:

Florida: Florida Progressive Coalition - http://flaprogressives.org
Georgia: Georgia Women Vote -- georgiawomenvote.blogspot.com
Kentucky: Blue Grass Roots - www.bluegrassroots.com
Massachusetts: Blue Mass Group -- www.bluemassgroup.com
Mississippi: The Natchez Blog - www.natchezblog.com
New Hampshire: Blue Hampshire - www.bluehampshire.com
New Mexico: Democracy for New Mexico - www.DemocracyForNewMexico.com
South Carolina: Crack the Bell - www.crackthebell.com
Texas: Burnt Orange Report - www.burntorangereport.com
Utah: The Utah Amicus - http://utahamicus.blogspot.com
Vermont: Green Mountain Daily - www.greenmountaindaily.com
Wisconsin: Uppity Wisconsin - www.uppitywis.org
Democrats Living Abroad: Yanqui Mike - www.yanquimike.com.ar

Zannel will soon launch a PoliticsRed community channel for those of Republican bent.

The company is also inviting consumers to debut their own political channels on zannel.com.

Zannel has won a trademark on the phrase, "Instant Media Network."

The company currently monetizes its traffic via a mobile ad network model. It has worked on campaigns with Toyota and entertainment studios, as well as integrated with Google and mobile ad networks such as AdMob, Quattro Wireless and Third Screen Media.

The service is free to users, though it may debut fee-based premium content at a later stage.
Zannel, which stands for zillions of channels, recently bagged $10 million in Series B funding.

Mr. Zbar thinks he has the model of the times with his mobile blogging platform.

"I think it's a little bit in the zeitgeist of the moment," he said.