Seattle, Washington (PRWEB) February 24, 2015
Socrata (http://www.socrata.com), the world leader in cloud solutions for open data and data-driven government, today announced the launch of Open Data TV (ODTV), an innovative video network that will showcase the valuable work and remarkable people driving the global revolution in data-driven government, which is currently taking hold in cities, townships, counties, provinces, states and countries around the world.
ODTV can be accessed on Socrata’s home page, or at opendata.tv.
In addition to spotlighting the world’s foremost thought leaders as they explain how government is using data to drive performance, boost the economy and increase citizen engagement, ODTV will also interact and engage with viewers in a host of participatory ways. Indeed, the vibrant new network will encourage people to comment and share its videos; join the open data movement; and suggest new video features that should appear on ODTV.
“ODTV is a breakthrough digital platform that will deepen and enrich the overall conversation about data-driven government that’s taking place on just about every continent today,” says Kevin Merritt, Socrata’s Founder and CEO. “The interviews and discussions on ODTV aren’t about any one company, technology or municipality; they’re about a vision, movement and revolution that’s gone mainstream and is now being embraced by public sector organizations all over the world. If we’re going to keep leveraging the power of data to change the world, we need to talk substantively about where data-driven government is heading, and that’s what makes ODTV so compelling.”
ODTV is launching with seven core video interviews from the following thought leaders:
- Mike Hernandez, Communications Director for Miami-Dade County (FL) – who talks about open data and the critical importance of government transparency and trust in a diverse and dynamic community.
- Julie Steenson, Senior Performance Management Analyst, City of Kansas City (MO) – who explains how a centralized data repository allows all government departments in Kansas City to become their own data specialists and budgetary advocates.
- Sam Mowbray, Head of Policy and Communications, West Sussex County Council (UK) – who discusses how her county used open data to evaluate and sharpen its commissioning process for public health services and improve taxpayer return on investment.
- Waldo Jaquith, Director, U.S. Open Data Institute – who addresses the pressing need for common open data standards and demonstrated impact that verifies the value of open data for governments everywhere.
- Hudson Hollister, Executive Director, Data Transparency Coalition – who believes that the true value of the open data movement extends well beyond transparency and will include the development of new management tools and compliance automation.
- David Eaves, Co-Founder, ReCollect; Socrata Advisory Board Member – who promotes a citizen-centric approach to services by motivating governments to become more streamlined and effective through opening and smartly sharing data.
- Bob Runge, Chief Strategy Officer, Socrata – who sees innovative data-driven government as one of the foundational pillars of a new and emerging digital democracy that will help improve the quality of life for citizens and communities around the world.
In terms of next steps, Socrata will continue to develop and add meaningful content to ODTV, including mini-documentaries that show data-driven government in action. Much of this video content will be shared with a major media partner in the government / technology space.
ABOUT SOCRATA
Socrata is the world leader in cloud solutions for open data and data-driven governments. Its innovative customers include the cities of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Melbourne and Eindhoven; the states of New York, Illinois and Texas; US Health and Human Services; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; the UN, the European Commission, and the World Bank. Socrata’s solutions – including the recently launched Open Data Network™ which unleashes the full potential of government data to help drive connected communities around the world – assist government leaders in improving transparency, modernizing citizen access to information and bringing data into every decision, all with unprecedented speed and cost savings. Delivered as turnkey services, Socrata’s technologies unlock data trapped in enterprise silos, mobilize and transform it into useful information that everyone can easily access, visualize, share and reuse. To learn more about Socrata, visit http://www.socrata.com.