Steve Bragaw, an associate professor of government at Sweet Briar College, frequently contributes political analysis on local, state and national elections for WSET 13, Lynchburg’s ABC affiliate. Sometimes he goes to the studio, other times a reporter brings a camera to him.

But when reporter Maria Black asked his thoughts about CNN’s much-touted “You Tube” debate among Democratic candidates for U.S. president, Bragaw thought he had a better idea: Send the station a homemade digital video of his response.

For weeks CNN had been collecting and selecting questions recorded and uploaded by ordinary citizens to the video-sharing Web site You Tube. The candidates answered the questions in a live debate, which aired July 23.

“But is this the best way to reach young voters?” Black asked viewers on WSET’s 11 o’clock news broadcast, after the debate aired. “Stephen Bragaw, a professor of government at Sweetbriar College, couldn’t resist responding to our question in the same manner the candidates received their questions.”

Bragaw recorded his answer on his home computer’s camera.