IRONTON — Dr. David Lucas, associate professor of communication studies at Ohio University Southern, recently announced that he and several of communication studies students will cover the local election returns live via an Internet video stream.

This free access Internet site will offer live coverage beginning at 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening. The unbiased, objective broadcast stream will originate from the Lawrence County Court House. Viewers will get up-to-date numbers, precinct returns and election results along with interviews with candidates, politicians and community leaders.

“We know how difficult accessing reliable, local election information can be,” said Dr. Lucas. “We’ve been approached by numerous community leaders requesting coverage for the election returns here in Southern Ohio. We looked at the available technologies and decided the most effective means to provide the information needed was video streaming over the Internet.” Lucas continued, “This will not be a glitzy, glamorous broadcast with graphics and special effects, but rather a straight forward, home-grown, home-spun immediate blow by blow of the election returns.”

Any person with a computer and Internet will be able to access the broadcast using the following link: livestream.com/folknographylive . This newest Internet video streaming effort fits the pattern for the previous research work piloted by Lucas. He originated the qualitative research method known as folknography.

Dr. Lucas has piloted over 20 folknographic research projects revealing numerous discoveries of cultural significance. Over the past few months, students have been exploring the thoughts and perceptions of Ohioans concerning the question, “What does America need?” Along with local election results, Lucas will be reading excerpts from summary narratives written by the students. The entire broadcast will be streamed as a public service. “We welcome one and all on election night. We have no agenda or partisan slant…we just want our folk from Southern Ohio to have the opportunity to gain immediate information concerning the election outcome,” declared Lucas. “We feel like the folks deserve it.”