Democratic National Convention to credential social media influencers for first time

The Democratic National Convention will open its doors to social media content creators this summer, announcing in a news release on Friday that the media credential request process will be available to such influencers for the first time.

In an effort to connect with younger audiences, the convention will grant credentialed creators full access, including giving them opportunities to interact with surrogates and VIP attendees, logistical support, and the creative freedom to organically share their convention experience with their audiences.

Offering the same access as traditional media outlets, the convention aims to bridge the gap between the ever-evolving content creation space and conventional journalism, said Cayana Mackey-Nance, the convention’s director of digital strategy.

“Creators have revolutionized the way Americans consume information and content, and their innovations will continue to play a critical role in how the American people view not only this election cycle, but every election cycle moving forward,” Mackey-Nance said.

The four-day Democratic National Convention will take place in Chicago starting on Aug. 19. The convention committee said in the release that it is committed to engaging a diverse audience through various platforms.

Matt Hill, the senior director of communications for the convention, added, “We are meeting Americans where they are and making sure they know what’s on the line in November, no matter how or where they see their content."

NBC News has reached out to the Republican National Committee and former President Donald Trump's campaign about their plans for their nomination convention. Trump, the presumptive nominee, has extensively used his own social media site, Truth Social, to attack Biden, other Democrats and the former president's perceived enemies as well as exert influence over the Republican Party through criticisms and endorsements of its members during the election cycle.

The Republican National Convention will take place over four days in Milwaukee, Wis., starting on July 15.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com