North Carolina: An Unprecedented Partnership
By Rick Thames Charlotte Observer Public Editor North Carolina’s citizens are about to get a bigger voice in the media’s coverage of elections across the state. The state’s largest newspapers – The Charlotte Observer and News & Observer of Raleigh – are among more than a dozen newspapers and broadcast stations cooperating this year in an unprecedented […]
N.H.: “It’s Still the Economy”
By Donald Macgillis Boston Globe “People’s Voice” coordinator One day before he lost the New Hampshire primary, Sen. RobertDoleacknowledged not knowing about what was going on in that state: “I didn’trealize that jobs and trade and what makes America work would become a bigissue in the last few days of this campaign.” If Dole had […]
Hot off the Primaries: Citizens Election Project Case Studies
Six different media partnerships in four states experimented with new ways to focus on citizens’ issues during the presidential primaries and to reframe traditional political coverage so that it was driven less by political insiders. “All shared a common assumption,” said Stanley Cloud, who directed the project, “that something was radically wrong with political […]
“Negative Campaigns: What Can Journalists Do?”
By Jon Margolis Political Correspondent Emeritus Chicago Tribune The very first speaker, not counting the hosts who welcomed us all, disputed the very premise under which we all gathered. A day and a half later, the very last speaker concurred with the first. Sounds like a bummer of a meeting, no? No. Even with […]
Inventing New Election Coverage
From New England to the Pacific Northwest, news organizations all over the country are experimenting this season with new and different ways of focusing on citizens’ issues in covering the elections. The Virginian-Pilot, for instance, is asking candidates to apply for the job they are seeking- to submit a resume and application letter outlining their […]
Civic Catalyst Newsletter
Making a Difference: Covering Campaign ’96
BY DEBORAH POTTER Director, Poynter Election Project For several years, The Poynter Institute has actively encouraged journalists to change the way they cover campaigns — to do a better job of helping citizens make informed decisions in a democratic society. Last year, we decided to study campaign coverage, to see if news organizations that promised […]
Out of the Pressboxes; Onto the Field — Again
The Charlotte Observer is one of 14 news organizations in the state collaboration on coverage of the U.S. Senate race. Lambasted in 1996 by national newspapers for being “insidious and dangerous” and a “fraud,” the statewide North Carolina election partnership is back – wiser and better than before. The “Your Voice, Your Vote” initiative this year […]
Beyond the Ballot in Maine
By Eric Conrad Assistant Managing Editor Portland Press Herald People often ask journalists: “Why don’t you write about my issues when you report on elections and government? Why don’t you cover things that are important to me?” With those voices in mind, editors and reporters at the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram set out in the fall […]
Broadcasters: Rethinking Elections
There were some differences of opinion and some lively discussion about how television stations should cover elections but one unmistakable theme emerged from the first Best Practices 2000 workshop in Washington, DC, December 10-12: The old “horse race” kind of coverage simply isn’t going to cut it. LEFT: Broadcasters check out “Citizen Voices”, The Philadelphia […]