- Focus on general elections rather than primaries - Focus on competitive elections, but not uncompetitive ones - Coverage snowballs into “He said, he said” type-coverage - Devotion to print product over new media platforms - Focus on campaign rather than issues or ideas - Accepts low voter turnout as standard and routine
- Focus on general elections rather than primaries - Focus on competitive elections, but not uncompetitive ones - Coverage snowballs into “He said, he said” type-coverage - Devotion to print product over new media platforms - Focus on campaign rather than issues or ideas - Accepts low voter turnout as standard and routine
◦ Even local campaigns are rarely, if ever, focused on local issues - Focus on general elections rather than primaries ◦ Most local elections are single-party - Focus on competitive elections, but not uncompetitive ones ◦ Most elections are thoroughly predictable - Coverage snowballs into “He said, he said” type-coverage ◦ Lack of objective information disconnected from campaigns
new media platforms ◦Social media get eclipsed by profitability and routine grind of the “dead trees” product - Focus on campaign rather than issues or ideas ◦Allows campaigns to set media agenda and coverage - Accepts low voter turnout as standard and routine ◦Snowballs into political polarization, radicalism and voter disengagement
local campaigns are rarely, if ever, focused on local issues - Embrace localization and non-local topics ◦If a candidate wants to discuss Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, write about it ◦It’s still local – local reactions and perspectives on those macro-level issues absolutely qualify as local - Al Cross will talk about this later today, so let’s move on
primaries ◦Most local elections are single-party - Step One: Cover primaries and general elections equally ◦Primaries are growing in importance, both in Texas and nationally ◦As 24-hour news cycle grows and grows, these early elections will become more competitive and more divisive ◦Tactically, there’s not a huge difference for journalists ◦An election is an election, and treating elections equally matters
primaries ◦Most local elections are single-party - Step Two: Recognize that R&D are basically meaningless in 2016 ◦Every Republican in Texas is a devout constitutional conservative and member of the Tea Party, etc etc ◦Every Democrat is a champion of economic equality and social justice, etc etc ◦Spoiler Alert: They’re not as monochrome as they’d have you believe
lines: ◦Traditional, pro-business Republicans like Jeb Bush & company ◦A modern breed of anti-government libertarian a la Barry Goldwater and Ted Cruz - Democrats tend to vary ideologically, too ◦Moderates like Chris Bell who harken to Bill Clinton circa 1992 ◦Devout liberals and moustache aficionados like Lon Burnam, who are more Bernie and Obama ◦African American or Hispanic democrats with distinct agendas
as competitive, multi-party elections because for all practical purposes that’s exactly what they are - Second: Ask questions that expose distinctions between them ◦If elected, would you support House Speaker Joe Straus? ◦What role do you feel the state should play in public education? ◦How do you feel about the Texas Enterprise Fund? ◦Under what circumstances should the Lege tap the Rainy Day Fund?
or ideas ◦Allows campaigns to set media agenda and coverage - By asking detail- and policy-oriented questions, you reclaim your own headlines ◦Given the option, candidates would rather prattle on crowd- pleasing lines and a specific set of issues ◦Don’t let them. Press them on specifics and details, both on those cliché topics and more specific questions of your choosing
or ideas ◦Allows campaigns to set media agenda and coverage - Don’t wait for a campaign to issue a release or comment about a detailed policy issue ◦Pursue that policy yourself ◦Make a series out of it if you want - Policy should be covered during elections, not after them
said” type-coverage ◦ Lack of objective information disconnected from campaigns - Focusing on particular policy and specific topics helps, but it doesn’t get you all the way there ◦ You have to also recognize the campaigns as campaigns ◦ Those campaigns are constantly jockeying for your coverage, but offering little to no objective perspective - So what do you do?
$100 ◦Names of major donors ◦Zip codes of donors – in district vs out of district ◦Total cash on hand, which can be compared across candidates ◦Total expenses as well
said” type-coverage ◦Lack of objective information disconnected from campaigns - Also: You can totally contact lobbying groups and endorsing organizations for comment or clarification ◦The campaign may be mislabeling an endorsement or making up an organization … it happens
media platforms ◦Social media get eclipsed by profitability and routine grind of the “dead trees” product - The politicians you’re covering are on social media ◦They will drop stupid, provocative or revealing bombs online. It’s only a matter of time.
uncompetitive ones ◦Most elections are thoroughly predictable - Accepts low voter turnout as standard and routine ◦Snowballs into political polarization, radicalism and voter disengagement
communities shapes those communities - The values and routines you embrace will be shared and absorbed by your readers, neighbors and advertisers ◦They also help shape the paper
decisions on the values absorbed during their youth ◦That’s now, watching their parents, teachers and communities discuss what’s shaping up to be a major political realignment - Candidates in 2020 will base their candidacy on voter behavior in 2016 ◦“Every Speaker is a reflection of the previous Speaker” - Winners and losers in 2016 will be based, at least partly, on campaign coverage
◦House & Senate, Republican & Democrat & etc - Host discussions among interest groups ◦Tea Party, Chamber of Commerce, and school board president - Host one-on-one public interviews with prominent officeholders and citizens ◦SBOE member, former state reps, prominent local donors
◦House & Senate, Republican & Democrat & etc - Host discussions among interest groups ◦Tea Party, Chamber of Commerce, and school board president - Host one-on-one public interviews with prominent officeholders and citizens ◦SBOE member, former state reps, prominent local donors - No “Report Cards!” This isn’t a class, and it’s not a game
engaged - Media tend to over-emphasize conflict and prestige ◦Under-emphasize routine, pedestrian or disengaged voices - Publish polling locations, times and dates often ◦It’s good enough for Yelp, why isn’t it standard in politics? - So what’s the single best way to emphasize expand the types of quotes sources in your articles? ◦ Hint: It’s not what you’re saying, but how you’re saying it
normal circumstances, but … ◦You’re in Texas – Spanish speakers are literally everywhere ◦You’re in an election year where Hispanic and Latino turnout will be critical
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