Election Coverage: Organizing

Transcript

1. Election Central 2016
   Are you ready for 2016 elections?
   Getting Organized
   Jim Pumarlo
   

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2. Our agenda
    Campaign coverage, from start to finish
    Create calendars
    Internal, external calendars
    Introduce yourself to candidates
    Explain your coverage
   

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3. Let’s have a conversation
    What do you want to learn
   about organizing coverage?
    What is your biggest challenge?
   

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4. Plan all aspects of coverage
    Stress fairness, consistency
    Develop guidelines
    Assign responsibilities
    Set dates
    Explain policies
    Within your organization
    To your readers
   

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5. Campaign calendar: Internal
    Standard ‘to do’ list
    Bios
    Photos – uniform color, size
    Develop questions
    Schedule interviews
   

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6. Campaign calendar: External
    Continuum of coverage
    Candidate forums
    Don’t pre-empt
   endorsements
    Candidate finances
   

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7. Introduce yourself to candidates
    Welcome them
    What you need to know
    What they need to know
    Contact information
    Their campaigns
    News, advertising staffs
   

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8. Explain: We’ll be at convention
   ‘The R-E made a conscious decision not to
   cover the county conventions this year. Money
   was not an issue. We do plan to attend the 1st
   District congressional conventions.’
   

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9. Underlying principles
    Fairness and
   consistency
    Rights and
   responsibilities
   

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10. Don’t be overwhelmed
     Take deep breath
     One step at a time
     Immediate steps
     Long-term goals
     Team effort
    

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11. Solid coverage pays dividends
     Connect elections
    to everyday decisions
     Enrich community dialogue
     Advertising opportunity
     Strengthen your position
    as source for news
    

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12. Community Newsroom Success Strategies
    “Bad News and Good Judgment:
    A Guide to Reporting on Sensitive Issues in a Small-
    Town Newspaper"
    "Votes and Quotes:
    A Guide to Outstanding Election Campaign Coverage"
    "Journalism Primer:
    A Guide to Community News Coverage for Beginning
    and Veteran Journalists in the Age of New Media"
    Jim Pumarlo
    Newspaper Consultant
    Red Wing MN
    (651) 380-4295
    jim@pumarlo.com
    www.pumarlo.com
    

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