6 Election Day reporting do’s and don’ts
“Reporting on election night results may be the most pivotal task of the entire campaign season,” writes media scholar Thomas Patterson. He shares six tips for doing so carefully and responsibly.
Expert Commentary
Election Beat 2024: Remember to cover voter registration deadlines
In the lead-up to Election Day in the U.S., it’s important for journalists to remind their audiences of voter registration deadlines in each state, writes media scholar Thomas Patterson in this research-based commentary.
Expert Commentary
Election Beat 2024: Where are the issues?
Media scholar Thomas Patterson’s assessment of 2024 U.S. presidential election news coverage reminds him of years past: too few stories focusing on policy issues, and too many focusing on polls and overblown controversies.
Expert Commentary
Public radio can help solve the local news crisis – but that would require expanding staff and coverage
Media scholar Thomas Patterson explains why he believes local public radio should be part of the conversation about saving local news.
Expert Commentary
How the news media – long in thrall to Trump – can cover his new run for president responsibly
“If they are to serve the public interest, journalists cannot apply the ordinary rules for covering candidates,” writes media scholar Thomas Patterson. “They are reporting on a politician who regularly defies democratic norms and lies with abandon.”
Expert Commentary
Election Beat 2022: On election night, avoid a rush to judgment about the winner
“The 2022 midterm election returns could … be marred by a rush to judgment by political leaders or news outlets,” writes Thomas Patterson. “Millions of mail-in ballots will have been cast, and some states do not permit the counting of them before Election Day.”
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Election Beat 2022: Will turnout, swing voters or sheer luck decide the midterms?
The campaign matters but other things matter more, writes media scholar Tom Patterson. Read on to learn more about the enthusiasm gap and the luck factor.
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Election Beat 2022: What we can learn from predictive models and polls
Will 2022 be a ‘normal’ year for voting on House seats? Academic statistical models predict a Republican win in the 2022 U.S. midterm elections, but opinion polls add a cautionary note.
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Election Beat 2022: ‘Known unknowns’ in the US midterms
We know reapportionment, redistricting, and a host of new laws affecting ballot access may give Republicans an advantage, writes media scholar Tom Patterson. The unknowns lie in the impact that each of those factors will have.
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Election Beat 2022: How state laws threaten and weaken voting rights in the US
In the lead-up to the Nov. 8 midterm elections, journalists might want to keep an eye on how state laws are weakening voting rights, writes media scholar Thomas Patterson.
Expert Commentary