Vote sure or no.
The choice to amend state legislation is earlier than voters in dozens of states throughout the US. The problems cowl a variety: abortion rights, property tax exemptions and legalizing marijuana.
Whereas native tv newsrooms have closely coated the presidential candidates, they’ve additionally centered a number of consideration on the amendments. In a current poll by the Pew Analysis Heart, over 30% of these questioned say tv information is the most typical manner that they get political and election information, adopted by information web sites and apps, then social media. The job of native journalists explaining what’s on the poll remains to be necessary.
And this yr, a number of native TV stations went past their conventional approaches.
“There’s a lot misinformation not solely concerning the candidates but in addition your entire course of,” stated Denisha Thomas, information director at WXIA in Atlanta. “We predict it’s necessary to provide our viewers the info to allow them to make knowledgeable choices whereas on the polls.”
Reaching new audiences
WXIA produced protection of Georgia’s poll amendments for its newscasts and its digital viewers.
“For us, there was a lot deal with the presidential race, or for our D.A. race or different native races, however not as a lot consideration has been on these completely different proposed amendments,” stated Kristie Anderson, director of particular tasks. “We simply thought it was a very nice instructional alternative to only stroll individuals by it and attempt to clarify it.”
Anderson led the newsroom’s efforts in creating their To The Polls: 11Alive Voter Guide. What’s distinctive about their method is the information consists of over a dozen quick movies. The manufacturing is for a digital viewers.
“Our purpose is to, primary, put that proper in entrance of you. Make it straightforward to search out what’s in your poll,” stated Religion Jessie, a WXIA anchor. “Right here’s what all of these things means. So that you’re not simply getting in there wanting blind, so to have an informed and knowledgeable resolution earlier than you go.”
Jessie anchors the protection from a inexperienced display screen, permitting varied movies and pictures to be inserted behind her as she delivers the knowledge. The entire visible parts are graphic-heavy and rely little or no on conventional video.
“We talked about what makes issues stand out for social media movies and attempt to play off of that,’” Anderson stated.
The “5 W’s” method
The inspiration of reporting is to ask questions that embody the “5 W’s” (Who? What? When? The place? Why? And the way?) WPLG-TV, the ABC affiliate in Miami, produced a particular program, “Amendments 101”, hosted by reporter Glenna Milberg. The purpose: to particularly lay out for voters what their sure or no vote will imply. The content material goes past simply the 5 W’s and supplies context in order that audiences could make knowledgeable choices.
”The important job of reports, and native information particularly, is to tell individuals,” Milberg stated.
She has coated politics and elections in Florida for many years. She reported on all six of Florida’s amendments. Whereas typically worded obscurely, reporters have to elucidate what the amendments imply and the historical past behind them.
“When you’re simply wanting on the query on the poll, you haven’t any concept why it’s there. What it would do. Who’s behind it? What cash is behind it? Whose agenda is behind it? And in the end is that this a selection that I’m going to make that’s going to be good for me and my group?” Milberg stated. “And so it’s as much as us to determine all that out and serve it as much as the viewer in a really comprehensible manner.”
For instance, Amendment 2 on the poll in Florida is the precise to fish and hunt.
“There was really individuals behind that that requested lawmakers to try this, and truly wrote the modification. So the background of how the amendments received there and who’s funding them, that’s very instructive.”
In Milberg’s report, she outlined the issues with Florida’s Modification 2, together with wording that may be complicated or ambiguous like “using conventional strategies” and “responsibly managing and controlling fish and wildlife.” She stories that, if handed, the modification would change the sport for fishing and searching in Florida. And any such reporting has helped South Florida’s viewers each election cycle.
“I’ve by no means gotten as a lot suggestions and gratitude and questions and engagement about any single different factor I’ve ever executed,” Milberg stated. “It actually informs their selection. So I really feel like we’ve made a distinction. We’re making a distinction. That’s actually all we need to do.”
