Media in elections

By: Shauna Agan

With the Election Day tomorrow, the media is about to have their biggest day of the year. No matter who wins the election, it is big news.

This is nothing new, though. Elections are always like this. However, the media is finding new ways to get the message out to the public.

Online, voters can watch the election state by state and literally see the results the second they come in. One place to view the elections is on msnbc.com.

Another way for voters to see election results is to get them send directly to their cell phone. Many media outlets are offering this opportunity, but one example in Iowa is a newspaper out of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, The Gazette, sending out text alerts.

If all else fails, results will be scrolling at the bottom of the screen of every major news station out there, and even some stations that aren’t news stations.

With technology and more media coverage, it is really easy for individuals to become informed about election results. A century ago, individuals would not find out results until they heard it from word of mouth or from the newspapers the next day.

Today, people can track every minor change throughout the night. This is not just limited to the presidential election, but it extends to congressional and senate races as well.

Who would have thought that technology in the media would come this far? Who knows what the future of media will be when it comes to elections!

The media is doing a great job of finding new ways to get information out to the constituents.

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Liberal media the night before an election

By: Quinn Albrecht

The night before the biggest election in the history of our generation there is news surfacing about one of the candidates.

Apparently this info has been around since the beginning of the year, sitting on a website. No one really cared that it was there, until the last few days. 

It just seems like really ironic timing that a newspaper would have something so controversial going out about a candidate hours before the election.

Can and should things like this be planned? Do campaigns do this, or do newspapers? It seems a bit unethical that there is such slander coming out at such a big time in the race for the white house.

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To release or not release

By: Adrian Aitken



Earlier today in class we discussed ethics and decency in the news and what is appropriate to print. Eventually the choice comes down to what the publisher wants which is acceptable because it is their paper. What if a publisher refuses to release something with no good reasons?



This is the case with the L.A. Times. A video was submitted to the Times with Barack Obama and the alleged terrorist Rashid Khalidi which captured the two at a party. Supposedly the video contains Obama praising Khalidi for racial remarks he made along with other statements which contradict Obama's "views".



I don't understand why the publisher continues to release the video. At this point I see two outcomes of showing the video to the public. One is that Barack is guilty and he loses many voters. Two, the video contains none of the above allegations and pressure is relieved off of the Times, Obama, and Khalidi.

I believe it is the responsibility of the publisher to release such crucial information especially so close to elections. Every second the tape is withheld I become more wary of Obama. Plus the Times are only making it seem that there in fact is something to hide from the masses.

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It's not just a vote

By: Taylor Browning

With the election being tomorrow, voting is on everyone's mind. There is always a lot of doubt on whether the youth will turn out to vote, and I think the answer is yes.

The push in newspapers and media has always been what demographic groups are going to vote for which candidate. I feel with the mass media urging the youth to vote, the more we feel we matter in the election. We're not just simply voting, but choosing our future.

If media would emphasize how our actions through the polls effect our future rather than just counting it as a number, then the more the younger generations will feel the need to vote. Instead of just counting as another vote, we are the voice of future generations. That is the message which needs to be spread.

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Just put it on the map

By: Sara Crouse

All journalists know the importance of proximity, but a British news company is going beyond the journalism standard in proximity.

Independent Television News, a British news company, is currently developing a way to pinpoint a reader’s proximity to breaking news. ITN is combining forces with Google Maps to develop a way for users to view news by pinpointing their location on a map, and then selecting stories that are flagged in the surrounding area. The flag will give a headline for a news story, and the reader has the option to view the full story.

Furthermore, the official name for the tool is Geolocation API. The tool has been used for many things in recent years, for example Geolocation API can pinpoint changes in a user’s location over time. Pinpointing such changes can lead to better service for the user.

Imagine, a tool so advanced that it recognizes a change in address automatically, through the location of one’s Wi-Fi connection. The tool will then prompt the user to view relevant news stories in the user’s new area of residence.

Though in its early stages, Google Gears Geolocation API, has the potential to expand into providing more videos and potentially music. Ave Wrigley, head of new media at ITN, says,

“The Geolocation API is a real breakthrough, allowing content providers like ITN for the first time to easily develop location aware services without complex and potentially costly arrangements with third-party service providers or mobile operators.”

For now, users can filter news stories on the website much like a hometown newspaper. In upcoming months users may even be able to listen to their favorite local garage band, or view an advertisement for the boutique just down the street.

The anticipation doesn’t end there either. One can anticipate many helpful flags popping up in the next few months.

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