A Procrastinator’s Guide to Digital Election Coverage

September 27, 2012

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DigitalServices.NPR.org – Click on News Training

Teresa Gormantgorman@npr.org

@gteresa

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1.How is your coverage unique?

Questions to ask

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1.How is your coverage unique?2.What does your audience

expect?

Questions to ask

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1.How is your coverage unique?2.What does your audience

expect?3.What can you do well in the

time left?

Questions to ask

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10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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1. Choose your battles

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

8http://www.flickr.com/photos/aheram/7885306114/sizes/z/

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Choose your battles

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Choose your battles

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Set yourself apart from the competition Write the second day story on the first day

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Set yourself apart from the competition Write the second day story on the first day

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What does this mean??

Provide

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What does this mean??

Provide •Perspective

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What does this mean??

Provide •Perspective•Analysis

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What does this mean??

Provide •Perspective•Analysis •Why it matters

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What does this mean??

Provide •Perspective•Analysis •Why it matters•A different take

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What does this mean??

Provide •Perspective•Analysis •Why it matters•A different take

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What does this mean??

Provide •Perspective•Analysis •Why it matters•A different take

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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2. Write breaking news in advance

Google likes speed

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2. Write breaking news in advance

Google likes speed Only way to get ahead with ‘what happened’ is

to be on it immediately

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2. Write breaking news in advance

Google likes speed Only way to get ahead with ‘what happened’ is

to be on it immediately Focus on the implications of key initiatives or

local races – not results

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2. Write breaking news in advance

Google likes speed Only way to get ahead with ‘what happened’ is

to be on it immediately Focus on the implications of key initiatives or

local races – not results Write three different versions for the most

important stories

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Write breaking tweets in advance

XYZ wins New Hampshire Republican primary with XYZ % of vote LINK #NHPrimary

XYZ comes in last in #NHPrimary, with XYZ% of vote LINK

XYZ% of precincts are reporting. XYZ is ahead of XYZ by XYZ%.

Romney #NHPrimary win means election is his to lose, Shields says LINK

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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3. Selectively use NPR tools: API

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3. Selectively use NPR tools: API

What does your audience expect from you?

Does it have local relevance?

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3. Selectively use NPR tools: NPR apps

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3. Selectively use NPR tools: NPR apps

http://apps.npr.org/early-voting-2012/#oh

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3. Selectively use NPR tools: NPR apps

http://apps.npr.org/early-voting-2012/#oh

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3. Selectively use NPR tools: NPR apps

Twitter.com/NPRApps

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools4. Link out to other local and national coverage

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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Do what you do best

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Do what you do best

Link to the rest

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Link out

“It is not a sign of weakness to point to others' good work. It's a service,” Mark Memmott.

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Link out: Be consistent

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Link out: Keep it short

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools4. Link out to other local and national coverage5. Embed multimedia that is useful

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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http://bit.ly/mapembed

5. Embed multimedia that is useful

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Embed useful media: Video

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Embed useful media: Social media

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Embed useful media: Social media

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Embed useful media: Social media

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Embed useful media: Social media

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools4. Link out to other local and national coverage5. Embed multimedia that is useful6. Create informal partnerships

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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Informally share content plans

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Share a common hashtag

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Share a common hashtag

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Share a common hashtag

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Share a common hashtag

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Share a common hashtag

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools4. Link out to other local and national coverage5. Embed multimedia that is useful6. Create informal partnerships7. Use social media to find out what your audience wants to

know

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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Use social media to find out what your audience wants to know

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Use social media to find out what your audience wants to know

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools4. Link out to other local and national coverage5. Embed multimedia that is useful6. Create informal partnerships7. Use social media to find out what your audience wants to

know8. Create and update guides to other good content

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2012/09/19/what-to-know-about-floridas-amendment-8/#more-13268

Create and update guides to other good content

Combine tactics:

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http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/2012/09/19/what-to-know-about-floridas-amendment-8/#more-13268

Create and update guides to other good content

Combine tactics:

Pick issues and races that are of interest

Provide context Write in advance Link out Answer questions Dive into your

archives

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools4. Link out to other local and national coverage5. Embed multimedia that is useful6. Create informal partnerships7. Use social media to find out what your audience wants to

know8. Create and update guides to other good content9. Cover it live on election night

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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9. Cover it live with blogs and social media

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1.Post live updates on election night

2.Host a live blog3.Live tweet from viewing parties,

newsroom, voting places

Do it live

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Do it live

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Do it live

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools4. Link out to other local and national coverage5. Embed multimedia that is useful6. Create informal partnerships7. Use social media to find out what your audience wants to

know8. Create and update guides to other good content9. Cover it live on election night10. Streamline coverage

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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Streamline coverage

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1.Call it something recognizable

Streamline coverage: Keep it simple

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1.Call it something recognizable2.Make it easy to find

Streamline coverage: Keep it simple

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1.Call it something recognizable2.Make it easy to find3.Keep it simple – do you really

need to spend a lot of time making a separate page?

Streamline coverage: Keep it simple

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1. Choose your battles2. Write breaking news in advance3. Selectively use NPR tools4. Link out to other local and national coverage5. Embed multimedia that is useful6. Create informal partnerships7. Use social media to find out what your audience wants to

know8. Create and update guides to other good content9. Cover it live on election night10. Streamline coverage

10 Steps to an Election Coverage Plan

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Questions?Up next:

• “Beyond November" - Behind-the-Scenes of a Public Media Collaboration in St. Louis: Oct. 4, 1 - 2 p.m. ET

• How to Live Blog the Election: Oct. 11, 1 - 2 p.m. ET• Cover the Election, Core Publisher Style: Oct. 18, 1 - 2 p.m. ET