INTRODUCTION, OVERVIEWAND SOME RELEVANT RESEARCH

Goals for Our WorkshopWe want to convince you that:

• Newspapers play an integral role in promoting local democracy, and that municipal election reporting is some of the most important work we do.

• Investing extra resources in election reporting is worthwhile, and that you can do more with the resources you have.

• Better election coverage will boost your newspaper’s standing in the community.

• Better election coverage is potentially profitable.

Goals for Our WorkshopWe want to share tools and strategies for:

• Seizing upon elections as a key opportunity to foster community debate on important issues.

• Engaging citizens in helping set the agenda for election campaigns.

• Covering candidates and campaigns in much more depth.

• Using endorsements, data, documentary photography, multimedia and other strategies to take your election coverage to new levels.

Election coverage is importantto residents, and most

see their community newspaperas the primary source

of information about local elections.

RJI Research on Election Reporting• The RJI Insight and Survey Center surveyed residents

of three Missouri towns in November and December 2013 to gauge attitudes toward and use of newspaper election coverage.

• The Sikeston Standard Democrat, the Branson Tri-Lakes News and the St. Joseph News-Press agreed to participate.

• A total of 1,235 surveys were completed online and by telephone, with a minimum of 400 per newspaper.

• We will return to those respondents after the April 2014 election to determine whether changes in election reporting produce any changes in residents’ election behavior and attitudes toward newspaper coverage.

Demographics of the Sample• Average age = 54.4. Age range was 18 to 94.

• 49% of the respondents were female.

• On average, respondents had lived at their present address for 15 years.

• 84% of respondents reported owning their homes.

• 22% had either a high school diploma or GED, 20% had some university study, 27% had a college degree, and 13% were either working on or had completed post-graduate study.

6

• 95% of respondents said they were registered to vote.

• 87% reported they usually vote in April elections.

• Overall, 72% reported that they voted in the April 2013 municipal election.

• Among online respondents, 89% self-reported votingin the election in 2013, compared to 66% of the telephone respondents.

• 77% agreed to be interviewed again in April 2014.

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Voting Behavior of the Sample

• 7% of respondents indicated they had beena candidate for local political office, such as city council member.

• 30% reported that they had contributed to a political campaign within the past three years.

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Other Characteristics of the Sample

● Of those who reported contributing to a political campaign: 48% said they contributed to a candidate for state

representative. 46% said they contributed to a presidential candidate. 37% said they had contributed to a candidate for U.S.

representative. 15% said they had contributed to a local school board

candidate. 15% said they had contributed to a local city council

candidate.

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Other Characteristics of the Sample

Major Findings from the Survey

Residents indicated strongly that:

• Municipal elections — for seats on local councils and boards and for bond issues and tax increases — are important to them.

• They pay attention to newspaper coverage of local elections, particularly in print.

Major Findings from the Survey

• Overall, each of the three newspapers scored slightly below 4 on a 5-point scale (with 4 being “good” and 5 being “excellent”) for quality of election coverage. The combined rating was 3.94.

• We also got some good data on what typesof election reporting residents find, or would find, most useful.

Readership of and attentionto the local newspapers

12

7 days 6 5 4 3 2 1 day None0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

26%

11%

3%2%

6%

8%

15%

29%

7 of 10 read the local newspaper• 71% of residents read

a printed newspaper at least once a week.

• Age, length of residence & income were positively related to readership.

• Average age of readers was 56 years; they have lived in the area for an average of 17 years.

• Average age of non-readers was 50; they have lived in the area for an average of 12 years.

How many days a week do youread or look into

a printed local newspaper?

Past 24 hours

Past 7 days 8 - 30 days ago

More than 30 days ago

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

23% 22% 21%

34%

Use of newspaper websites• 58% of

residents accessed the websitesof local newspapers.

• A combined 45% of residents accessed the websites within the past 7 days.

When was the last time you accessed the websiteof the local newspaper?

3 of 10 said they read newspaper coverage of local elections online

A lot 4 3 2 No attention0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

16%14%

17%15%

38%

Knowledge aboutlocal government

16

City council Board of aldermen

Board of trustees

All the above

DK/Not sure0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

60%

15%

3% 3%

19%

6 of 10 answered “city council”

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In your town, are decisions in city government made by a city

council, a board of aldermen or a board of trustees?

2 yrs 3 yrs 4 yrs Other DK/Not sure0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

25%

6%

14%

2%

53%

53% didn’t know term of officefor a council member/alderman

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In your town, what is the term of office for a member

of the city councilor board of aldermen/trustees?

2 yrs 3 yrs 4 yrs 6 yrs DK/Not sure0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

14% 13% 14%

5%

54%

54% didn’t know the termof office for the board of education

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In your town, what is the termof office for a member

of the board of education?

Municipal Elections Seen as Important20

Description of statements Average score

Elections on local bond issues or tax proposals are important to me.

4.34

Voting in municipal elections is important to me personally.

4.17

Elections for school board seats are important to me. 3.78

I do my best to stay abreast of information about municipal elections.

3.70

Elections for city council or town board seats are important to me.

3.68

Elections for other local boards are important to me. 3.61

The outcome of municipal elections has more impact on me than the outcome of state and federal elections.

3.04

Note: Responses to the questions were coded on a 5-point scale ranging from (1) “strongly disagree” to (5) “strongly agree.”

Importance of Voting in Local Elections

Strongly agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

45%

38%

9%6%

2%

Voting in municipal electionsis important to me personally.

[n = 1,228]

Importance of Local Election OutcomesThe outcome of municipal elections has more impact

on me than the outcome of state and federal elections.[n = 1,211]

Strongly agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

8%

26%

34%

27%

5%

Strongly agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

22%

47%

13%15%

3%

Staying Informed about Local Elections

I do my best to stay abreast of information about municipal elections.

[n = 1,231]

Strongly agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

21%

47%

14% 14%

4%

Importance of Town Councilor Board Elections

Elections for city council or town board seats are important to me.

[n = 1,217]

Strongly agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

29%

40%

15%13%

3%

Importance of School Board Elections

Elections for school board seat are important to me.

[n = 1,227]

Strongly agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly disagree

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

50%

41%

5%3% 1%

Importance of Bond Issues/Tax Increases

Elections on local bond issuesor tax proposals are important to me.

[n = 1,235]

Newspaper Ranked as the Most Valuable Source of Election Information

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Description of statements Average score

Local newspaper reports are a valuable sourceof information about municipal elections.

3.94

Conversations with other community members are a valuable source of information about municipal elections.

3.81

Public political forums or debates are a valuable source of information about municipal elections.

3.69

Reports on local newspaper websites or other digital platforms are valuable sources of information about municipal elections.

3.58

Note:Responses to the questions were coded on a 5-point scale rangingfrom (1) “strongly disagree” to (5) “strongly agree.”

Direct Mailings from Candidates& Social Media Were Not Well Perceived

28

Description of statements Average score

Political advertisements in the [newspaper] are a valuable source of information about municipal elections.

3.08

Candidates' websites are a valuable source of information about municipal elections.

3.01

Direct mailings from candidates and/or campaign committees are valuable sources of information about municipal elections.

2.77

Social media, such as Facebook or Twitter, are valuable sources of information about municipal elections.

2.72

Note:Responses to the questions were coded on a 5-point scale rangingfrom (1) “strongly disagree” to (5) “strongly agree.”

Thesis Research on Missouri Newspapers’ Election Reporting

• This study examined coverage of the April 2010 municipal elections at 28 Missouri newspapers with circulations of less than 50,000.

• In all, 292 articles were found. “Literacy frames” were dominant, representing 63% of all the articles. A little more than one in four stories addressed “substantive issues.”

• Some newspapers ran as few as two stories throughout the 2010 spring campaign season. The average story count was 10.4. The highest was 28.

Framingin Local Election Stories

Horse race8.6% Str

at-egy

0.7%

Substantive issues27.7%

Literacy

63%

Good Journalism is Good for Business“Fully 60% of the American public have heard little

or nothing about the news industry’s financial struggles. And 31% of people say they have deserted a particular news outlet because it no longer provides the news and information they have grown accustomed to. And those most likely to have walked away are better educated, wealthier and older than those who did not — in other

words, people who tend to be the most proneto consume and pay for news.”

— 2013 State of the Media Report, Project for Excellence in

Journalism

Good Journalism is Good for Business

“The job of news organizationsis to come to terms with the fact

that, as they search for economic stability, their financial future

may well hinge on their ability to provide high-quality reporting.”

— 2013 State of the Media Report, Project for Excellence in Journalism

Good Journalism is Good for Business

“The model’s appeal is that it provides a business rationale

for social responsibility. The way to achieve societal

influence is to obtain public trust by becoming a reliable

and high-quality information provider, which frequently

involves investments of resources in news production and

editorial output. The resulting higher quality earns more

public trust in the newspaper and, not only larger

readership and circulation, but influence with which

advertisers will want their names associated.”

— “The Vanishing Newspaper: Saving Journalism in the Information Age”

Philip Meyer’s Influence Model

Good Journalism is Good for Business

“Although quality — like beauty — may be in the eye

of the beholder, there seems to be a strong link

between newspaper quality and circulation.

Papers that cut quality as a short-term cost-saving device

may end up paying in future circulation.”

— Lacy and Fico: “The Link Between Newspaper Content Quality

and Circulation”

Our Premises for Down-home Democracy

• Community newspapers can do a much better job of covering local elections, through print and digital platforms, and their audiences will notice and appreciate it if they do.

• Better election coverage can help your newspaper establish itself as a key contributor to and facilitator of decision-making on important issues in your community.

• Building social capital will pay dividends through increased subscriptions, readership and advertising.

HELPING VOTERS MAKE DECISIONSWITH THOROUGH ELECTION COVERAGE

“The Elements of Journalism”Kovach and Rosenstiel

• Journalism’s first loyalty is to citizens.

• Its essence is a discipline of verification.

• It must provide a forum for public criticismand compromise.

• It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant.

What doesall this look

like when weapply it —

or don’t apply it — to election

coverage?

Enough about Theory…

Let’s Look at Some Examples• Candidate Q&As

• Audio interviews

• Video interviews

• Overview pieces

• Candidate forums

• Testing candidate assertions/fact checking

• Exploring issues in the campaign

Let’s Look at Some Examples911 Tax Coverage at Branson Tri-Lakes News

• Officials: 1 call center offers better 911 service

• 911 quarter-cent sales tax: What will be taxed?

• No citizen members for county emergency board

• Future without 911 pondered

• Group opposes 911 sales tax

• Consolidated 911 systems trending

Columbia Missourian Coverage

of 911 Tax Proposal

Let’s Look at Some Examples

• Columbia, Boone County seek 911 tax

• Crowding, understaffing, challenge 911

• Groups, residents oppose 911 tax

• 911 officials ready with facility plans

Personality Profiles