TV Convention Coverage in South Carolina
June 2004
Scholastic News Online Student Reporter John Dixon recently interviewed David Stanton of WIS-TV, the NBC affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina. Stanton discussed the station's coverage of the upcoming political conventions, and the role TV plays in the political process.
| SCHOLASTIC: | Are you providing full or scaled-back coverage of the Democratic and Republican conventions? |
| STANTON: | We will be providing the same coverage this year that we have done for the past several conventions. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | What factors led to this decision? |
| STANTON: | We are affiliated with NBC and will carry NBC's coverage of the conventions. We will also be able to get stories about the conventions and any South Carolina angles from NBC and also from CNN, with whom we are affiliated. In addition, we will be able to do satellite and telephone interviews from Columbia with South Carolina delegates. We will also be able to do stories with delegates before and after the convention. With all those resources, we think we will be able to give comprehensive coverage to our viewers. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | If John Edwards looks to be the Democratic choice for vice presidential candidate, how will that affect the type and amount of coverage here in South Carolina? |
| STANTON: | We would do stories with South Carolina angles about Edwards. For instance, we would talk with the people who ran his campaign here. We would also do stories about the impact of that choice on races here in South Carolina, and in particular, the U.S. Senate race. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | Why do you think convention coverage is important? |
| STANTON: | The conventions give the parties a chance to showcase their platforms and candidates. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | Do you think election coverage by TV, in general, is good or bad? |
| STANTON: | Good. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | What could networks do to improve election news? |
| STANTON: | It would be good if more of the focus could be on an examination of substantive issues rather than who's ahead at a particular time in the race. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | Do you believe people make their voting decisions based on what they see happening at a convention? |
| STANTON: | No. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | How do voters make their decisions? How do campaign commercials figure into the decision-making process? |
| STANTON: | Voters make their decisions for a wide variety of reasons, including where they live, their socioeconomic background, their ethnicity and gender, and their view of the particular issues that are dominating the campaign; for example, trade and jobs, or the situation in Iraq. I think campaign commercials can have an impact on undecided voters, and if the commercials are negative, they could serve to hold down turnout. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | How do you actually process news? Where does it come from, and what happens to it after they get it? |
| STANTON: | We get story ideas from a tremendous diversity of sources—from viewers who call, write, or e-mail us; from reporters' sources; from newspapers, magazines, the Associated Press, the Internet, and TV networks; from elected and administrative leaders; from news conferences; and from things our reporters actually see or learn for themselves. Our reporters, anchors, and photographers go out into the community to cover stories, and do interviews by satellite or telephone in the newsroom. Viewers use the information in a wide variety of ways; for instance, to help them become more informed as consumers, or voters; to learn what is happening in their communities; to see interesting, often humorous or sad stories. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | How does information you have just learned become a news piece on TV? |
| STANTON: | It is written into a story and presented by a reporter or anchor. A photographer may shoot and edit video to go with the information. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | How do you go about fact-checking and reporting, and who writes the story? |
| STANTON: | We talk to people who are familiar with the story, or we go to sources that have information concerning the story, such as newspapers, magazines, the Associated Press, the Internet, almanacs, maps, etc. We also rely on people in the newsroom who are familiar with the story, or experts who have information about it. The story may be written by a reporter, an anchor, or a producer. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | What do the anchors actually do? |
| STANTON: | The anchors are involved in coming up with stories, and report, write, and help produce and anchor the newscasts. Anchors also become involved with the community, speaking to groups and organizations and taking part in community activities. |
| SCHOLASTIC: | How will the convention coverage be presented to the TV audience? |
| STANTON: | It will be presented live, with NBC News. It will also be presented in newscasts, both on our station, and on NBC. |
