The moment we've all been waiting for has come to pass. The 2010 midterm elections are over and the results are in. As always there were winners, losers and the ignorance of the American people on full display. Instead of critiquing the results though, let's take a look at how the media covered election night. Needless to say there was a plethora of coverage across all mediums. For simplicity's sake, I'll just focus on CNN's online coverage.
CNN.com's Election Center featured one of the most informative and interactive platforms for election coverage and analysis. Users logging onto the site could immediate start learning about why the election mattered under The Basics section. This section featured stories that explain what the shifting of the reins of power means, why voters should care about elections outside their state and how redistricting will affect them within their own state.
The Results section could be sorted by Senate, House, Governor, ballot measures and exit polls. Under these headings users could then choose their state and view any of these results. The results are presented in interactive info graphics and charts that depict how each county within a state voted. It also shows the percentage of the vote the winner received based on sex and party ID.
The Polls section displays polls conducted asking questions on a multitude of topics. These polls can be as broad as nationwide or they can be broken down by state. All the results are presented in easy-to-understand info graphics.
The Issues section details the country's most important issue according to the people. It also lists topics such as healthcare, the economy, terrorism and illegal immigration that can be explored to find related stories. This section also features the option of having users submit stories detailing what they feel is the most important issue and why.
The final section, My Election, allows users to receive personalized news stories and results of local elections. It is a great way to have users tailor their experience to their own needs. It's easy to set up and use.
It truly is a shame that more people didn't use all these features that CNN offers. If they had, they would've become more informed and hopefully made better decisions at the polls. Hell, it might've even gotten them to go to the polls. Oh well, there's always the next election, right?
Friday, November 5, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Never Fear, Help is Here
Tomorrow is the big day. You're no doubt extremely excited to eat dinner and then plop down in front of the TV and watch election results roll in until the wee hours of the morning (or is that just me?). Or maybe you've sworn off TV. You'd rather avoid the talking heads and get your results online.
No matter the medium, it can be a daunting task deciding which channel or website to get your information from. There will be so many to choose from that your head gets dizzy just thinking about it. Who will provide the best coverage? Who will have the information the fastest? It's enough to drive someone insane.
Well you can sleep soundly tonight knowing that Bill Lucey has your back. The former senior news researcher for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has written a blog entry on his website compiling all the election coverage that will be taking place across multiple media platforms.
If you're channeling your inner couch potato tomorrow like me, Mr. Lucey has outlined the coverage taking place on all the television networks. Curious whether CNN will feature their huge touch screen? According to Mr. Lucey you can bet your ass they will. Worried that CBS won't have Katie Couric? Rest assured she'll be there providing up to the minute coverage.
If you prefer cyberspace, Mr. Lucey details the different web resources and tools you can use to get your election fix. POLITICO will stream a live show, Google News will feature a special section for results and you can even visit the website for the National Conference of State Legislatures for the latest results.
Mr. Lucey's blog is the ultimate resource to figure out your election night game plan. With it, you have no reason to be scared of the overwhelming coverage taking place. You should, however, be very scared of the possible results.
No matter the medium, it can be a daunting task deciding which channel or website to get your information from. There will be so many to choose from that your head gets dizzy just thinking about it. Who will provide the best coverage? Who will have the information the fastest? It's enough to drive someone insane.
Well you can sleep soundly tonight knowing that Bill Lucey has your back. The former senior news researcher for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has written a blog entry on his website compiling all the election coverage that will be taking place across multiple media platforms.
If you're channeling your inner couch potato tomorrow like me, Mr. Lucey has outlined the coverage taking place on all the television networks. Curious whether CNN will feature their huge touch screen? According to Mr. Lucey you can bet your ass they will. Worried that CBS won't have Katie Couric? Rest assured she'll be there providing up to the minute coverage.
If you prefer cyberspace, Mr. Lucey details the different web resources and tools you can use to get your election fix. POLITICO will stream a live show, Google News will feature a special section for results and you can even visit the website for the National Conference of State Legislatures for the latest results.
Mr. Lucey's blog is the ultimate resource to figure out your election night game plan. With it, you have no reason to be scared of the overwhelming coverage taking place. You should, however, be very scared of the possible results.
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