American presidential elections are complicated by partisan divisions. They have become about true and false, right and wrong, democracy and anti-democracy. Audiences are less trusting and politicians are bypassing the old media gatekeepers to engage supporters directly. Nevertheless, journalism remains the first draft of history, and this study group will bring you inside how reporters approach the 2024 election. We’ll talk about what to do when information isn’t easily available, and what to do when sources lie. These sessions are only open to HKS affiliates (students, faculty, fellows, and staff), you must be able to attend both sessions and the location will be sent after registration. They are hosted by the HKS Communications Program and co-sponsored by the Shorenstein Center’s Student Media Initiative.
Session I: Wednesday, September 25, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Staying fair and calm through covering history (and sorting through the people who lie along the way)
Some of what we’ll discuss:
- How to get audiences to prioritize substance
- How campaigns navigate misinformation and disinformation
- How journalists try to stay focused on the stakes
Session II: Tuesday, November 19, 2024
So that happened. How do we report on what happens next?After such a long and divided campaign, many Americans will be looking to move forward. What will be the role for political journalists in shaping how we dig out from the 2024 election?
Some of what we’ll discuss:
- How journalists deal with reporting election results when even basic data is politicized
- What did the events of the election year reveal about the difference between “savvy”
political chatter and fact-based reporting? - What do reporters so when people lie to them
