PBS, ABC News hone in on battleground states
One of the goals of this blog in the run-up to the presidential election is to help direct readers to the best information and analysis that TV has to offer on the candidates and their campaigns.
In addition to my reviews and analyses, I'll also try to give readers a heads-up on promising and ambitious efforts by the various news organizations covering the election.
There are two to look for this week -- one with ABC anchorman Charles Gibson and the other with PBS NewsHour correspondent Judy Woodruff. Both will focus on battleground states starting with Florida.
Woodruff's report, which starts tonight (Monday) on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, will focus on the Florida economy and how it is likely to affect the election. She will also examine how the campaign teams of John McCain and Barack Obama are working to register new voters and get out the vote for their side.
Gibson's report will air Thursday during ABC World News with Charles Gibson. It marks the start of "The Great American Battleground Bus Tour" that will find the veteran ABC newsman anchoring and reporting from Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa across a span of eight days. Thursday's broadcast will be from Orlando.
Some critics might fault Gibson for "big footing" it -- going out in the field and taking over stories for a day that correspondents have been covering and could easily continue to cover on their own without an anchorman around. But there is almost nothing of the big foot about Gibson. He is not a grandstanding hot dog like Dan Rather was.
Gibson is a no-nonsense, hard working guy who believes the news business has a special civic obligation when it comes to elections -- and that obligation involves getting the best information it can to citizens. When an anchorman comes to a story, he brings the news division's resources with him while helping the audience focus its attention on that story.
Having two major news organization and skilled journalists zeroing in on battleground states is a good thing. The more time that organizations like the NewsHour and ABC News spend in places like Florida and Ohio the fewer midnight surprises the nation is going to get at the ballot boxes. One way to understand the dynamics of these states -- as well as reduce the risk of election fraud -- is to have the best correspondents from our strongest news organizations be there on the ground.
These two reports this week are part and parcel of that process.
Check them out, and let other readers of this blog know what you think by posting your reviews and analyses here.
Comments
ABC news covering the battleground states will provide non-biased reports. I am in complete agreement that this is great for the media and its viewers. Extensive coverage leading up to the election will hopefully educate viewers who are on the fence with their vote. I am excited to see ABC and PBS's coverage of the election in the next month.
Posted by: Chris Herting | September 28, 2008 11:50 PM
Love your blog and your insight on TV. It must be liberating to write without an editor looking over your shoulder. However, if one were there, I'd like to think he or she would have replaced "hone in" (sharpen) with "home in" (target) in the headline.
Hi. Actually we checked the dictionary on that one before publishing, and believe we are are using it correctly. That does not, of course, mean we are right -- just that we checked beforehand and think we are. And my posts are edited before they are published by the same editor who edits what I write for the paper. I think most newspapers operate this way. Thanks for the kind words about the blog. Z
Posted by: Jeff | September 29, 2008 10:14 AM
Hi David -- Any word on what WJZ is going to do with the lineup being pre-empted tonight by the Ravens game? It does not appear that they have re-scheduled any of the shows for a later time. CBS can't be thrilled at that prospect, given that this is only the 2nd week of the new season.
Hi Julie. Sorry for the delay. Thanks for reminding me. They are running all this week at 3 a.m. and 3:30 a.m...If you look aat their schedule online, you get the nights and shows. Tuesday 3:30 a.m. is Big Bang Theory. Wednesday 3.a.m. CSI Miami. Does that answer it? Thanks. Z
Posted by: Julie | September 29, 2008 10:59 AM
Thanks David! I guess the update hasn't gone out to TiVO or to TV Guide, because those scheduling changes are not reflected on my on-screen guide. I appreciate you checking into this!
Hi Julie, You are welcome. Ask anytime, and I will try to get the answer. And keep reeading the blog. This is nice to be ahead of TiVO and TV Guide ona listing.
Posted by: Julie | September 29, 2008 1:29 PM