Journalists on the Election Trail, Alex Crawford from Sky News, CEO of Bloomberg Media
May 6, 2015
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Journalists on the Election Trail discuss challenges with controlled campaign events, restricted access to party leaders, and the impact of social media. Bloomberg CEO talks about expanding into European digital market. Sky News' Alex Crawford shares insights on reporting from dangerous locations and making foreign news resonate with British viewers.
Access to political leaders is limited in managed campaigns, impacting transparency and coverage authenticity.
Innovative digital journalism practices are reshaping election coverage, focusing on online engagement and visual content.
Deep dives
Challenges in Reporting Political Campaigns
Reporting on political campaigns poses challenges due to the highly managed nature of events, limiting access to leaders and restricting interactions with ordinary voters. The lack of open debates and controlled media campaigns have raised concerns among journalists about the transparency and authenticity of election coverage. Instances like encountering resistance from party officials during reporting highlight the ongoing battle for journalists to provide comprehensive and unbiased coverage amidst tightly managed political campaigns.
Disrupted Campaign Journalism
The emergence of new digital journalism practices is disrupting traditional campaign reporting, emphasizing shorter, visually engaging content tailored for online and mobile platforms. Innovative distribution strategies and a focus on real-time social media engagement are reshaping how news is consumed and shared during election campaigns, challenging established media models. The shift towards more dynamic and visually driven reporting reflects a response to changing audience preferences and consumption habits.
Safety and Risk in Journalism
Journalists, like Alex Crawford, face increasing risks and safety concerns in conflict zones, influencing the coverage and accessibility of critical events. Crawford's experiences in Libya underscore the fine line between capturing historic moments under dangerous circumstances and the inherent risks associated with frontline reporting. The delicate balance between ensuring journalistic integrity while prioritizing safety highlights the ongoing debate within the industry on handling riskier assignments and the impact on news coverage.
Media Evolution and Competition in Europe
Bloomberg's expansion into Europe with Bloomberg Business Europe signifies a shift in media dynamics, challenging traditional financial news outlets through innovative digital platforms and content strategies. Offering free access and a focus on engaging business decision-makers, Bloomberg aims to disrupt established media models by prioritizing digital journalism and real-time coverage. The competitive landscape in European media is evolving, driven by a global trend towards digital disruption and new audience engagement approaches.
On the final day of election campaigning, we hear from the front line journalists who have been on the trail with candidates. There have been reports that this election has been more stage-managed by spin doctors than any previously, with national journalists even being excluded from covering events. Steve Hewlett is joined by some leading political journalists; Michael Crick from Channel 4; Patrick Wintour from the Guardian; Andrew Grice the political editor of the Independent, and Isabel Hardman from the Spectator. They discuss how easy, or not, it's been to get access to politicians, why press conferences are now few and far between, and why the growth of social media is making advisers ultra-cautious in their media management strategy.
Bloomberg, the financial news provider, has become the latest media agency to launch a dedicated European digital edition. Bloomberg rents out terminals which provide real time data to financial professionals, and currently most of its audience are subscribers. In an effort to attract a more general business audience, it's launched Bloomberg Business Europe - an online site that's free to all. Steve Hewlett talks to CEO of Bloomberg Media Justin B. Smith about expanding the portfolio, and how the company's strategy to build its digital assets will impact on business.
And danger, excitement and the challenge of making British TV viewers care about news happening in distant places - Sky News' Alex Crawford talks about life as a foreign correspondent, as she receives the Charles Wheeler Award for outstanding contribution to broadcast journalism.
Producer: Katy Takatsuki.
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