Presidential Politics: More Seasoning, Hold the Greens

When a newly hired co-worker once asked me, “What was Hitler’s first name?” I thought she was joking. So I joked back, “Rafe.” “No, that doesn’t sound right,” she puzzled. Then I knew. Beyond the fact that she was mind-numbingly numb, I knew that 1. She would eventually work at a network (she did), and B. Her hiring was not an aberration. It was a trend. At that time, newsrooms across the country were quietly hiring younger and cheaper, and favoring those seeking experience over those who already had it. “Experience only” newsrooms were opening their doors to “entry level.”

So, it shouldn’t surprise me to learn that the entry level model has made its way up the media food chain. It’s one thing to send the newbies off to the planning board meeting and hope they come back with the goods. It’s quite another to let them board the presidential campaign bus and cross their fingers. Yes, we now have entry level reporters covering the presidential campaign. No, they’re not blogging for their college papers, they’re reporting on the race for leader of the free world for CBS, NBC, and National Journal, some of the most vaunted, venerable news organizations in the world. According to the New York Times, these young journalists aren’t interns. They aren’t assistants. They’re correspondents. They are on the bus. They are charged with sifting through the spin, the shouting, the hyperbole, the points and counterpoints, the finger wagging, the threats and promises to find the truth.

I’m all for mentoring and helping those who come behind us and all that. But may I just say this is a bad idea? I write as a former political reporter, former communications director in the political arena, and current public relations professional. It’s hard enough to guide a young reporter through the nuanced mechanics, rules, and ethics of journalism, let alone school them in the relentless grind and myriad landmines of a presidential campaign.

Politics is a contact sport played by people who want to win. And win you over. I want someone on the bus with a little seasoning and a little skepticism, not someone who needs to be counseled not to Tweet at will. As a citizen, I want my presidential campaign news gathered by someone who wasn’t a ‘tween during Bush v Gore. I want someone who knows that the Electoral College isn’t a safety school.

From the Times article:
“I thought I’m going to have to develop a personality,” said Lindsey Boerma, 23, whose biggest assignment before writing for National Journal was as editor of the Pepperdine University student paper. “But we’re not providing commentary, we’re providing coverage. And you’ve got to find that line. I haven’t quite figured it out yet.”

Really? You haven’t figured it out yet? If we sew your mittens to your sleeves will that allay some of your anxiety? Granted, I don’t know the full context of that quote, and I don’t know this young woman personally, but a presidential campaign doesn’t afford the time to “figure it out.” Yes, you get to ride the bus, but you still have to keep up.

I know I’m painting with a broad brush here. There may be some 23-year-olds out there who are fantastically well-equipped to be on this beat, but this move by these media outlets isn’t about giving great opportunities to gifted young journalists. It’s about saving money. It’s a disservice to the citizenry, the candidates, and the young people themselves who are put in a position for which they most likely are not ready.

In the end, you get what you pay for. Which is why fewer people are paying for what some of these news operations are offering.

Felicia Knight is President of Knight Vision International, LLC

Image by Kate*

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This entry was posted on Friday, September 2nd, 2011 at 6:00 am and is filed under Latest News, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.


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