The Election Night Preparations of News Outlets
The data guru of NBC News, Steve Kornacki, is gearing up for an intense few days at his workstation in 30 Rockefeller Plaza, potentially even sleeping at his desk if the situation demands it. Meanwhile, CNN is expanding its team of legal analysts to tackle any disputes that may arise from vote counts in critical swing states.
The Associated Press, known for its influential election calls that are widely disseminated by major media outlets, has recognized the need to allocate more personnel and resources to effectively communicate its decision-making process to the public.
Election Day represents the pinnacle of the news industry’s calendar, a moment when voters turn to media outlets to announce winners on a state-by-state basis and keep track of the Electoral College tally. However, as polls indicate a tightly contested race that could take days to conclude — compounded by a surge of unfounded claims regarding voter fraud — news executives are acutely aware of their responsibility to clarify the complexities of the vote-counting process.
In light of these challenges, virtually every significant news organization is implementing contingency plans to counteract a potential deluge of misinformation and to bolster audience trust in their coverage. These efforts are expected to extend well beyond November 5, as absentee ballots are processed and closely contested races may undergo legal scrutiny.
“We find ourselves in a landscape where misinformation spreads rapidly, and we fully recognize that the public is grappling with confusion,” stated Julie Pace, the executive editor of the A.P., during a recent interview. “There exists a pervasive distrust in elections — and a broader skepticism towards institutions as a whole.”
