How We Get Local Election Coverage Right ???

What a busy news month July turned out to be. ?? I have to acknowledge the tremendous coverage from many different news outlets across the country on both the presidential race and local elections. I think many of us in the industry believe these next few months will be crucial for addressing the public’s trust in the media; we need to get this right.?

I want to share more about how TAPinto is working toward that goal in our local communities.?

How We Get Local Election Coverage Right

New data from Pew Research Center shows most Americans are interested in local elections, and the vast majority of U.S. adults say local news outlets are at least somewhat important to the well-being of their local community.?

These are positive points heading into November. But the survey also found that just a quarter are satisfied with the quality of local election news they get. We can do better to earn our readers’ trust.

Local news outlets need to invest in relationship-building, really listen to the concerns of our communities, and frame our coverage in a way that is meaningful and easy to understand.?

Earlier this year, Jackie Lieberman , publisher of TAPinto Westfield, attended the American Press Institute 's Local News Summit on Elections, Trust, and Democracy. Jackie learned valuable strategies to enhance election coverage, focusing on informing voters and addressing their specific concerns. Our role in local news is not to amplify political rhetoric, but to offer a platform for voters to get the answers they need to make informed decisions.?

Jackie has been sharing these insights and tips on our monthly franchisee calls, helping every publisher in the TAPinto network enhance their local election coverage to bring added value and transparency. With a new framework, our publishers are exploring specific problems and strategizing coverage that provides practical insights before Election Day.?

This kind of collaboration is fundamental to TAPinto's mission. When a member of our network finds an improved method to serve our audience, we prioritize sharing that valuable knowledge with all our publishers. It makes our company better and it makes our coverage better. Working together, we can publish reliable, unbiased local election coverage across our communities.?

News Insights About the News Industry

• Reuters released its 2024 Digital News Report, offering deep insights about global news consumption and changes happening in our industry. Trust has remained steady but respondents said they’re seeking more news from different perspectives and stories that offer optimism.

• A recent New Jersey Civic Information Consortium poll shows 8 out of 10 people in New Jersey have a significant level of trust in local news. This is higher than global averages, which means we’re doing some things right, but have continuous progress to make in building relationships with our readers.?

• LMA Co-CEO Jay Small recently shared some interesting points about local digital advertising. When media companies leverage data and understand audience behavior, we can tailor more relevant and effective ad strategies. This means blending classic and innovative digital ad solutions to provide the best ROI for our clients.

• ONA and Trusting News have announced a new project to understand the public’s perception of AI use in journalism. Our own TAPinto Plainfield is one of 11 organizations whose journalists are joining in the research efforts.?

ICYMI: TAPinto Highlights

• TAPinto now has a games section! Featuring free daily Sudoku, crosswords and word searches, these games are a powerful tool in building diversified audiences and strong reader habit.
• Veteran media executive Jim Lonergan has launched TAPinto Gold Coast, serving the Jersey Shore communities of Brielle, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Sea Girt and Manasquan. His weekly feature, "What’s on TAP – Your Weekend Planning Guide to the Jersey Shore" is already a huge hit.?
• Just this past week, I talked with Paul Gewuerz ?? on the “Small Press, Big Ideas” podcast to share what makes Hyperlocal News Network unique. It all started with an idea to empower existing publishers with the white-labeled TAPinto platform and robust back-office solutions. Here’s a bit from the interview.??

That Was Fun ???

I shared a great chat with Tom Mirabella on the "Grit Won't Quit" podcast about the power of local news and TAPinto's role in supporting communities with vital information. Catch the episode here.?

See You Soon

Coming up in August, join us to learn what it means to be part of the powerful TAPinto network:

• Our TAPinto franchise webinar on Aug. 7 is perfect for entrepreneurs, news startups and anyone looking to become an owner/publisher of their own TAPinto local news and digital marketing platform.?
• If you’re interested in licensing our technology or services, the Hyperlocal News Network webinar on Aug. 14 is the best place to ask questions and see our comprehensive suite of tools and offerings.?

How is your media company approaching the election season? I’d love to connect and hear how you’re strategizing coverage.