CNN goes Hi-Tech

CNN’s election coverage on television has been nothing short of fantastic. The hi-tech technology that has been highly effective in showing the progress of the election night, as far as the electoral college breakdowns are concerned.

There is a touchscreen that was used for the breakdown of demographics in the turnout for each state. For example, the correspondents would touch a state on the screen and each different type of voter would show up, like the 18-24 age group. Then, it would show weather it went democratic or republican, and by how much. This was essential in demonstrating voter turnouts and how they voted in each state.

Also, holograms were used for people who were at another important location for the election. To prevent too much background noise, the person would appear in the studio as a hologram to talk about the election. This tool was excellent for more efficient interviews.

In addition, the results were constantly scrolling on the bottom of the screen, even through the commercials.

In general, CNN’s broadcast for the election went above and beyond and was highly effective and useful.

Fox News: slow updates

I went to Fox News’s website to see how they were keeping track of the election and noticed that they were progressing at a slow rate. The first thing I noticed when I checked in is that they had highlighted neither red or blue states for Obama and McCain respectively. The election map just showed the states, but nothing shaded in. Perhaps because Fox News is conservative and republican, they were not anxious to get the results up immediately. However, at the same time they were showing the popular vote percentage figures for both candidates in each state based on the percent of the precinct that had voted. They were displaying the results, but not very effectively to the naked eye. I had to run my mouse over the various states to see the results.

They updated and started shading the map in a little while ago, but their other inaccuracies. While they have totaled the popular number of votes and the popular vote percentages for each candidate, they have not tallied the total number of electoral votes for each candidate. Additionally, Fox is showing no sign of displaying the results for the senate and house of representatives race. It seems because the Republican party is losing in the election at the moment, Fox does not feel compelled to display the results. On the other hand, one could argue they simply do not wish to project winners in any part of the general election until all votes are in.

The election map is also ineffective because while it allows you to see all the counties of each state, it has not shaded these areas in as Republican or Democrat; making it hard for one to grasp any idea of what the political breakdown in each state is.

Fox’s website is giving very limited coverage of the election in my opinion.

Perez Hilton

Perez Hilton, arguably one of the most influential bloggers on the web today, has made it very clear that he is endorsing Obama.  He continually will post stories that endorse Obama and bash McCain.  He is very influential and many of his readers will follow what he writes, so he could be considered as popular and influential as any major news analyst.  

Keeping Viewers Engaged

On his blog, Covering the Coverage, Brian Stelter and a team of media reporters watching the media coverage commented on the new technology being used by broadcast stations tonight.

Stelter said CNN debuted holograms on election night. The first hologram projected the image of reporter Jessica Yellin onto the network’s set in NYC. CNN also has virtual sets in Chicago and Phoenix filming the correspondents in 3 dimensions.

NBC and ABC invited New Yorkers to watch their election coverage on giant screens in Rockefeller Center and Times Square. Stilter added that “NBC is using a virtual reality studio to walk through a mock up of the Capitol Building and display 3 dimensional exit poll results.”

All the networks are using “Magic Walls” or touchscreen monitors, that allow reporters to interact with state by state voting data.

Technology is one of the ways that the networks are trying to keep people engaged during their marathon election night coverage.

Virginia

Right now Virginia is 50/50 and I really hope my vote counts right now. Im really glad that I decided to use an absentee ballot. I never really realized that my vote would count this much.

Indiana and North Carolina are also pretty much battleground states that are also about 50/50.

I found these exit polls from Virginia that are pretty interesting. Divided into sex and age its interesting how the percentages different from McCain and Obama.

President Virginia 2,466 Respondents

Vote by Sex

Total

 Obama

 McCain

 Other/No Answer

 

 

Male (46%)	51%	47%	2%
Female (54%)	53%	46%	1%

Vote by Age

Total

 Obama

 McCain

 Other/No Answer

 

 

18-29 (21%)	60%	39%	1%
30-44 (30%)	51%	47%	2%
45-64 (38%)	51%	48%	1%
65 and Older (11%)	46%	53%	1%

Election ‘08: Illustrated by the Media

On MSNBC’s website, there is an article from the associated press entitled “Obama, McCain battle in final day before poll.” It uses each candidate’s motto of “change” as a means for comparing what the two candidates have done throughout the election. The article is quite animated as the reader is given a constant vision of McCain’s grit and underdog role verses Obama’s smooth confidence.

The Jamaica Observer features an intriguing pro-Obama article that highlights criticisms of President Bush and John McCain, without discussing those of Barack Obama. It seems to be slightly biased and closed minded, but it is interesting to see the opinions of an election that is not even taking place in that country’s newspaper.

Obama Wins North Carolina

According to CNN, Obama is currently projected to win North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes.  He is ahead of McCain 50% to 49%, still a close race, but predicted to lean in Obama’s favor.  North Carolina has been an important battleground state in this election, staying within the margin or error of nearly all polls, making it difficult to guess which candidate would take it.

The official announcement of the winner of North Carolina will be crucial to either candidate. As of now, Obama is ahead of McCain 207 electoral votes to 95.

Hologram!!

At dinner, I was casually watching CNN and almost spit out my food because I saw a hologram of one of the newscasters. It was really interesting to see a real person and a “fake” person standing there together carrying on a conversation. It just shows how far technology has spanned. To be able to have two people standing in a room, one actually there and one in another place, is incredible. The news stations have been saving all of their new technologies and it just makes this election even more special.

Get the numbers right!

 

I’ve been watching various new networks for the past half hour, and I’ve noticed some bad inconsistencies. For example, on CNN and cnn.com it has Obama having 199 electoral votes, and McCain having 28. However, on ABC News Obama has 207 and McCain has 135. I feel like the numbers should at least be close. Fox News has a different number. Previously I felt like I could count on CNN for having the up-to-date news, but now I’m looking more at ABC.

Phoenix 14

OK, I just finished three hours of floor directing the Phoenix 14 Election Day coverage and I wanted to talk a little bit about that.

Phoenix 14 is doing a lot of different things to fill in students. For the past three hours, we have had numerous Elon students, professors, and even a CNN producer on our panel. Also we have had a few live shots in different locations, including in Virginia dorm, Belk library, and Acorn. Also we have had numerous Elon alums and even Anders Gyllenhaal phoning in and talking about how they are covering the election and how its playing up in their area.

I just want to say that putting this show together took a lot of effort, and multiple late nights in the dungeons of McEwen and its all for you guys. We’re trying to give you guys a perspective on the election that you can’t get from any other news outlet: the student perspective. While we obviously keep some areas of our coverage targeted to a broader audience, we always try to bring it back and relate it to you guys because this election will determine in what direction the country moves for our college careers.

For those of you who haven’t the election coverage it’s online and Greensboro’s CBS affiliate even did a story on the show.