2008 Woodie Awards
Editorial
CNN and Fox News flex caucus coverage muscles
Issue date: 1/28/08 Section: Opinions
The Chronicle editorial board would like to make a projection.
With 0 percent of the votes tallied, the Chronicle is ready to project that Hillary Clinton has won the Minnesota primary.
Yes, we know the Minnesota primary is more than a week away, when a record number of states will join Minnesota in conducting their caucuses Super Tuesday, but we feel strongly enough about our studies and polls and feel confident in our projection.
Has any of this seemed ridiculous so far? Well, it should have, because the practice of declaring winners before any votes have even been tallied is not only bad journalism, it's downright scary.
But this line of thought hasn't stopped major media networks such as CNN and Fox News, in addition to the AP, from rushing to make projections. This editorial board was stunned while watching round-the-clock news coverage of the South Carolina primary, affectionately termed the "Ballot Bowl" by CNN. Both CNN and Fox News flashed headlines of Barack Obama's victory in South Carolina before the polls had even closed: five seconds before they closed to be exact thanks to the accurate countdown clock providing by CNN.
Both networks based their projections on exit polls, a practice of asking voters who they voted for immediately after they leave the polling stations. While these results may be accurate, nothing beats the accuracy of the ACTUAL voting results.
You would think both media giants would have learned from the 2000 and 2004 presidential election debacles, but no, it seems they haven't. Shame on both networks for practicing shoddy journalism and not learning from past mistakes.
With 0 percent of the votes tallied, the Chronicle is ready to project that Hillary Clinton has won the Minnesota primary.
Yes, we know the Minnesota primary is more than a week away, when a record number of states will join Minnesota in conducting their caucuses Super Tuesday, but we feel strongly enough about our studies and polls and feel confident in our projection.
Has any of this seemed ridiculous so far? Well, it should have, because the practice of declaring winners before any votes have even been tallied is not only bad journalism, it's downright scary.
But this line of thought hasn't stopped major media networks such as CNN and Fox News, in addition to the AP, from rushing to make projections. This editorial board was stunned while watching round-the-clock news coverage of the South Carolina primary, affectionately termed the "Ballot Bowl" by CNN. Both CNN and Fox News flashed headlines of Barack Obama's victory in South Carolina before the polls had even closed: five seconds before they closed to be exact thanks to the accurate countdown clock providing by CNN.
Both networks based their projections on exit polls, a practice of asking voters who they voted for immediately after they leave the polling stations. While these results may be accurate, nothing beats the accuracy of the ACTUAL voting results.
You would think both media giants would have learned from the 2000 and 2004 presidential election debacles, but no, it seems they haven't. Shame on both networks for practicing shoddy journalism and not learning from past mistakes.