Community Standards for Election Coverage

1. Provide substantive coverage about all candidates - where they stand on issues and voting records if they have held office previously.
2. Local elections should be treated with the same importance and respect that Presidential, Congressional and Gubernatorial races. People can get information about nationwide races in other mediums, but they can only get information about local elections/candidates on local news outlets.
3. Provide viewers/voters with relevant information about campaign finances/campaign contributions - how much, from whom and how it was spent.
4. Inform voters when election related forums will be held or broadcast in viewer area.
5. Cover all candidates and political parties, regardless of where they are in the polls or their "viability."
6. Minimize or eliminate polling data for the 2 weeks prior to an election, as it is not always reliable and can be misleading to voters.
7. When reporting on local elections/candidates provide follow-up coverage, much in the same way that crime stories are reported.
8. Provide free & equal airtime to all political candidates. Candidates running for the same office should be placed on air consecutively with opponents. This free airtime should be broadcast during times that are accessible to the largest percentage of viewers. Broadcast local candidate debates.
9. Inform viewers as to the amount of money your station is making on paid political ads and the source of those funds. Also, encourage your parent company to lobby for the Free Airtime Campaign, which will eventually eliminate paid political ads. http://www.bettercampaigns.org/.

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