Strengthening democracy coverage in local newsrooms

AP will create localization guides, which help local newsrooms make national stories make sense for their communities, based on CEG’s Democracy Reform Primer Series, which provides scholarly analyses of research on proposed reforms to U.S. political institutions. AP will also publish video analysis from experts that local newsrooms can use in their coverage.

The first Localize It guide from the collaboration draws from CEG’s analysis of term limits for political office. It features scholarly analysis along with tips for how to report on term limits at the local level. A corresponding video provides AP customers with sound bites from the scholarly expert explaining the research.

“Especially during an election year, local journalists need tools to strengthen their democracy coverage and cover political reform issues in a way that meets their audiences where they are,” said U.S. News Director Josh Hoffner. “By working with CEG we are able to provide newsrooms with both the academic and journalistic guidance needed to set up local journalists for success.”

The term limits Localize It guide and Campus Insights video are a first in a series of materials AP will distribute to members and customers in the coming weeks throughout the collaboration.