Assure your readers that differences in how politicians are covered is not an act of bias
A report by Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center found that Donald Trump was the topic of 41 per cent of all news stories during the first 100 days of his presidency in 2017 — three times the amount of coverage received by previous presidents.
It is this kind of inconsistency that can lead readers to identify apparent biases in your reporting and ultimately distrust your coverage. But sometimes there is good reason to change how you cover the subject, be that prominence or tone of coverage.
In Trusting News' weekly newsletter Trust Tips, Emmy-winning journalist Lynn Walsh provides steps to explain changes in national political coverage to your readers. She said to consider what your readers will notice, and take measures to remedy those concerns early.
"If your coverage will decrease, where can you send them to keep up with more constant updates if that's what they want? Explaining all of this for your users will help them understand your approach and thoughtfulness behind the coverage, instead of making assumptions of bias," it reads.
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