Luckily the sky isn't falling and the DNC is smartly playing around the networks onto the swing state late local news.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-localmedia28jul28,1,3533568.story?coll=la-ne
ws-a_section
Choice bits:
Local newscasts will play a large role in shaping perceptions. "Even in the age of the Internet, local news remains the single largest source of information for the electorate, by a long shot," said Kenneth M. Goldstein of the University of Wisconsin, an authority on political communication. "It dwarfs other sources."
McAuliffe, aware of the stakes, has a local media plan that he calls "Operation Area Code." It involves regional media coordinators whose job it is to get Kerry surrogates and the daily Democratic message into the news. Republicans do much the same thing.
....
In a suite normally occupied by the Boston Bruins hockey team gift shop, a party operation called the Democratic News Service has installed three studios to feed TV stations unable to send crews to Boston. The party mounted a similar effort in 2000 in Los Angeles. But Democrats say bookings this year are up threefold.
Behind a glass wall, Vanessa Kerry, daughter of the presidential candidate, could be seen taking questions through a satellite hookup. She packed 10 interviews into one hour, reaching local affiliates in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan and Colorado.
Why would the candidate need to "define himself" this week after spending tens of millions of dollars on TV ads in places like Ohio?
"We are fighting against fabrications and exaggerations" by President Bush, Alexandra Kerry replied.
Still, Democrats got just what they wanted when Kaylor recorded this teaser for the 5 o'clock news: "Ohio's jobs, taking center stage here at the Democratic National Convention. I'll have a live report in a half-hour from Boston."
Ohio Democrats said at least four stations had sent crews to Boston. One Cleveland station is carrying live reports from talk-show host Jerry Springer, who is also a delegate.
And there is no shortage of local angles. Today, Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman is expected to give a short speech for Kerry's nomination. It is timed so that evening newscasts in his home state can carry the speech live.
I'm glad to see at least some in the media still think that our convention is relevant. I guess if voters in Utah and Hawaii aren't getting blanket coverage on the networks, it's good to see the message is getting into Ohio, Florida, Michegan, and Wisconsin, where it really counts.
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