During 2016, M.L. Schultze was WKSU’s lead reporter for coverage of the presidential campaign. The big challenge for journalists in this presidential year was making sure that the reporting was not top-down but ground-up. In other words, Schultze wanted to ensure that the station’s political reporting was focused on the concerns of the voters, not the agendas of the politicians.
The four stories included in this entry look at the populist politics of Vice President Biden during visits to Lordstown and Parma; the disconnect between union leadership in Northeast Ohio and the rank and file when it came to the Presidential candidates; and an attempt in Akron to restore the joy in voting in a very contentious election year. The stories demonstrate what characterized Schultze’s reporting throughout the year: great reporting with an eye for detail, skilled writing, interest in the subject and excellent production.
Link to NPR.org for Akron Works to Bring Joy to Voting:
http://www.npr.org/2016/11/06/500715192/akron-works-to-bring-joy-to-voting