Are you are looking for a unique, fresh approach to covering the 2008 election? Want your station to be able to announce the 44th president of the United States five days ahead of the general election vote count? Tell the story through the eyes of today’s children. Inform your viewers about the National Student Mock Election on October 30 and report the results and opinions of the young voices about the election.
Since 1980, the National Student Mock Election has been a proven predictor of the outcome on election day. By October 30, close to 8 million kindergarten through 12th grade students nationwide will have voted in their schools for president. To help you cover this landmark event, the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) will uplink satellite feeds with timely election news results and audio and video elements from the student mock election.
We will also uplink a pre-produced news package and B-roll of students voting, student mock debates and sound bites from young voters explaining who they voted for and why for consideration for use in your newscasts.
Satellite Times and Coordinates
Wednesday, October 29: Video, audio and image elements
Video, audio and image elements: NABEF will distribute a pre-produced news package and B-roll of K-12 students voting, portraying the candidates and staging mock debates. This promises to be interesting as well as entertaining footage.
Television
The feed will feature a 1:30 news package as well as B-roll and sound bites from mock election sites across the country. This content will be looped throughout the 15-minute feed. Satellite coordinates for the analog standard-definition feed are:
Date: October 29, 2008
Time: 1500-1515 ET
Satellite: Galaxy 25/C15 Analog
97 degrees West
Downlink Freq: 4000 V
Radio
An audio version of the feed featuring nat sound and selected sound bites will be available as of 3 p.m. on October 29. Click here for the audio file.
Thursday, October 30: Election Results
Television
Election results will be announced by student anchors and sent via satellite at 5 p.m. ET for East Coast results and at 9 p.m. ET for results of the entire nation.
The 5 p.m. feed will feature two student anchors providing a news-style update, 20 seconds in length on the East Coast results. Satellite coordinates for the analog standard-definition feed are:
Date: October 30, 2008
Time: 1700-1715 ET
Satellite: Galaxy 25//C9 Analog
97 degress West
Downlink: 3880 V
The 9 p.m. feed will feature the same student anchors providing the final results of the mock election. Satellite coordinates for the analog standard-definition feed are:
Date: October 30, 2008
Time: 2100-2115 ET
Satellite: Galaxy 16/C8 Analog
99 degrees West
Downlink: 3860 V
Radio
East Coast results will be available as of 5 p.m. on October 30. Click here for the audio file.
Results from across the country will be available as of 9 p.m. on October 30. Click here for the audio file.
The National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation is a partner of the National Student Mock Election along with Pearson, USA Today, School Perceptions the PTA and Google.
To learn more about the National Student/Parent Mock Election visit www.nationalmockelection.org. If your station is interested in covering a mock election in your local market, email Paula Edgerton or call (202) 429-5425 for the location of the nearest participating schools.
