Institute director, longtime political writer, to give June 22 webinar on covering presidential election

Why should rural news media leave a monumental election for president to the big newspapers and networks when all politics is local? "If dailies rely on The Associated Press, the coverage won’t be localized. If weeklies just stick to local news, they will ignore a major topic of discussion among their readers – who, in the dozen or so swing states, can provide the margin of victory or defeat. And covering the race can help a newspaper’s maintain and build its brand as the most authoritative local source of news and information."

So says Al Cross, right, director of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, who will present a no-holds-barred webinar on Friday, June 22, to help smaller newspapers cover the 2012 presidential election. The webinar will come from Online Media Campus, sponsored by the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association and the Iowa Newspaper Foundation.

During the hour-long event, Cross will explain why AP, as great at it is, can never provide what the local paper can: the meat and potatoes behind the a major topic of discussion on the lips of its readers. Even in non-contested states, there will be much talk about the race, and efforts to associate nominees with candidates in their parties, favorably or unfavorably.

Cross will outline:

• How to identify federal issues that affect your community and where to get reliable information and candidates' positions.
• How to localize the race with reporting on campaign contributions and political activity
• How to keep misleading ads from controlling the conversation
• How to exercise leadership on your editorial page.

Cross came to the Institute in 2004 after a long and distinguished career as a political reporter for The Courier-Journal. He still writes a political column twice a month for the Louisville newspaper and is a commentator on election programming on Kentucky public television and radio. His awards include a share of the 1989 Pulitzer Prize to The Courier-Journal staff for its coverage of the nation's deadliest bus and drunk-driving crash.

The webinar will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The cost is $35 and group discounts are available. For more information visit www.OnlineMediaCampus.com, or go here.