Journalism Quote by Hillary Rodham Clinton
““The decline of serious reporting on policy has been going on for a while, but it got much worse in 2016. In 2008, the major networks’ nightly newscasts spent a total of 220 minutes on policy. In 2012, it was 114 minutes. In 2016, it was just 32 minutes. (That stat is from two weeks before the election, but it didn’t change much in the final stretch.) By contrast, 100 minutes were spent covering my emails. In other words, the political press was telling voters that my emails were three times more important than all the other issues combined.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: 2016 Election Commentary, 2016
Serious policy coverage has sharply declined, with trivial topics like personal emails dominating news.
In simple terms: Policy reporting fell; emails rose.
Key Takeaway
Demand more substantive news coverage.
Themes
media bias
political communication
journalism
public awareness
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
analytical
commentary
When to use this quote
- election cycles
- newsroom decisions
- viewer preferences
- advertising pressures
Key Concepts
agenda setting
media economics
information overload
Questions to Reflect On
- How can audiences encourage deeper policy reporting?
- What responsibilities do networks have in shaping public knowledge?
A Different Perspective
Audience interest can drive coverage away from important issues.
