المقالات السياسية والانتخابات .. كتاب معلم الصحافة والإنشاء

Political articles and elections

Perhaps the most obvious characteristic of the editor supervising the Politics and Elections Department, whether during or after work, is that he is calm, elegant, kind, and lucky. Because - during times other than elections - he spends his day moving between the offices of political parties, talking to leaders and opinion leaders - even if the election comes tomorrow, he becomes a mass of activity, and he becomes the most important employee in the newspaper, and the most experienced, skilled and highly paid of its workers. He usually does not achieve this distinction except after long training in all branches of journalism and studying social affairs

The state, law, crime, economic, agricultural and industrial trends, workers’ problems, etc. Because political writing deals with all of these fields, and his work as a political informant is not limited to the election period, the battles that precede it, and the results that result from it. Rather, on days other than elections, he writes articles about public policy that cost him careful study, deep research, and a strong awareness of the problems. He knows how parties are managed, understands the personalities of their leaders, and appreciates the forces that control the government. Considering that political news does not occur suddenly, but rather arises as a result of a situation, he has the ability to delve into the meaning of this situation. This forces him to always have his eyes open, his ears good at listening, his memory aware, and his mind to think logically. He befriends many people who will help him in his mission, so he has a passing conversation with this person here, and hears a rumor from that person there, then he mixes the talk and the rumor and interprets them in light of the information and observations he has, and comes out to the readers with an exciting story on the first page. Pure electoral news goes through three stages: (1) - Predictions before the electoral battles, or between them, in which his mission is to carefully monitor the extent of the parties’ activity and organizations, the formation of their boards of directors, and the candidates who are expected to be chosen, in order to arrive at speculations behind them. The result of his research and observations. (2) - Speeches and statements delivered during the candidates’ propaganda campaigns. He obtains copies of these statements, and listens to the speeches and statements to express his opinion about them. (3) - Elections: This is the last and decisive stage. In battle, therefore, the political informant follows its news up to date, so that it is possible to present it on the printing dates. He also treats it in the manner of a current story, and transforms what is coldly flowing into an understandable, familiar language with a clear meaning and significance.

The political writer has complete freedom to dispose of style and language in order to prevent boredom from his readers. Considering that the element of conflict is the most important thing in electoral and political battles, it is his duty to exploit it in his topics and highlight it before their eyes, and to choose from the statements and publications issued by the parties only what is suitable for publication, and exclude It was not ambiguous, a repetition of previous statements, or empty enthusiastic words. When he makes this choice, he appreciates the incentives that drive each player in the field of politics, and understands that the statements issued by this and similar players do not aim for the public good as much as they aim for personal gain. He also knows the real news when he sees or hears it, extracts it from the piles of hollow propaganda, and then presents it as naked facts to people along with the circumstances and motives that lie behind it.