Youth, News, and the Midterms: How the Media Can Grow Voters in 2022 and Beyond
This event is part of the CIRCLE Growing Voters Learning Series
CIRCLE, the nation’s leading youth civic engagement research institution, invites you to join us and a panel of media leaders as we explore how journalists can strengthen democracy and their own audiences by transforming their relationships with young people. Our virtual panel will unpack new research and recommendations about the role of media in youth civic engagement and discuss how newsrooms can lean into their role as civic institutions by adopting norms and practices that approach young people as both a key audience and as potential co-creators.
Contrary to some stereotypes, research featured in the new CIRCLE Growing Voters report suggests young people rely on news media — especially local news — to learn about issues and elections. Young people are already a news audience! However, they often don't see their generation or the issues they care about reflected in media coverage. This is a missed opportunity. With the youth vote likely to play a key role in the 2022 midterms and beyond, elections coverage that overlooks the experiences of young voters is missing out on a key opportunity to inform the electorate.
During the panel, we'll share and discuss brand new CIRCLE research, some of which was made possible by a dataset and funding from the The Knight Foundation. Whether you’re a local reporter, an editor, an audience engagement specialist, or another professional working to keep communities informed, we hope you’ll join as we dig into questions with far-reaching implications not just for the local or state government beat, but for the entire newsroom:
The event will feature:
- Allegra Kirkland, Politics Director, Teen Vogue
- Rachel Janfaza, Associate Writer, CNN Politics
- Amanda Vigil, Youth Media Manager, KQED Education
- Roxanne Patel Shepelavy, Executive Editor, The Philadelphia Citizen
- Irene Franco Rubio, Student, University of Southern California