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The Economist Swing-State Reports: Ohio

Series: The Economist Swing-State Reports
From: The Economist
Length: 00:03:31

The heart of the election battle Read the full description.

Ohio_small The Economist, working with the Public Radio Exchange and veteran producer Benjamin Shapiro, is offering a series of seventeen swing-state reports, pulled from the magazine and edited for radio. Stations can license all segments of "The Economist Swing-State Reports" at no cost through the Public Radio Exchange. This report, produced to be dropped in to an ATC or ME broadcast, runs at: 3:04 with no musical bed and no recorded intro 3:31 with musical bed and no recorded intro 3:31 with musical bed and recorded intro They are read by John Micklethwait, The Economist's US editor, and Adrian Wooldridge, Washington Correspondent; The Economist will provide suggested host intros for each report. SUGGESTED LOCAL HOST INTRO: The presidential election will be won in the swing states, but one state looms large in the race. Ohio has one of the single biggest blocks of electoral votes, and has picked the winner in every presidential election since 1964. Here with a special report on the swing states from The Economist Magazine, The Economist’s US editor, John Micklethwait.

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Piece Description

The Economist, working with the Public Radio Exchange and veteran producer Benjamin Shapiro, is offering a series of seventeen swing-state reports, pulled from the magazine and edited for radio. Stations can license all segments of "The Economist Swing-State Reports" at no cost through the Public Radio Exchange. This report, produced to be dropped in to an ATC or ME broadcast, runs at: 3:04 with no musical bed and no recorded intro 3:31 with musical bed and no recorded intro 3:31 with musical bed and recorded intro They are read by John Micklethwait, The Economist's US editor, and Adrian Wooldridge, Washington Correspondent; The Economist will provide suggested host intros for each report. SUGGESTED LOCAL HOST INTRO: The presidential election will be won in the swing states, but one state looms large in the race. Ohio has one of the single biggest blocks of electoral votes, and has picked the winner in every presidential election since 1964. Here with a special report on the swing states from The Economist Magazine, The Economist’s US editor, John Micklethwait.

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Review of The Economist Swing-State Report: Ohio

This is a strong piece, however the initial half minute of setting the table as it were is difficult to absorb and retain. Those details are something that work in print but not as well, positioned as they are, in radio.

To my ears, the piece first strikes home most effectively at about 36 seconds in when we hear that Ohio is crucial to Bush. The detail from the opening section about the suburbs as a GOP stronghold could find a new place in the section about Bush enjoying the backing of the state's political leaders.

Correspondingly, the detail about Democrats having strength in the cities could be folded into the discussion of Kerry getting backing from the unions.

From that 36 second point forward, the piece is emminently listenable. Additionally, I think that our listeners would appreciate the take from our British cousins.

If this Ohio piece is a pilot, I hope my comments about the first 30 seconds of the piece are taken seriously and applied to the segments to come. I am inclined to find a place for these segments in Morning Edition but need to get buy in from the Program Director.

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Review of The Economist Swing-State Report: Ohio

Succinct reporting without an agenda. No corner of the issue is left untouched, there were in fact many "I didn't know that" moments which make a quick insert like this all the more compelling to listen to as you make your coffee. There is almost an urgency in the writing and the delivery that actually made me feel like I was listening to a real race ! Perfect radio for Morning Edition or ATC (under 4:00 hooray !) - I'm thinking if I knew when they'd be on I would actually listen for it.

Transcript

SUGGESTED LOCAL HOST INTRO:
The presidential election will be won in the swing states, but one state looms large in the race. Ohio has one of the single biggest blocks of electoral votes, and has picked the winner in every presidential election since 1964. Here with a special report on the swing states from the Economist Magazine, the Economist’s US editor, John Micklethwait.

RECORDED INTRO:
The presidential election will be won in the swing states, but one state looms large in the race. It has one of the single biggest blocks of electoral votes, and has picked the winner in every presidential election since 1964. Here with a report in our series on Ohio, the Economist’s US editor, John Micklethwait.

REPORTER--JOHN MICKELTHWAIT:
Ohio could be called the definition of a swing state. Polls there show Bush and Kerry in a near dead heat, with Kerry now at a thin 3-4 percent lead....
Read the full transcript

Timing and Cues

:00--Music bed, mixed low
:20--Commentary starts, music out.
3:23--Commentary out, music starts and runs mixed low.
3:30--Music out

Related Website

http://www.economist.com