Endorsements ? Influential Or Irrelevant? p. 9

By: Dorothy Giobbe

tO WHAT DEGREE do newspaper endorsements affect voter decision-making? Are they at best preaching to the choir, or at worst, ignored?
"We worry about it a lot and we sometimes joke and say that our endorsements are the kiss of death," said Jane Eisner, editorial page editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Inquirer, Eisner said, is working on ways to make endorsement choices "more credible" to readers.
"We need to explain to our readers how we come to our endorsements, in terms of process, and we have to be a whole lot more in touch with what our readers care about in elections and probe those issues on their behalf," Eisner said.
Generally, editors agree that newspaper endorsements have more clout in a local or state election than in a national contest.
"I think there is an inverse ratio between visibility and influence of editorial endorsements," said Mindy Cameron, editorial page editor for the Seattle Times.
"The more high profile an election, such as a presidential election, the less influence a newspaper endorsement has. "We hear anecdotal evidence like that all the time," she said.
"Newspaper endorsements are one more voice in the debate," said Bob Kittle, editorial page editor for the San Diego Union-Tribune. "In California, I think we have the most influence on the ballot propositions, because the issues are extremely complex and I think that voters look to us for guidance."
Ted Burrrows, editorial page editor of the Stuart (Fla.) News, said he isn't sure to what extent his newspaper's recommendations sway voters. "We have tried to grapple with that over the years, and it's really hard to say ? we don't keep score over who we've recommended and goes on to win an election," he said.
"We think we have some effect. People write or call us to say thank you, or, to holler at us, but one way or another, people do take notice," Burrows added.
Mike Oakland, editorial page editor of the Olympia, Wash., Olympian cites anecdotal evidence provided by poll workers at election time.
"We do a wrap-up about a week before the election, and it's all on one page with our endorsements," he said.
"The poll workers tell us that a lot of people bring the wrap-up in with them when they vote."