NBC and Telemundo owned TV stations are opening English and Spanish-language Election Day tip lines—and dispersing I-teams accordingly to report and have remedied any voting irregularities.
“Concerns about voter fraud among the communities we serve are real,” said Stephanie Adrouny, VP of news at KNTV, the San Francisco area’s NBC station.“We want to make sure that all those who want to vote have the information they need to exercise their right. If our viewers run across any problems, they can reach us to report them. We’ll follow up and we will investigate."
KNTV and its sister station, Telemundo-owned KSTS, are among the duopolies that will be fielding questions and concerns about voting from both English and Spanish speakers. Long lines at the polls, faulty voting machines and intimidation are among the concerns.
Members of stations’ I-teams will investigate complaints in their markets, with the goal of them being remedied, the NBC station group said. In Chicago, a WMAQ investigative reporter and producer are stationed all day at the city’s Board of Elections headquarters. In Miami, a WTVJ reporter is assigned to the state attorney’s office.
Websites across the group have all-day voter information as well.
The effort is particularly key this year given the discord surrounding this year’s election—and the importance of it for English and Spanish speakers alike—said Dawn Clapperton, a WTVJ executive producer.
“It is the first time for many of the people voting, and we are there to help them in all platforms and using all resources,” she said.
