Idea File Fall 2024

Picture This | 11

WHAT IF WE CAN’T GET THERE? During the 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020 campaigns, my students were very fortunate because both parties felt our state was in play, meaning candidates would likely visit to try to turn the purple state red or blue. But what should you do if no one comes to your backyard because it consistently votes one way? There are resources available for your journalism staff to use for coverage. If you locate a photo on a government site, that photo is owned by you, the taxpayer. Since you paid for that photo, feel free to use images from a .gov site of former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic candidate at this magazine’s time publication, from their time in office. Both the Republican candidate and likely Democratic candidate have been in office in the White House, leading to more available photos for you. Many government agencies have user profiles on Flickr , where you can freely download photos for your own use. If you want photos of candidates at rallies, check out the resource started by some advisers with the National Scholastic Press Association and the Campaign 2020 Photo Exchange. This is also a great opportunity to use the power of social media to reach out to other staffs covering the campaigns to see if you can use their photography. JEADigitalMedia.org has a list of staffs who are online.

A Message to Americans. Speaking at the St. Charles Convention Center, President Donald Trump delivers a speech to Missourians on Nov. 29, 2019, in St. Charles, Missouri. He spoke about his administration’s plans to support small businesses and rural America. Trump won Missouri’s 10 electoral college votes with 56.8% of the vote. Photo by Matthew Schott