Message from Poynter Institute

This is one of those moments when political rhetoric is loud, fast-moving and often confusing. Journalists are under pressure to provide context, clarity and fairness — and that’s where copy editors prove indispensable.

“When people in the audience are angry, it increases the chances that they will misinterpret a writer's intentions, particularly when the words are clumsy or the sentences are poorly structured,” said Kelly McBride, Poynter’s senior vice president and chair of the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership.

“A competent layer of editing is absolutely critical in these moments, whether it's self-editing or bringing in a separate pair of eyes."

Jon Greenberg, reporter and faculty member focused on topics critical to American life, shared his thoughts on how to cover political polarization.

“The most important step is to avoid using labels and instead, relay what people have said and done. Rather than tag someone as an extremist, quote them. Give examples of the bills, policies or protests they have supported. Be concrete and let your audience decide where these views fit on the political spectrum,” Greenberg said.

“You can be similarly cautious about categorizing someone as ‘right’ or ‘left’, ‘conservative’ or ‘liberal.’ This will require more words, but it’s almost always best to ditch the shortcuts.”