WHNT Political Coverage: Every Candidate (except for one). Every Race. Every Issue.

If you click the banner you’ll see one candidate missing from their site: Loretta Nall, the Libertarian Party candidate for governor in Alabama.

The way I see it, there are three possible reasons why Nall’s name wasn’t listed:

  1. An honest administrative oversight
  2. They’ve never heard of her (which would make me doubt their journalist credentials considering how many people around the world do know just exactly who Nall is)
  3. They intentionally left her off the list

Their feedback mechanism on the page requires site registration and the unnecessary disclosure of a lot of personal information, but there’s a simple one, too. It just takes 5 seconds, so give ‘em hell!

UPDATE: They’ve now included Loretta on their candidate listing. Thanks, guys.

This has been a test of the Libertarian Internet Activist Network. Had this been an actual emergency, you…

posted Apr 20th, 2006 by Stephen Gordon
  • http://libertarianyouth.blogspot.com Nigel Watt

    Done. Politely.

  • Stephen Gordon

    Mine was polite, as well. Thanks!

  • GreginOz

    Couldn’t help it!

    One notes with amusement that you claim total coverage of the Alabama State election yet seem to have completely missed the fact that there is a strong Libertarian candidate, Loretta Nall, in the running. Given the craven record of her opponents, shills all, this is an international disgrace.
    Gods, you are SUCH a shit-stirrer, snigger. Regards.

  • Sandra Kallander

    I wrote, too. I think it’s possible that she may not have been listed because she already has the nomination, whereas the others appear to still be contending for nominations. (Charitable interpretation.) Does she have to go through the primary? I don’t know.

    Maybe they’ll fix it before Loretta finds out. They better hope so! ;)

  • Stephen Gordon

    Sandra — Loretta seems to have retired early this evening. We usually exchange a lot of e-mail this time of night, and she hasn’t replied to several. I’d call, but it might wake her up and I know she has multiple speaking engagements over the next few days.

    There is no LP primary in Alabama, but that would be more reason to include her, not less.

    Also, I’m very involved in state level politics, but I don’t know who a couple of the Dem candidates are. I knew who Loretta was even before I moved to this state.

  • http://usmjparty.com Richard Rawlings

    Am I the only one getting this error?

    Feedback 19
    This feature is not supported for your system configuration.

    And Stephen, thank you for your great work covering Loretta’s campaign!

  • Wes

    I sent a message too, briefly.

  • Stephen Gordon

    I’m not getting the error.

  • Stephen Gordon

    Richard — she’s a good friend, it’s the least I can do.

  • Stuart Richards

    I sent a brief, polite message.

  • Larry

    I talked to an editor (at the newspaper I work for) about why the LP candidates are mostly ignored. Basically it’s because they never hear anything about them. Almost nothing from the wire, by press releases, or direct phone calls and emails. All it really takes is people calling/emailing with something newsworthy.

  • Stephen Gordon

    Larry,

    In general I agree — and I spend a lot of time teaching LP members how to write and distribute effective press releases.

    The newswires are out of LP control (only a few papers even picked up the AP wire about Badnarik being arrested for crashing the Bush/Kerry debate), but press releases have been well handled in this case. I know WHNT is on the release list which announced her campaign, and assume (will have to check on this) they know she won the LP nomination.

    I’m not handling Nall’s releases, but most pass by my inbox, and I think it is my media list which is being used for distribution.

    My best guess in this case is that the news directors and the webteam didn’t communicate well — that station has covered me several times before.

  • Mike G

    Though I dont live in Alabama, I felt the urgency to say something. Here’s my three cents-

    Youre banner says “every candidate…” but you left out Libertarian candidate Loretta Nalls, hence not every candidate. Please correct this matter, and add Ms Nalls to the list. Thanks!

    Oh trust me it wasnt easy being nice about it :D

  • Mike G

    I cant believe I used the word “youre” and spelled “Nalls” instead of “Nall” :-( Well the message is louder than my lousy spelling….

  • mikehorn

    Done…

    Has anyone recieved a response?

  • http://www.nallforgovernor.com Loretta Nall

    Thanks all for taking these folks on for me. I did retire early last night. Had storms so therefore no computer so I couldn’t get any work done. Decided to try and get some much needed rest for the candidate forums tomorrow in Huntsville at the PTA convention.

    I’ll issue a news release later today about my appearance in Huntsville tomorrow and I’ll put in a call to WHNT as well.

    Keep hammering away at them on my behalf and I bet by days end my name will be included on their site.

  • Chris Taylor

    “Every candidate?” but you left out Loretta Nall – i.e., NOT every candidate.

    Disappointing in last Gub. election, Libertarian Candidate (w/ Major Party Status by state law) was “Black Balled” by APTV, private press – supported by incompetent jurists like Judge Myron Thompson. Even without much coverage from ‘mainstream’ (usually meaning extreme, pro-govt. control) press Libertarian candidate was the deciding factor – beating margin of victory several fold. The election outcome was on hold for weeks until “powers that be” sorted it out to determine the winner.

    Please do not do this again – the legislature has made it virtually impossible for other parties to get on the ballot — don’t aid and abett this terrible practice.

    We are better off with more candidates on the ballot – Constitution, Green, (don’t really need the NASI & Socialist Parties – they are already well represented in Dems. & Repls.) Pather, Reform, etc.. Parties to moderate the extremes we now observe.

  • http://www.nallforgovernor.com Loretta Nall

    I have had decent luck with the media in this campaign….other than little things like this one…

    WAKA has already invited me to participate in their candidate debates next month when they are well aware that we do not have ballot access. APTV has interjected me into a number of discussions and I have a very good feeling that Tim Lennox will find a way to get me on FTR before this election season is over.

    I think we will have better luck with the media this time around for two reasons.

    1. The current disenfranchisement that almost all voters areto ent feeling with the Bush administration and also the Riley admin. Alabamians want something new. So does the media.

    2. I am a very unusual and colorful candidate to run in an election. My platform is controversial and contains things that the other candidates lack the testicular fortitude to take on. Therefore, the media will cover me if for no other reason than shock value…which should never be underestimated.

  • http://www.usmjparty.com Anita Mayfield

    I, too, wrote Channel 19 Feedback. If enough of us do this, they won’t ignore the issue. Thank you, Loretta for all the extremely hard work you doing. I can only imagine the stamina it takes running a campaign such as yours. You know we’ll back you all the way.

  • http://www.winliberty.com John P Slevin

    Keep plugging along Loretta.

    Media typically will tell candidates that they cover the current news. The June primary is the current story, and Loretta’s not a part of that; for accuracy, they really should list her alongside the others, with an explanatory note that she’s got the nomination of a party, and that a ballot access effort is underway. The LP Alabama nomination doesn’t carry enough weight now, as the LP Alabama is not on the ballot.

  • http://www.doctoriq.com Don Seibold

    I sent:
    I note that your banner proclaims, “Every Candidate. Every Race. Every Issue.” I must assume that you really meant every candidate for only one office, because then I see nine gubernatorial candidates listed, including two I had never heard of, James Potts and Katherine Mack. Surely, you intend to include the candidate of the Libertarian Party of Alabama, Loretta Nall, especially if you intend to include every issue, because she has an extensive and eclectic campaign platform which includes issues I don’t hear of any other candidates addressing.

    I am just a concerned citizen and I’m not affiliated with any political party. I just believe in giving all candidates an equal chance to be heard.

    Don Seibold
    Wetumpka. AL
    Visit my website @ http://www.doctoriq.com

  • http://www.HelpMeImpeachBush.com Help Me Impeach Bush

    I wrote them and they replied.

    I sent their reply to tips@hammeroftruth.com – maybe HoT will post it?

  • http://www.HelpMeImpeachBush.com Help Me Impeach Bush

    Okay, I just realized the reply will fit in a comments box. Here it is:

    I have received information from Loretta Nall today, and will add her to the site today.

    We absolutely will include every candidate, I assure you.

    This category will be revised over the next few months, when primaries are over, and when the November ballots are finalized. As I understand it, Libertarians won’t be on the primary ballots (although one, I believe, is running in the Democratic primary, even though he’s a Libertarian.) They WILL be on the November ballots, and we will include them, yes.

    Thank you,

    Claire K. Aiello
    Internet Content Manager, WHNT
    http://www.whnt.com

  • http://www.nallforgovernor.com Loretta Nall

    Thanks Y’all.
    I just sent them my bio which should be up today.

    Boy Howdy I love the internet. We see here the real power that it holds for political change.

  • http://www.usmjparty.com Anita Mayfield

    HERE’S THE SCOOP… CONGRATULATIONS LORETTA… I, TOO, LOVE THE INTERNET!

    Thank you for getting back to me so fast. You can email Loretta Nall at:
    cnall1@charter.net and please visit her website: http://www.nallforgovernor.com .

    Anita Mayfield

    —– Original Message —–
    From:
    To:
    Cc:
    Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 8:38 AM
    Subject: Re: Feedback 19

    > Anita,
    >
    > We absolutely will include every candidate, I assure you.
    >
    > This category will be revised over the next few months, when primaries are
    > over, and when the November ballots are finalized. As I understand it,
    > Libertarians won’t be on the primary ballots (although one, I believe, is
    > running in the Democratic primary, even though he’s a Libertarian.) They
    > WILL be on the November ballots, and we will include them, yes.
    >
    > I am relying on the State Democratic and Republican parties for
    > information
    > on who has qualified.
    >
    > If you have information on how I can contact Loretta Nall, I would be glad
    > to add her to the list now. I just don’t know about all of these
    > candidates until I see them listed officially somewhere.
    >
    > Thank you,
    >
    >
    > Claire K. Aiello
    > Internet Content Manager, WHNT
    > http://www.whnt.com
    > (256) 535-9241
    > claire.aiello@whnt.com

  • http://ctizenclark.com Dick Clark

    Looks like they’ve added her now.

  • Stephen Gordon

    Here’s another reply someone I know (not a Libertarian) passed to me very early this morning:

    Thank you, Helen, for the response.

    You mentioned fast turnaround — and I do try to be quick, yes, but when I found 50 e-mails about Loretta Nall this morning, (and one from her, too), I made it my top priority!

    It will be on the site later this morning.

    Is there a web site that lists all the Libertarians running?

    Thank you,

    Claire K. Aiello
    Internet Content Manager, WHNT
    http://www.whnt.com
    (256) 535-9241
    claire.aiello@whnt.com

  • Ron Helwig

    Why is it news when a liberal talks about spending more?
    Why is it news when a conservative talks about cutting taxes?

    Why isn’t it news when a conservative actually DOES cut taxes? :-)

    You’d think the news editors would get tired of giving politicians free advertising.

  • Mark

    Count me as one more person anxious to see Loretta Nall’s campaign covered by your service.

  • http://libertarianyouth.blogspot.com Nigel Watt

    They put a damn good bio up of her, too – didn’t edit what she sent them at all, it looks like.

  • Ian C

    Y’know, it occurs to me that this is a demonstrable political victory for A) HoT’ers and B) Libertarians as a whole.

    It’s going to be a great deal easier for Loretta to get the signatures she needs with decent media coverage making her seem a realistic candidate.

  • Mike G

    Here’s the email response I got-

    Mike,

    We absolutely will include every candidate, I assure you.

    This category will be revised over the next few months, when primaries are
    over, and when the November ballots are finalized. As I understand it,
    Libertarians won’t be on the primary ballots (although one, I believe, is
    running in the Democratic primary, even though he’s a Libertarian.) They
    WILL be on the November ballots, and we will include them, yes.

    I am relying on the State Democratic and Republican parties for information
    on who has qualified.

    I have received information from Loretta Nall today, and will add her to
    the site today.

    Thank you,

    Claire K. Aiello
    Internet Content Manager, WHNT
    http://www.whnt.com
    (256) 535-9241
    claire.aiello@whnt.com

  • http://swmolibertarianparty.blogspot.com Keith Rodgers

    I put in my 42 cents’ worth* on the site… I even refrained from engaging in offensive language.

    Might be a good idea to do this for every candidate who doesn’t get his props from the media…

    * “Putting in ones’ ‘two cents worth’, adjusted for inflation.

  • IanC

    Keith — I was thinking of something *very* much the same.

    ‘course, whomever that individual is would have to meet the approval of a wide array of people for such “Emergency Libertarian System Broadcasts” to be effective…

    But at the very least it’ll give individual media reporters the sense that the nation is watching *THEM* in particular, and you never know what that might do…

  • CLS

    I too sent them an email yesterday. I am not from Alabama, but Ms. Nall seems to have a very intriguing campaign going on. I received the same response as the ones listed above and I sent them back the URL to Loretta’s site. Glad to see today that she is now listed. Good Luck Loretta!

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