By JOE HUNT
Special to the Whidbey News-Times
They may not claim to be the “best political team on television,” but as Oak Harbor High School students present live election night coverage Tuesday night, Nov. 4, they might lay claim to the youngest.
Students from Jim Crouch’s American Government class are teaming up with Wildcat TV to provide national, state, and local coverage of election results Tuesday night, competing with the likes of CNN, CBS, and NBC.
Yet Wildcat TV can offer something the big networks can’t, or won’t: live coverage of Island County and local elections.
Students will provide on-camera taped reports about candidates and initiatives on the ballot, followed by live discussions providing a student perspective to the elections. Then, like the major networks, students will provide live updates showing election results, starting with national numbers out east and moving through to the western states, finishing up with Washington statewide voting and Whidbey Island local results.
There will even be a phone number and email address for viewers to call with their comments and questions. Students will read the comments on air and the student panel will discuss the issues brought up.
Coverage begins at 7 p.m. and will continue until 10 p.m. The public can join in by calling 279-5496 after 7 p.m. or sending an email to wildcattv@ohsd.net. Wildcat TV can be seen throughout Whidbey Island on Comcast Channel 21.
“This’ll be a learning experience for everyone,” American Government teacher Jim Crouch said. “Everyone is stepping above their comfort levels and giving this a shot.”
Crouch said turning the election into a media experience is the very definition of hands-on education.
“This will be considerably more fun and exciting and useful than handing in a classroom assignment on the issues,” he said.
For Wildcat TV, election night will mark its first-ever attempt to go live. Video Production teacher Chris Douthitt pointed out that Wildcat TV is unique on Whidbey Island in that it can broadcast live from Deception Pass at the northern tip of the island to Possession Point at the southern tip. “We are always looking for opportunities to do productions with island-wide interest,” he said. “This seems to be a natural fit.”
Government students will provide all the on-air talent and analysis. Video students will serve as the technical crew: Behind the cameras, monitoring sound, providing graphics, and directing the entire event.
The broadcast will start with presidential politics at 7 p.m., turn to statewide initiatives, the gubernatorial campaigns, and the Congressional race, beginning at 7:30. Local legislative coverage will begin at 8:30 p.m. with county races and issues starting at 9 p.m.
Throughout the night, students will return to election results, updating the electoral map and showing how Whidbey Island residents voted.
