5 takeaways:
In her role as Deputy Politics Editor for The Washington Post’s Next Generation political desk, Brianna Tucker leads a team of reporters and a social video producer who focuses on the 18 to 45-year-old audience. It’s a newsroom-wide initiative that seeks to produce more engaging, relevant content for younger voters. Here are takeaways from Tucker’s session with Widening the Pipeline fellows. [Transcript | Video]
➀ Nothing beats having a seat at the table. Tucker said that when she joined the Post’s political team at age 26, she was one of the youngest editors in the mix. She had also been following the social media buzz around an Instagram account called “Dear White Staffers,” which chronicled a seemingly toxic work-life culture for junior Capitol Hill staffers. After corroborating some of the claims made, Tucker urged her colleagues to report it. “I think that everyone was surprised that this was a source for a story number one, but also how could we go about finding out more information about this, finding more information about some of the claims against members of Congress, finding out what the unionization efforts were starting to look like.” Other outlets quickly followed The Post’s lead.
➁ Sometimes, you have to take a stand. At one of her previous newsroom jobs, Tucker recalls a town hall discussion among senior editors about the use of the word “diversity” after a top manager questioned its use in stories. Tucker said, “That was a problem to me because within the organization, and also our writing, we also use the word diversity. I’m covering colleges, I talk about the vice president of diversity and inclusion on campus.” Not using the word would strip power from her reporting, and though Tucker knew she was taking a risk by objecting, she spoke out. “That needed to be addressed so that we could actually keep ourselves accountable in our organization,” Tucker said.
➂ Different experiences yield more accurate stories. Covering politics means covering a lot of different perspectives. For example, Tucker believes reporting on Black women voters when there are few Black female reporters or editors is a problem. She’s not saying that Black women are monolithic, but there’s a need to understand how different groups process issues differently. “I absolutely think it’s been to my advantage to be a Black woman and say that I’m a very proud Black woman and this is how I can help shape this story,” Tucker said. “Or to say something that is maybe the quiet thing, but to say the quiet thing out loud and say, ‘That’s not what we need to be covering.’”
➃ Common sense is not common. Tucker described a story about how America is watching the Jan. 6 hearings. After reading it, she noted that the youngest person quoted was 53 years old. During a staff meeting, she also mentioned that one interviewee was with her 20-year-old son. “And I’m like, ‘Why didn’t we ask the son what he was thinking?’ That’s something where the reporters in the room ask them both. And so that’s the kind of blind spot that is an honest mistake, but it’s also a huge oversight in our reporting.” Tucker said newsrooms need to understand that young people are following momentous events like January 6, but just not in the conventional ways.
➄ Youth and politics don’t have to be a mismatch. Tucker acknowledged that the world of political reporting can be intimidating for younger journalists. She’s even had her moments of doubt. But those moments can be useful. Without them, Tucker said, “I wouldn’t be able to actually audit myself on where I know I need help. It wouldn’t make me honest, it wouldn’t keep me honest with myself about the fact that I don’t know everything. I’m not going to, nobody does, but at least I know the gaps and where I need to improve.” That reality check, coupled with a healthy dose of self-belief and knowing that she’s helping inform an oft-neglected sector, helps Tucker stay focused.
The Widening the Pipeline Fellowship is sponsored by the Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation, Bayer, J&J and Twitter. NPF is solely responsible for the content.
