April 29 TAF Meeting: An Exploration of Political Journalism with Alison Hill

Meeting Details

Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Time: Zoom opens at 7:00pm; Meeting starts at 7:15pm

Zoom access: Details will be published in the Google group

The Program: An Exploration of Political Journalism

Who is your most trusted political news source? Do you still rely on the mainstream media or have you headed elsewhere? Do you have any interest in writing about politics? 

The year 2020 is a big one in American politics with arguably one of the most interesting presidential election seasons in decades (it has more plot twists than a Netflix hit series). So what better time to explore political journalism in all its many forms?

Veteran journalist and producer Alison Hill has covered politics for over two decades on both sides of the Atlantic as a newspaper reporter, television investigative journalist, TV producer, independent filmmaker, freelance writer and BBC radio commentator/analyst. Alison will talk about the different elections and political issues she’s covered over the years, the politicians she’s filmed and interviewed and some of her escapades, like the time she talked her way into a Clinton rally without a press pass!

Alison will also discuss how political reporting has changed over the past decade or so, with more sensationalist mainstream coverage and the advent of social media, and how various forms of “new” journalism, mostly online, have impacted the news cycle. 

Political journalism and coverage encompass many mediums, broadcast (television and radio), print, and numerous online resources. And the types of coverage include straight-up news reporting, commentary, investigative, blogging, opinion and discussion (such as television or radio talk shows.) We’ll take a look at some of these types of journalism and explore how we as freelance writers can approach political coverage. 

About Alison Hill

ALISON HILL has covered U.S. politics for more than 20 years, in various journalistic roles. She’s a regular guest commentator on BBC radio news and TV shows discussing U.S. politics and breaking news. She was a senior public affairs producer for a PBS station in Denver, Colorado, developing, writing and producing live and taped studio-based roundtable discussion shows and segments, with extensive coverage of local, national and international issues and U.S. elections. Alison also covered politics as an independent filmmaker and more recently as a freelance writer—mostly writing opinion pieces and listicles. She has filmed Obama (twice), John Kerry (twice), Hillary Clinton, and Bill Clinton and has interviewed many top politicians, either one-on-one or for show appearances, including presidential hopeful Gary Hart and former governors John Hickenlooper and Dick Lamm. 

While working for the Smithsonian in 2009, Alison was one of three guest panelists on a special BBC studio audience show shot at the Newseum in Washington D.C., appearing on stage with the First Minister of Wales and fielding audience questions about U.S. politics. 

And in 2010 she was an associate producer for a Welsh documentary about the mid-term elections,  traveling around five states with a crew from Tinopolis and Adam Price, a well-known and openly gay former Member of Parliament (MP) and current leader of Plaid Cymru (the Party of Wales). 

In the UK Alison covered local and national elections (among other issues and stories) as an investigative journalist for a renowned current affairs TV series, including special outside broadcasts. She also wrote and produced show segments, did in-studio appearances and stand-ups, and was often invited to European Union events, where she once chatted with Neil Kinnock, the Labour Party leader who ran against Margaret Thatcher for Prime Minister in the late 80s.

Some of Alison’s journalistic highlights include: interviewing Michael Moore at the Bowling for Columbine premiere; interviewing Jason Alexander about young voters during the contentious 2004 election season; an in-studio interview with one of the few female Baghdad City Council members in 2004; and snagging an exclusive interview with the real-life hero of Hotel Rwanda, Paul Rusesabagina, for another PBS show she produced on international issues.