How To Cover an Election

It's Election Eve! The HTCAE Team bring you a jam-packed, bumper episode on the events of the big day and election night - the thrills and spills all from the experts themselves. ITV Political Editor Adrian Masters, BBC Wales Political Editor Felicity Evans, BBC's Radio 4 Today programme Justin Webb, and S4C's Guto Harri. 

You may be wondering where your usual Tuesday episode of HTCAE is. We're busy working on the bumper pre-election episode, which will be released the day before the election, and all the action happens... Stay tuned! 

How are the devolved nations covered in a General Election? Why do so many politicians get it wrong? Why is it so confusing?  Including an interview with former BBC Wales Head of News and Current Affairs Mark O'Callaghan. 

We catch you up on our BBC Debate adventure, and talk about hyper-local perspective in a General Election.  Featuring a special episode with Emma Meese. 

We debate debating. The first of a two-part special on the place of televised debates in the General Election.  Featuring insights from moderating masters, ITV's Political Editor Adrian Masters and BBC Wales' Bethan Rhys-Roberts. 

BBC's Tom Symonds chats to us from on board the battle bus to give us the low-down on following a party up and down the country.  We catch you up with our election coverage so far and look ahead to bumper Friday episode on debates. 

We talk the value of Vox Pops and how the student vote has the potential to swing the election.  Including interviews with Radio 4's Justin Webb, BBC Wales Political Editor Felicity Evans, and Welsh Lib Dem leader Jane Dodds.  [Audio credit to BBC and Guardian Online.]

In a bonus episode, we hear what it's really like to be out on the campaign trail, battling to become an MP.  We also try the biscuits at ITV Wales Studios (and watch a debate).  Featuring an interview with former Conservative candidate Nicolas Webb. 

It's been a busy week for the HTCAE Team! In politics, polls can be peculiar. A 2013 poll found that 46% of Americans oppose Obamacare, but only 37% oppose the Affordable Care Act…but the two are the same. This week we hear from politicians and pollsters. We try and understand the importance of polling - when it’s done well, and the dangers of when it’s done badly. Including an interview with Professor Roger Awan-Scully, Professor of Political Science at Cardiff University and the man behind the Welsh Political Barometer.  We also recap our first week on the campaign trail, which proved more eventful than we expected…

The date is set.  The election is on.  We hear from former BBC Director of News Richard Sambrook on how the media prepares for the contest ahead, as we prepare for our first time setting foot on the campaign trail.