The Political Plug was founded as a response to the massive problem of misinformation and disinformation running rampant in the United States and the commonly-quoted command from former President John F. Kennedy

to "ask not what your country can do for you,

but what you can do for your country."

As an independent news organization, the Political Plug is dedicated to informing the electorate with timely and accurate reporting, while helping to cut through the confusion with progressive political analysis.

Founded in December of 2022, the Political Plug is currently looking to grow a solid team of concerned citizens, muck rakers, and dirt diggers.

However, at the current time we are operating without revenue, which

makes paying salaries difficult. At the current moment, we're

putting together a staff of volunteers who are joining the team

with the understanding that, as we begin to generate revenue,

their positions will be paid.

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To get more information on volunteer staff positions, availability and how to apply, click here.

Assets & Amplify

We then make a variety of media assets that utilize the unique features of each social media platform before blasting each story at different times throughout a two-week period (following the moment the story breaks) on each asset's corresponding platform to adequately amplify the most important information.

Curate & Create

As we move miles to the minute in our daily lives, it can be hard to keep up with all of. the headlines--and, to be honest, not all of the headlines are worth reading! Through the week, we monitor the news and discern what's critical information and what's just political fluff. What we lack in "on the ground" reporting, we make up for in thorough research & curation. Once compiled, articles and reports are written and published right here on the Political Plug website.

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Rework & Record

The articles and reports published on our website are used to structure our shows, as well as providing notes or teleprompter copy. Each production livestreams on the Political Plug social media platforms and the recording of each episode is then cut into digestible short-form videos that are then posted on social media through the following days & weeks.

Podcast At Last

Finally, each episode's. audio (and video on Spotify!) is distributed to all the major platforms. We understand that everyone ingests information differently, so we maximize our reach by having a process that ensures we deliver all three media mediu,ms.

A LOT happens everyday. Even more than the days happenings are the conversations had and stories shared about the day's happenings. But the quality of those conversations is greatly based on the quality of the information they encapsulate. In the age of misinformation and disinformation, it can be difficult for people to find trustworthy news outlets. On the flip side, it can be difficult for outlets to answer the question, "What makes a story newsworthy?"

When determining whether or not to cover an event or announcement, journalists weigh news values.

Here are the values that we consider when determining a story's newsworthiness [in no particular order]:

Impact

Arguably the most important element of the equation is whether or not the story being communicated impacts a our audience. For example, let's imagine researchers have found a cost-effective solution to a common problem. The more people affected, the greater the news interest.

Proximity

Proximity is important. We are interested in things that impact our communities. For example, research on a state's new tax code likely won't generate the same interest across state borders. Based in Pennsylvania, more state-specific articles will regard Pennsylvania than other states, however, that is intended to change as our staff grows.

Timeliness

Consumers expect timely information. While knowledge is always power, it can lose its "charge" over time, dependent on what it regards. This value is very much related to "impact" in that the impact of a story can be lessened if the information is received too late.

Prominence

Prominence is determined hierarchically. For example, an address from the President of the United States takes precedence to an address by the Governor of Pennsylvania, which takes precedence to an address from the Mayor of Titusville.

Conflict

News stories often involve some kind of conflict. And when it comes to politics, things can often be... well, political. while we make no secret of our progressive stance, it's our intent to deliver the news without spin. That said, conflict can often point to importance as we become passionate about things that matter most to us.

Human Interest

While many of the above news values are interwoven, human interest stories often stand apart. These stories speak to our shared experience, emphasizing uniquely human elements such as personal growth or an unexpected act of kindness. Human interest elements can add news value to other stories that might appear to be lacking in the other values.

Novelty/Oddity

The novelty or oddity of a situation can help influence whether or not a news outlet is likely to cover a story.

NEWS