Xpress, the Coolest Section of the St. Petersburg Times, is the home for features, news and views of interest to young readers. Most of the work in Xpress, which appears on Mondays in Floridian, is produced by the Times' X-Team. The team of journalists ages 9-17 from around the Tampa Bay area is selected every year at the end of the school year to serve during the following school term. The current team of 12 was chosen out of 150 applicants. Watch for X-Team application forms in Xpress during the month of May.
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Where do you get your 411?
Election 2004 - Xpress Yourself!
By Staff writer
Published September 13, 2004
For the next few weeks, the Times X-Team will be asking area students a different question each week about the upcoming election. We want to hear your views on these questions, so please share them in this guest book.
If it is any indication from the answers to this week's Xpress Yourself question, students around the bay area really are the television generation and MTV is their best source of election information. While some kids have gotten their information on the upcoming presidential election from newspapers, magazines, radio and the Internet, the overwhelming majority favor television. And MTV, the music channel which has been out front in getting young people interested in voting through Rock the Vote, was mentioned many times as the source for election information. Who knows? Maybe Nelly and Outkast's Andre 3000 should hook up to make a run at the White House in 2008.
In just a few weeks, the nation will choose a president. Either the current president, Republican George W. Bush, will be re-elected or Democrat John Kerry will become the country's new leader. Although most Xpress readers can't vote, we still think you should be able to share your views. So for the weeks leading up the election, the 2004-05 X-Team will ask students a different question each week to find out what issues matter to them, how much they know about the candidates and what they would say to the candidates if they could chat with them. The X-Team members, who also took the photos of the students, are Lauren Adams, Austin Arias, Traci Bexley, Sarah Collins, Anna Costello, Andrew DeLong, Alice Feigel, Rohini Komarla, Jane McInnis, Taylor Pashley, Krista Pontzer, Travis Radke, Sarah Tareco and Sarah Wilkerson. You will read more about them in a future edition of Xpress.
Tune in from 7 to 8 a.m. Mondays through Nov. 1 to the Magic Morning Show with Chadd and Kristi on WWRM-FM 94.9 to hear how some bay area students answer today's Xpress Yourself question (see this page). This week, 16-year-old Jane McInnis, who is in 11th grade at River Ridge High in New Port Richey, asks kids where they get their information on the election and why they favor that source.
Week 2: Where do you get your information on the candidates and the election: MTV, newspaper, radio, Internet, another source? Why do you favor that source of information?"
I get information on the election from the newspaper. The papers actually have reporters who go out and get the information. I trust the newspaper."
- Clay Bania, 16, 11th grade, Seminole High
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"Parents mostly, because my dad is in the military and he pays close attention to it because it affects him greatly. Sometimes newspaper and other media, but I try to keep an open mind because a lot of it is opinionated."
- Katie Radomski, 15, 10th grade, St. Petersburg Catholic High School
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"I get info from NPR (National Public Radio) because I listen to it on the radio in the morning on my way to school. They give you all of the candidates' views, and I think that they aren't biased."
- Emily Powell, 16, 10th grade, King High, Tampa
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"From teachers and peers. It's put in terms I can understand, and it's the part of politics I'm interested in and would be affected by."
- Amanda Miller, 17, 11th grade, Tarpon Springs High
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"Newsweek, Saturday Night Live, and the Conan O'Brien show because it is entertaining and a good way to get information."
- Kenton Brandimore, 17, 11th grade, St. Petersburg High
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"The news on TV and sometimes I go on the Internet like on CNN.com, or I'll look something up if I want to find out about it. My dad always watches TV, and when he watches the news I'll listen in because I care about what is going on in the world. And I like going online and researching stuff."
- Julia Pappacoda, 14, ninth grade, East Lake High
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"I get it from the (TV) news because it is always on. I am more of a visual person, and I think the news explains the stories better than the newspaper."
- Gina Tartaglia, 13, eighth grade, Safety Harbor Middle School
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"I get my information from CNN.com and FoxNews.com. I think they are the most balanced and fair news resources, and I can make up my mind for myself."
- Kelly Herson, 16, 11th grade, King High, Tampa
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"I get my information from TV and my parents. I watch the news a little bit."
"Mostly my teachers, because it's usually the only place I hear it from."
- Arianna Cook, 10, sixth grade, St. Paul's School, Clearwater
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"I watch Fox News and CNN to get my information on the election. I favor CNN because I like watching the debates between candidates live."
- Sylvia Perez, 17, 12th grade, Plant High, Tampa
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"I use the Internet to find out information about the candidates. I feel that the Internet has more information than the television does."
- Kimberly Tester, 16, 11th grade, Central High, Brooksville
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"My grandfather only watches Fox News Network so I pick up on anything going on because I'll do something in the kitchen when he watches it."
- Cynthia Bouldrick, 15, 10th grade, Palm Harbor University High
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"I guess I get my information from the Internet and the newspaper. I like those sources because it is put in a language that I can understand."
- Juanita Klim, 14, ninth grade, Seminole High
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"I get most of my info about the presidential candidates and the election from the news on TV because on TV you get to see both candidates, how they carry themselves, how they interact with voters. It's not like reading something in the paper that could be biased because you get to see them live in action on TV."
- Lance Paul, 17, 12th grade, King High, Tampa
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"I listen to the radio on the way to school and errands because I do not have time otherwise."
- Chris White, 17, 12th grade, St. Petersburg High
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"Various places. Mostly the internet, primarily CNN's Web site. They're easier to get to, and they have political news all the time. I don't usually have time to watch TV and wait for the information to come on television."
- Lance McCormick, 17, 12th grade, East Lake High
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"I'd have to say my parents have (been) a huge influence. . . . Whenever I ask a question, it tends to be biased based on their political beliefs. . . . I value my parents (as a) source because I trust that they won't lie to me."
- Christina Smith, 16, 11th grade, River Ridge High, New Port Richey
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"MTV, because MTV is aimed toward teenagers, so they talk about the presidential election in a way I can understand."
- Chris Kenny, 13, seventh grade, St. Paul's School, Clearwater
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"MTV, because they have news at 10-to-the-hour every hour, and when I am watching MTV it's convenient and up-to-date."
- Alexa Bobelis, 15, 10th grade, St. Petersburg Catholic High School
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"My father is a big politics buff. Whenever we have a chance, we discuss news and other political issues together. . . . In the morning I listen to AM (talk) radio and NPR with my dad and I receive good and accurate information."
- Sabrina Lakhani, 15, 10th grade, Palm Harbor University High
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"From the news, mainly in the newspaper. They do a lot of research, and yes, I believe them."
- Tom Graffy, 15, 10th grade, East Lake High
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"I get my information from the news programs on television. It is the easiest way to get information - I can watch it while eating my dinner. I try to read the newspaper, but I usually have so much school work that I don't have time."
- Amanda VonThron, 18, 12th grade, Plant High, Tampa
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"My dad always watches the The O'Reilly Factor so I get information from that show and MTV."
- Kevin Diebold, 15, 10th grade, Seminole High
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"I hear other students and teachers talking about the candidates in school. It's a good way to get other opinions on who to vote for."
- Nick Luker, 17, 12th grade, St. Petersburg High
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"I don't really pay that much attention to the election and the candidates, but what I do know I get from MTV and the Internet. Like on MTV, they show you what's important about the candidates and other little facts that make you see that the candidates are real people, with real problems, who occasionally do mess up in front of the camera."
- Andrea Reyes, 14, ninth grade, King High, Tampa
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"I get most of my information on the election from TV - the news and MTV. I think TV is the most accurate source. I don't like the ads on TV when they put each other down though."
- Brad Chancey, 16, 11th grade, Seminole High
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"TV, because I like to watch TV a lot. So I see it when I turn it on."
"I get my information from the newspaper, the St. Petersburg Times because (it's) a reliable news source and I get it from MSNBC, Chris Matthews (Hardball) - I like watching that show. I also go to alternet.org, that's a really reliable news source, I think. I always talk to my friends about it and get the word across so they know who to vote for."
- Andrea Solazzo, 17, 12th grade, East Lake High
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"I get my news from MTV, my parents, CNN, and word of mouth. I can trust my sources."
- Jarred McBeth, 15, 10th grade, King High, Tampa
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"Fox News and CNBC because I'm lazy and I don't like to flip the channels on TV and that's what's on."
- Jared McAdams, 17, 12th grade, Hudson High
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"Radio, because my dad turns on the radio on the way to school, and it's not as easy to be distracted."
- Tristan Armil, 11, sixth grade, St. Paul's School, Clearwater
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"I get my information from NPR and The Daily Show."
- Ben Sinoff, 15, 10th grade, Palm Harbor University High
