Reporter Reviews Media, Election

ABC News correspondent Shiela Kast was greeted with applause when she arrived at the Institute of Politics last night to lead an undergraduate discussion on media coverage of the presidential election.

But the approximately 40 students in attendance could not trick her.

"The first thing I heard when I walked into the room is someone saying that the media should be regulated, so your applause doesn't fool me," she said.

Kast answered questions from the audience on topics regarding the media and politics.

When asked to respond to the national news networks' incorrectly declaring Democratic challenger Dick Swett the winner over Republican Sen. Robert Smith (R-N.H.), she said mistakes can take place when the media is pressed for answers.

It is ABC news policy not to call an election in a state until the polls have closed, Kast said. Although all the votes are not necessarily counted right away, the news stations use exit polls to predict the winner.

"If we keep presenting new stuff, you are less likely to change channels," she said.

Students also asked Kast if she thought there is a need to regulate the media as a possible solution to the problem of a lack of journalistic integrity.

Kast said she does not believe the media should be regulated because it is a free marketplace.

"It has to do with giving consumers of news maximum freedom to get what they want," she said.

To give the viewers more freedom, Kast thinks the news should stop "spoonfeeding" viewers. The media should offer more facts and less conclusions, she said.

"We're not offering enough different alternatives," she said. "I don't see any of the networks attempting to carve out a new niche."

Kast said that although television news has overemphasized the aim of getting viewers to feel like they can make a difference, it is important that the news be more than just "famine, war, disease, plague, good night," Kast said.

Kast covers business, economics and politics for ABC news.