Al Jazeera U.S. Election Coverage 2024

Al Jazeera Arabic’s Digital Newsroom embarked on an ambitious campaign to cover the 2024 U.S. Presidential Elections, a globally significant event. This effort unfolded amid critical geopolitical developments in the Middle East, including Israel’s war in Gaza, escalating tensions with Tehran, and conflict in Lebanon.

Given this complex backdrop, the campaign required a unique approach to create distinctive digital content that balanced regional and international narratives. By aligning with Arab audience interests, the newsroom identified key themes while responding to breaking news in real time. Through strategic planning and innovative collaboration, Al Jazeera delivered immersive election coverage across digital and broadcast platforms.

Objectives

Our content strategy for Al Jazeera’s U.S. election coverage focused on three core objectives:

• Educate: Simplify the U.S. electoral process and contextualize key topics for Arab audiences.
• Inform: Provide timely updates on election developments to ensure viewers were always up-to-date.
• Engage: Actively involve the audience through interactive campaigns, encouraging dialogue and participation.

Strategy and Execution

Our strategy centered on creating an audience-first, interactive content plan that leveraged a deep understanding of platform behavior. A cornerstone of this campaign was the introduction of five innovative digital formats designed to captivate audiences and drive engagement.

Key efforts included:

• Explainer Videos and Documentaries: Breaking down complex topics, such as the U.S. electoral process and critical socio-economic issues, into easily digestible formats.
• On-the-Ground Reporting: Correspondents provided real-time updates and in-depth analysis from swing states and other key locations.
• Platform-Optimized Content: Engaging vertical and long-form videos tailored for platforms like TikTok and Instagram to maximize reach and appeal.
• Original Series: Launching innovative programs that explored topics like cultural diversity, U.S. foreign policy, and grassroots voter sentiment through compelling storytelling and dynamic formats.
• Interactive Campaigns: Engaging audiences through tools like conversational cards, hashtag campaigns, and user-generated content, fostering active participation and deepening connections with viewers.

The campaign targeted three distinct audience segments:

1. Current Al Jazeera digital followers on all platforms.
2. The broader Arab audience across the Middle East and North Africa.
3. The Arab diaspora in the United States.

Content Highlights

Original Shows & Series

We launched multiple original series and shows tailored to align with market research insights and editorial objectives. These include:

Route 66

A series of five episodes featuring conversations with individuals that highlight cultural diversity and represent various identities and ethnic groups within society across the United States. The program explores a wide range of social topics through on-the-ground interviews. It moves between different states, engaging with events in an authentic and spontaneous vlog-style format.

The episodes delve into diverse topics, ranging from covering the students march for Gaza to the culture of guns and firearms in the U.S. to the stories of communities redefining the narrative of America beyond the stereotypical image often seen by Arab audiences.

A sect that forbids photography and alcohol, travels in horse-drawn carriages, and avoids using cars. Route 66 introduces you to the ‘River Brethren’ in America, offering a glimpse into their simple, non-modern lifestyle from Pennsylvania.

The Dissidents

A five-episode head-to-head style talk show that shines a spotlight on former U.S. government officials who resigned in protest against the Israeli war on Gaza and America’s unconditional support for it.

In this video, Harrison, a former U.S. Army officer and Defense Intelligence Agency operative, shares his story of resigning from his position following a conflict between his professional duties and personal ethics. He discusses his experiences in the Middle East and how the events of October 7 influenced his decision. Watch the full interview to learn about his resignation and how the ongoing events in Gaza shaped his stance.

KASHAF

An in-depth series that explores critical issues, blending analysis and investigation to uncover compelling stories in American politics and society. The series reveals hidden angles, exposes untold truths, and provides viewers with fresh insights and new dimensions.

This video explores the influence of money in American politics and how wealthy individuals and major corporations shape election outcomes through massive donations and political action committees. It delves into campaign financing methods, the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that changed the game, and the role of ‘dark money’ flowing into politics away from public scrutiny. Watch to uncover how U.S. elections have become a battleground for financial power.

In simple terms

A series designed to explain and simplify key terms and concepts related to the U.S. electoral process for the Arab audience, presented in an interactive and engaging style. The series is produced in two formats: horizontal and vertical, tailored for mobile phones, TikTok, and Instagram.

This video explains why winning the popular vote is not essential to securing victory in the U.S. presidential elections.

The President Makers

An engaging and dynamic town hall discussion featuring voters from diverse backgrounds across the United States. Set in a thoughtfully designed studio, the series explores the U.S. elections with a sharp focus on issues that resonate with the Arab audience.

This video explores how Americans perceive newcomers to their country and examines the opportunities for their success in the U.S.

On-The-Ground coverage

The campaign featured extensive on-the-ground content, providing audiences with daily news briefings while deploying correspondents across major and swing states for real-time updates. It included expert analysts and guests to comment on key events, dynamic interactive vox pops to engage with the public, and exclusive digital field reports for a comprehensive and immersive coverage experience.

Ejaz from US

Ejaz,” meaning “The Brief,” is the first Arabic daily “mobile-friendly” news product designed for busy audiences who primarily consume news through social media feeds. During the U.S. election coverage, a specialized Ejaz news brief was created to provide consistent updates on the 2024 U.S. elections, keeping the audience informed about the latest developments. This coverage included 11 videos, garnering over 2 million views, highlighting its impact and reach.

This Ejaz brief offers a concise update on the U.S. elections from Arizona, spotlighting Harris’s sharp critique of Trump, accusing him of being obsessed with revenge. The video also highlights that nearly 50 million Americans have already participated in early voting.

Al Jazeera Correspondents

A network of correspondents is stationed across the United States, with a special focus on swing states. Our journalists deliver real-time footage and on-the-ground commentary, seamlessly integrating traditional TV content into the digital space. The vertical and dynamic format, rich with visuals, is tailored to resonate with audiences on emerging social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. This comprehensive coverage resulted in 28 videos, amassing over 6 million views, demonstrating its wide reach and engagement.

This video features our correspondent in Pennsylvania covering Harris’s campaign efforts, including promises to end the Gaza war, lower taxes, and appeal to women voters

Al Jazeera Analysts

A digital video series hosting members of the Republican and Democratic parties, along with political analysts and polling experts. The series provided in-depth analysis of the electoral landscape, with a special focus on topics relevant to our audience, including Arab American issues, immigration, border policies, and Middle East conflicts. Filmed at Al Jazeera’s studios in Washington, D.C., the series delivered timely insights into key election developments. Spanning 14 videos, the series garnered over 5.7 million views, showcasing its significant reach and impact.

This video brings together experts from both parties to analyze the impact of an apology for past practices against Indigenous people in Arizona on voter sentiment. Are these actions influencing voting trends in the state, and are voters leaning toward Biden or Harris?

Blue/Red

A compelling video series featuring on-the-ground vox pops from various U.S. states, capturing American citizens’ perspectives on key domestic and international issues. The series explores topics such as the role of media in the electoral process and the critical concerns affecting Black communities in the United States. Spanning 16 videos from diverse states and regions, the series garnered over 3.3 million views, highlighting its broad audience engagement and significant impact.

This vox pop from Georgia captures the views of Black residents, a third of the state’s population, on the upcoming election and whether the battleground state will lean toward Trump or Harris for its 16 electoral votes.

In-House Digital Productions

Profile

A digitally published product distributed across various social media platforms, engagingly presenting the life stories and biographies of prominent politicians involved in US elections, including presidential and vice-presidential candidates

What defines Donald Trump as the Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential election race?

America and..

A captivating digital mini-documentary series that unpacks and analyzes the intricate dynamics of U.S. relations with rising geopolitical adversaries like China, Russia, and North Korea. The series incorporates engaging motion graphics and animation to bring these complex stories to life.

This video highlights key historical events between North Korea and the United States, starting with former President Donald Trump’s visit to North Korea, the establishment of the demilitarized zone along the 38th parallel, and the escalating nuclear tensions. We delve into the impact and implications of economic sanctions, while exploring the future of relations between Washington and Pyongyang. Will diplomacy prevail, or is a military confrontation inevitable?

“Conext”

A series of digital long-form videos designed to provide in-depth context on key issues. These videos offer a comprehensive background on each topic, exploring its origins and multiple perspectives in a compelling and engaging way for the audience.

This video explores the economic dominance of the United States, delving into the key factors behind its global influence and the emerging threats to the international financial system.

Election Day Coverage

For Election Day updates, cards were prepared in advance for each state as part of our election coverage. Once a state was won by a candidate, their card was promptly published, enabling swift coverage. Additionally, updates on electoral results were provided to keep the Arab audience informed of the latest developments.

Updates on electoral results between Trump and Harris

Live Stream

A dedicated live stream for election night was a cornerstone of the coverage plan, achieving over 15 million views across major platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok, showcasing its widespread reach and engagement.

Live Election Night Coverage on X

Hashmoji campaign

A symbol of the campaign’s identity, mirroring the integration across Al Jazeera’s TV and digital platforms.

During the 2024 US election cycle, Al Jazeera’s Digital Newsroom focused on intensifying engagement with Arab audiences in both the MENA region and the United States. Confronted with the challenge of making serious US electoral politics resonate with the general interests of the audience, Platform X was chosen for its exceptional interactive capabilities. The strategy centered around the innovative use of the hashtag “#الجزيرة_أمريكا24” which became the central element of the campaign and facilitated dynamic discussions.

The Hashmoji Campaign aimed to:

• Enhance Awareness: Increase visibility of Al Jazeera’s comprehensive coverage of the US elections among Arab viewers.
• Extend Reach: Extend Reach: Expand the audience base and connect meaningfully with the Arab diaspora across diverse demographics in the US.
• Encourage User-Generated Content: Motivate viewers to create and share their content using the hashtag “#الجزيرة_أمريكا24,” amplifying the campaign’s reach and impact.
• Foster Engagement: Drive interactive discourse on how US electoral outcomes impact the Arab world, facilitated by the dedicated hashtag.

Interactive Content | Utilising Conversational cards

Audience as Part of the US Election Conversation: Engagement strategies were designed to integrate the audience directly into the US election discourse. By employing conversational cards that encouraged predictions about the election outcome, these strategies tapped into heightened interest and engagement, positioning audience participation as a central and defining element of the coverage.

Current Event Relevance: Conversational tweets were utilized to discuss the US election’s impact on pertinent issues, such as the war in Gaza and Lebanon. This approach ensured that the coverage remained highly relevant and well-integrated with the ongoing discourse, resonating deeply with audience concerns.

Deep Analytical Conversations: Deep Analytical Conversations
The conversational cards on international relations facilitated in-depth discussions, enabling audiences to actively participate in and contribute to nuanced analytical debates.

Hashmoji Campaign Results

Hashmoji Campaign Stats

The number of tweets using the hashtag on X/Twitter from October 13 to November 11.

The campaign achieved outstanding outcomes, amassing over 100 million impressions that significantly amplified exposure and heightened awareness of the coverage. Viewership soared past 26 million views, accompanied by over 4 million engagements, reflecting a deep audience connection. The interactive aspect of the campaign was particularly successful, with more than 26,000 unique users — a good portion of whom were Arabs in the US — actively participating by posting over 48,000 tweets using the dedicated hashtag in just one month. This robust engagement underscores the campaign’s effectiveness in capturing and retaining audience interest, demonstrating strong reach and influence among key demographic groups.

Success Story with X

Due to the impressive return on investment, X chose to document our experience and create a Success Story. You can read the full story at the following link:

Al Jazeera Digital Newsroom

Overall campaign Results

Despite the campaign running parallel to pressing regional news, Al Jazeera Arabic’s U.S. Election coverage delivered exceptional results:

• +350 million video views across all digital platforms.
• +6 million interactions with campaign content.
• +15 million live stream viewers for election-related programming.
• +48K Hashtag mentions and user-generated posts on X.
• +100M Hashtag impressions on X
• Al Jazeera decisively outperformed its competitors targeting the same audience, achieving a commanding lead in reach, engagement, and impact.

These achievements not only underscored Al Jazeera’s dominance in the digital journalism space but also demonstrated its ability to engage Arab audiences globally with meaningful, innovative content.

By combining innovative digital strategies with a deep understanding of audience behavior, Al Jazeera Arabic’s coverage of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Elections set a new standard in digital journalism. This campaign not only informed and engaged audiences but also reinforced Al Jazeera’s position as a trusted voice in global media.

Credits

Al Jazeera Digital Newsroom Team