Dan Kennedy Discusses Media Performance in 2026 Midterm Lead-up

Media Performance in the 2026 Midterms

Dan Kennedy, writing for his site Media Nation, recently discussed the performance of the press during the lead-up to the 2026 midterm elections.

Kennedy appeared as a guest on “The Media Project,” a program broadcast by WAMC Radio in Albany, New York, which serves the Capital Region and the Berkshires.

The discussion focused on how news organizations handled the electoral cycle. The program is hosted by Rex Smith, who previously served as the editor of the Albany Times Union. Kennedy noted that his wife is a native of Colonie, a town located just outside Albany, and remains a regular reader of the Times Union.

A Panel of Editorial Perspectives

The segment featured a panel of contributors with extensive backgrounds in regional journalism. Alongside Kennedy, the episode included Judy Patrick, a former editor of the Daily Gazette in Schenectady, and Barbara Lombardo, a journalism professor at the University at Albany who formerly served as the editor of The Saratogian.

Judy patrick vp for development ny press association former editor the daily

Because the guests appeared on the program separately, Kennedy reported that he did not have the opportunity to hear the contributions of the other panelists during the recording. He indicated that he intended to listen to their segments via the program’s podcast feed later in the day.

The conversation serves as a reflection on the evolving role of local and regional media in providing context to voters. By analyzing the editorial decisions made by newsrooms during the 2026 midterms, the participants aimed to address the standards of coverage provided to residents in the Northeast.