Actually, to be accurate we should probably call it pre-campaign journalism, and the odd new trend is perfectly captured on the front page of today's Wall Street Journal.

Headlined “Calls Rise To Broaden GOP Field,” the article hypes possible movement within the Republican presidential field [emphasis added]:

After a week of intense campaign activity that was supposed to clarify the Republican presidential field, the clamor for new entrants has intensified, with fresh hints from Sarah Palin that she could jump in and pressure mounting on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan to join the race.

What are those “fresh hints”? The WSJ writes that Palin's PAC released a video about “her recent trip to Iowa that had all the earmarks of a campaign spot. She plans to return to Iowa over the Labor Day weekend.”

Of course, Palin was in Iowa during the weekend of the straw poll and her appearance did nothing to generate interest from Republican voters there. But reporters and pundits are once again making a very big deal about the latest Palin news. And yes, the press has been been playing this silly, will-Sarah-run game for all of 2011.

As for proof of the “mounting” pressure on Republicans Christie and Ryan to run for the White House, the Journal simply quotes aides for both men suggesting Republicans really, really want their bosses to run for president. But no, there's no indication today either will do so.

So that's the breaking, A1 campaign news from today's Journal: Sarah Palin might run for president, and some Republicans wish Christie and Ryan would.

What's so odd is that this brand of no-news, pre-campaign journalism has been practiced and put on display by virtually every major news organization this year. Not content to cover announced candidates, the press has fixated on would-be Republican contenders, such as Palin, Christie and Donald Trump, often showering them with more (glowing) attention than people who are actually running.

This is all very new. I certainly can't remember a previous White House election cycle where the press devoted untold time and energy--month after month--writing about which Democrats might run. Traditionally, candidates had to, you know, become candidates, before the press treated them as such.

But no more. With today's pre-campaign journalism, the press is more than happy to treat as front-page news that a Republican non-candidate is traveling to Iowa, and that pols like Christie and Ryan are still not running for president.

Memo to media: That's not news.

UPDATED: Online, the Journal article today includes an interactive chart detailing the GOP's presidential field, and includes write-ups about Trump and Ryan and Christie, among others. Note the peculiar description:

While President Barack Obama kicked off his re-election campaign in early April, the Republican field remains wide open. Read more about potential GOP contenders, including those who are unlikely to run but are popular with the pundits. Click on a candidate for more details.