2016 campaigns are beefing up staffs. So are the media who will cover them.

Forget about 2016. With the presidential campaign just getting started, the race for the White House figures to be the most covered, and perhaps the most over-covered, story of 2015. Major news organizations have all but made that official by engaging in an arms race of sorts to hire more political journalists.

The staffing binge comes as many in the news media are cutting back in other areas. “There are way more political writers than political news,” said a prominent political editor, who, in classic political fashion, asked not to be identified so that he could opine without repercussions. “Tons of companies don’t seem to care about profit; they only care about their profile.” This editor, whose political staff is expanding, laments that the bidding for reporters has driven up salaries, even for young and relatively unseasoned journalists. Some younger, promising reporters have received offers in excess of $150,000 a year, far more than they would have commanded just a few years ago, he said. “It’s a very good time to be a political reporter if you’re any good,” he added, “but the salaries being kicked around are absurd.”