Conventions to Get 3 Hours of Prime Time on TV Networks

[LiviaOlivia]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/politics/campaign/13tube.html

July 13, 2004
TV COVERAGE
Each Convention to Get 3 Hours of Prime Time on TV Networks
By MICHAEL JANOFSKY

WASHINGTON, July 12 - ABC and CBS said on Monday that they planned to broadcast three hours each of the Democratic and Republican conventions in prime time, matching a schedule that NBC announced on Thursday.

<snip>

The coverage corresponds to the highest-profile speakers. For the Democrats, that means former President Bill Clinton on Monday; Senator John Edwards, the vice-presidential selection, on Wednesday; and Senator John Kerry as he accepts the presidential nomination on Thursday.

For the Republicans, the prime-time coverage aims to show Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California on Tuesday, Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday and President Bush on Thursday.

Prime-time viewers will not see an address by Senator Edward M. Kennedy on Tuesday in Boston or, at the Republican convention, a tribute to President Ronald Reagan and speeches by Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, and former Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York on Monday.

For NBC and CBS, the prime-time coverage is almost the same as in 2000, when NBC offered one hour on each of three nights at each convention and CBS offered three hours over two nights. For ABC, the three hours represents a 40 percent cut from 2000, when it broadcast five hours over four nights.

<snip>

[Dying Eagle]

1. How much will

C-Span be coving. I think I will just keep in on C-Span the whole time

[LiviaOlivia]

5. I'm hoping C-Span will cover the conventions gavel to gavel

and the 24/7 cable news channels will have more coverage with the usual line up idiot talking heads.

I think Congress will be in recess so we will possibly get the Boston
convention in real time. I don't get C-Span 3(thanks Comcast).

[Penndems]

10. CSPAN DOES cover the conventions gavel-to-gavel

Which may explain why the networks don't give them the coverage they deserve.

[Khephra]

2. I'm going to make a prediction here and now

The networks will have to end up covering the Conventions more. They think it's going to be business as usual, but it's not.

The Democratic Convention is going to have the unions striking and anti-war protesters making their presence known. Boston's plans so far sound like one gigantic cluster-freep. Things are NOT going to go as planned.

And does anyone really think the GOP convention will go off smoothly as planned? I highly doubt it.

For both Conventions there's going to be times of mass chaos and the networks will be forced to cover breaking news from the ground of both Cons.

Anyone want to bet me that I'm wrong?

[WI_DEM]

3. apparently Ron Reagan, Jr. will not be seen or

former president Carter who is supposed to speak on Monday as well. We still don't know who the keynote speaker will be.

[Jackson4Gore]

11. Does anyone not care that the networks probablly wont' carry

President Gore's speech?

[wyethwire]

4. in a cable/internet world

the networks can afford to take a pass

all the political junkies will be watching elsewhere

[LiviaOlivia]

6. But not all people have cable and access to the internet

eom

[serryjw]

7. Will I be able to see it on PBS or The NET??

I don't have cable?

[King of New Orleans]

12. I believe PBS does provide full coverage

Quite frankly, the fewer media talking heads, the better.

[MikeG]

8. Its down from 4 hours from '96 and '00

They all start at 10 and go to 11.

They are just eliminating one of the least important days.

CNN, MSNBC, Faux, C-Span all will cover it gavel to gavel.

[dsc]

9. This burns me up

These greedy corporate chieftains get our airwaves for free and can't even cover political conventions every four years. 12 hours every four years, is that too much to ask.