Networks Firm Up Convention Lineups

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Networks Firm Up Convention Lineups
By JACQUES STEINBERG
Published: June 12, 2008

Those political aficionados wondering whether Senator Barack Obama looks better from the right or left, take note: in August visitors to the official Web site of the Democratic National Convention will be able to choose from a menu of camera angles as they tune in live, high-definition video streamed from the party gathering in Denver. Other viewers who prefer to leave the direction and analysis of their convention coverage to the broadcast and cable networks will have plenty of options too. In the days since Mr. Obama solidified his standing as the presumptive Democratic nominee, television news executives have begun to set their plans for covering the four-day Democratic convention, which begins on Aug. 25, and its Republican counterpart, which opens in St. Paul on Sept. 1, Labor Day.

ABC, CBS and NBC all intend to show at least three hours of live, prime-time coverage of both conventions, which is about what the networks did four years ago, though this year they are expected to broadcast in high-definition.

The cable news channels expect to offer many more hours than that, perhaps none more so than MSNBC, which is seeking to swamp the efforts of its principal competitors, CNN and Fox News, by showing 20 hours of live convention programming each of the four days that the conventions are in session. To put that figure in perspective, consider that much of the official party business is conducted over the course of about four hours a night. MSNBC’s most direct competition may be PBS, which is planning to provide live, complete, prime-time coverage of both conventions — the only broadcast network to do so....

***

(Phil) Alongi will oversee convention coverage on both NBC and MSNBC, though each will have a different mission. On NBC Mr. Alongi expects to devote an hour each on the evenings of Wednesday, Aug. 27, and Thursday, Aug. 28, for the Democratic convention, as well as on the following Wednesday and Thursday for the Republicans, to live coverage and analysis of the acceptance speeches of the vice presidential and presidential nominees. Leading that coverage will be Brian Williams, the anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” with analysis from Tim Russert, the host of “Meet the Press,” among others. On Monday or Tuesday of each week NBC also expects to put on at least one more hour of live programming, to be determined as the convention schedule becomes more clear....

ABC has committed to at least four hours of prime-time coverage of each convention, to be led by Charles Gibson, anchor of “World News.” He will be joined by George Stephanopoulos, the host of “This Week,” as well as a team of political reporters, said Marc Burstein, executive producer of special events for ABC News....A CBS spokeswoman said the network planned to broadcast about three hours of live, prime-time coverage from each convention, with Katie Couric leading a crew that would include Jeff Greenfield and Bob Schieffer....On PBS, Jim Lehrer of “The News Hour” will host coverage from sky boxes towering above both convention halls. He will be assisted by a team of correspondents that will include Gwen Ifill, Ray Suarez, Judy Woodruff and Margaret Warner, as well as two analysts, Mark Shields and David Brooks, a columnist for The New York Times.

A Fox News spokeswoman, Dana Klinghoffer, refused to discuss the channel’s plans.

CNN, which saw its ratings surge on nights like Super Tuesday, has yet to resolve how much of the conventions it will present, said David Bohrman, who directs the coverage in his capacity as Washington bureau chief....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/arts/television/12netw.html?ref=politics

[cliffordu]

1. But I want 24 hour coverage RIGHT NOW!!!

:sarcasm:

[FrenchieCat]

2. in 2004....I remember how the network pundits thought that viewers

wanted to see the pundit heads talking to each other.

Instead of just broacasting the damn thing, the pundits decided which speech we should watch....\

I remember Gen. Clark giving his speech, and CNN pundit fools had a conversation throughout the whole thing until the heard thunderous applause that even they couldn't ignore....and we got to see the last 1 minute of the speech on CNN. It was disgusting. If that is how they will be covering it, I won't be watching any of the networks or the Cable ghouls for my coverage.

Gawd, how I hate the media.

[Catch22Dem]

3. In 04 you could download the speeches free from iTunes

Wonder if they'll do that again.