1 of 1- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline 
How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
Never mind the politics of the left and the right for a second. Think about how enormous the task will be for crews covering the U.S. election this year. Most years it goes into the wee hours, but a winner is eventually declared. This time, because of COVID and mail-in ballots, no one expects a final result for days or even weeks.
And because of the virus, it will be harder for correspondents to cover the live locations.
I've worked dozens of elections in local TV news over 25 years and I always especially dreaded the federal vote as the longest night of the year - especially in the days when it came down to the west coast, where polls didn't close until 11 PM our time and then still had to be counted, which took another two or three hours. I remember coming in to work at 2 PM and still being there at 3 in the morning - then being expected to show up early again the next morning to help with the on-air recap.
The worst was waiting endlessly for the third place candidate to make his or her speech, followed by the second place runner-up, and then the eventually, mercifully - and often agonizingly long - victory speech from the winner. At least in the U.S, there are only two of them! (Although I somehow expect Kanye West to come up on stage and interrupt one of them, and tell everyone they should have voted for Beyonce...)
I wonder how long the major anchors like Lester Holt will hang in before turning it over to other anchors. One thing is almost certain - it will be a Yogi Berra-type night: It ain't over till it's over. And it likely won't be over for a long time.
How TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
- Prod Guy
- Unregistered
Re: How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
I have seen some of the press releases and the major broadcast networks are planning to go until 4 am this year rather than 1 or 2 am and there are plans to bring in people to cover the time from 4 am until the morning shows start if need be.
- Prod Guy
- Unregistered
Re: How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
In an unusual move CBC is covering the US election in english and french not just on their news channels but on the the main networks up till 3 am. CTV is also carrying it on the main network but it looks like only until midnight when the Daily Show's live election special will be shown on a one hour tape delay.
City, Global and CTV 2 are running their usual prime time schedules with Global showing the Han Solo movie to counterprogram the election.
- paterson1
- Member
Offline
Re: How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
Interesting article from CBC.ca on how the US networks and CBC will be covering election night.
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
Prod Guy wrote:
In an unusual move CBC is covering the US election in english and french not just on their news channels but on the the main networks up till 3 am. CTV is also carrying it on the main network but it looks like only until midnight when the Daily Show's live election special will be shown on a one hour tape delay.
City, Global and CTV 2 are running their usual prime time schedules with Global showing the Han Solo movie to counterprogram the election.
I can't quite remember - did any of the over-the-air (i.e. not their all news cable stations) give the U.S. election this kind of coverage in the past? Seems to me they used to throw almost anything against it, knowing most Canadians would watch to see perhaps a winner declared, if that, and then tune out.
This year, with all the drama and tension, it's a very different situation. (That and the fact that there are few new shows to throw in the time slots thanks to COVID.)
- •
Thread Starter- Prod Guy
- Unregistered
Re: How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
I don't remember over the air networks ever doing wall to wall coverage for a US election until now.
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
I heard Greg Brady on 640 Monday talk about Global's wall-to-wall coverage of the U.S. election and I believe he was referring to the TV network. Unless they've changed their minds, they have the Han Solo movie premiere scheduled for Tuesday night and unlike their competition, they seem to be counterprogramming the big vote. So I'm not sure what he was talking about.
Speaking of which, will there be a huge personnel shortage once all this election stuff dies down? Global's Farah Nasser and National anchor Dawna Friesen, the Star's Rosie DiManno and a slew of other Canadian reporters are down south covering the contest. They'll be there for a while, but when they come back, they'll be obligated to quarantine for 14 days - which means most of them will remain off the air for two weeks.
- •
Thread Starter- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
This was put up on YouTube less than a week ago. It's from The New Yorker Magazine and it's a 13 minute look at how foreign journalists see the U.S. and the presidential race from a different perspective. It features reporters from around the world, including one from the CBC.
.
- •
Thread Starter- Prod Guy
- Unregistered
Re: How U.S. TV News Is Steeling Itself for Election Night Coverage
I heard Greg Brady on 640 Monday talk about Global's wall-to-wall coverage of the U.S. election and I believe he was referring to the TV network. Unless they've changed their minds, they have the Han Solo movie premiere scheduled for Tuesday night and unlike their competition, they seem to be counterprogramming the big vote. So I'm not sure what he was talking about.
They're doing their live coverage on their website, app and YouTube channel, not on air.
Last edited by Prod Guy (November 3, 2020 12:24 am)