The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / What Are Canadian Channels Planning To Show On U.S. Election Night?

**Posted by RadioActive** October 29, 2024 1:20 pm

The seemingly endless American presidential campaign is exactly a week away and every major U.S. network, including PBS and even The CW, will interrupt programming for coverage. That means there won’t be anything for Canadian stations to simulcast, which leaves them in an odd position on a Tuesday night.

The race has been intense and at times insane, which should make it an irresistible drama. But if you want to see local coverage and reaction, you’ll have to tune in cable news (like CBC News Network or CTV News Channel) or the Amnets because Canadian over-the-air stations are filling with other entertainment for the evening.

CBC is the only one that will have an “America Votes 2024” special, anchored by Adrienne Arsenault. Coverage is scheduled from 8 PM to at least 3 AM. My guess is it will be a simulcast of their all news network.

CTV has opted for the broadcast premiere of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” a movie originally shown in theatres in 2016.

Global is also rolling out a premiere flick, “Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle.” It was produced in 2017.

City TV’s plans for the night include a Toby Keith special and an episode of “Hudson & Rex.”

All will summarize what happened in their regular 11 PM news, although I'm pretty sure none of the TV networks will be able to declare an actual winner on Tuesday. If things are as tight as the pundits predict, it could take days to hear an "official" result (which one will say is rigged if it doesn't go his way.)

I’m actually a bit surprised by the programming choices. True, live election coverage isn’t cheap, especially when it’s from a separate country. But given the stakes for Canada (and indeed the world) in this race, I would have thought there might have been more national live OTA coverage here.

Over on radio, CFRB has already announced plans for an American election results special, hosted by Deb Hutton and Jim Richards.

AM640 and the Corus Network have yet to officially say what they're planning that night.

**Posted by ED1** October 29, 2024 1:28 pm

I would think CTV is doing rolling coverage on CTV News Channel, but I haven't seen any promos.

Global is doing live rolling coverage of the US election on their streaming news channels and platforms. During the last US elections, Global stations OTA joined the coverage after their late local newscasts. Not sure if this is the case this year.

**Posted by Dial Twister** October 29, 2024 1:47 pm

RadioActive wrote:
Over on radio, CFRB has already announced plans for an American election results special, hosted by Deb Hutton and Jim Richards.

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

Just who I'd turn to for riveting, enlightened election coverage.

**Posted by Jacjames** October 29, 2024 5:43 pm

Who really cares!! Lots of American channels available. Why keep pushing radio unless you are not near a televsion or still havent purchased that latest piece of electronics!

**Posted by newsguy1** October 29, 2024 6:46 pm

Of all the people 1010 could have chosen, Deb Hutton and Jim Richards?
Not the A team, or the B team... Maybe not even the C team.
Oh well, at least they won't have Agar although it would be funny to see what sort of pretzels he would twist himself up into if (when) Kamala wins.

Last edited by newsguy1 (October 29, 2024 6:47 pm)

**Posted by RadioActive** October 29, 2024 7:22 pm

The coverage won't go on long enough for a winner to be named. I'm pretty sure with such a close race, people will be waking up on Wednesday and they may still not know who won.

**Posted by Leslieville Bill** October 29, 2024 7:40 pm

I suggest that someone come up with an election night drinking game based on phrases uttered like popular vote, swing state, the wall, fascist, etc.

**Posted by cash** October 29, 2024 8:14 pm

Just let it be over

**Posted by RadioActive** October 29, 2024 8:15 pm

With Trump involved, it will never be over.

**Posted by Dial Twister** October 29, 2024 9:52 pm

RadioActive wrote:
With Trump involved, it will never be over.

I wonder how many of his personal psychiatrists have committed suicide?

**Posted by mic'em** October 30, 2024 6:53 am

I recorded Cleopatra from TCM last week, and will watch it election night. All four and a half hours . I would much rather see a young Elizabeth Taylor in all her glory than the results which will be covered ad nauseum for days .

**Posted by Forward Power** October 30, 2024 7:14 am

RadioActive wrote:
With Trump involved, it will never be over.

Win or lose, that will be the sad reality... he'll still get all the media attention either way, because his every word and every move gets clicks and eyeballs nowadays.

**Posted by Shorty Wave** October 30, 2024 8:13 am

Dial Twister wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
Over on radio, CFRB has already announced plans for an American election results special, hosted by Deb Hutton and Jim Richards.
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂

Just who I'd turn to for riveting, enlightened election coverage.

Although I would tune in if Vassy Kapelos was hosting the US election coverage for CFRB, but I imagine that she’ll be involved in CTV News coverage.

**Posted by RadioActive** October 31, 2024 9:55 am

This is unprecedented in my memory. NBC will be doing 24 hours of U.S. election coverage beginning with the Nightly News at 6:30 PM Tuesday. It won't stop until Lester Holt returns again on Wednesday for the next (hour long) network newscast.

It indicates the enormous importance they place on this contest, and that they're convinced it's such a tight race, there won't be a winner announced until at least the following day.

Can't quite remember them going 24/7 on an election before, but that's the plan. Of course, there's no guarantee local stations - like Buffalo's WGRZ - will take all of it and lose the revenue from its syndicated shows and its own local news. And there's always non-stop coverage from the all news networks. So it's going to be a long night - and day.

NBC News will offer full 24 hours of election coverage on broadcast network

**Posted by Chrisphen** October 31, 2024 10:38 am

For counterprogramming, one could always curl up in front of the flatscreen with a good movie. Some recommendations:
- Bob Roberts
- Starship Troopers
- Threads
- The White Ribbon
- The Sorrow and the Pity
- Brazil
- The Conformist
- Civil War

**Posted by RadioActive** October 31, 2024 10:39 am

Or you could just watch the entire series of "The West Wing."

Oh, wait a minute...

**Posted by fybush** October 31, 2024 1:09 pm

It's not quite as big a deal as their publicists are making it out to be, of course.

The big 3 networks have stayed on with all-night coverage before. Their network early morning shows are available to affiliates (though few take them) up through 7 AM. Today already runs 7-11, and their hybrid streaming/broadcast NBC News Now already runs noon to 4, though broadcast stations usually only take one hour of the show.

So they're really just adding an extra hour here and there - 11 AM (when Today is still staffing for live updates for its 8 AM Pacific hour) and 5 PM, when everyone will blow out for local news anyway.

But A+ for the publicists making it sound bigger than it is!

**Posted by ED1** October 31, 2024 5:42 pm

Global's US election broadcast will actually be somewhere on TV. It's going to be carried on BC1, their version of CP24 in Vancouver.

**Posted by paterson1** October 31, 2024 5:53 pm

ED1 wrote:
Global's US election broadcast will actually be somewhere on TV. It's going to be carried on BC1, their version of CP24 in Vancouver.

I will be flipping between all the networks including the Canadian news channels and BBC World. They usually give a different perspective from CNN and the 4 American networks. Four years ago both CBC News Network and CTV News Channel had great pundits on from both the Republicans and Democrats and they were having a civil discussion with each other and the hosts. It will be interesting to see where David Frum lands. He could be on any of the networks in Canada or the US with the exception of FOX.

**Posted by newsguy1** October 31, 2024 8:08 pm

Bold prediction.
Kamala and Tim declared winners by 9pm eastern.
Then hours if not days of analysis.
Trump to be arrested in coming weeks.

**Posted by Dial Twister** October 31, 2024 8:13 pm

newsguy1 wrote:
Bold prediction.
Kamala and Tim declared winners by 9pm eastern.
Then hours if not days of analysis.
Trump to be arrested in coming weeks.

Take that to the bank. Long, long, long overdue.

**Posted by zed** October 31, 2024 8:57 pm

newsguy1 wrote:
Bold prediction.
Kamala and Tim declared winners by 9pm eastern.
Then hours if not days of analysis.
Trump to be arrested in coming weeks.

We can only hope.

**Posted by mic'em** November 1, 2024 6:42 am

I , to quote a local talk show host, don't give a flying a foodoo about the U.S. election. It doesn't matter who wins, it doesn't spell good for us either way.

**Posted by mace** November 1, 2024 8:26 am

You could also watch Bruins Leafs. That would get you to 10:30ish.

**Posted by RadioActive** November 1, 2024 11:50 am

Since there's so much simsub at work on Tuesdays, this also applies to a lot of Canadian stations, as well.

Election Night 2024: ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ ‘FBIs’ & More Shows Not Airing

But here's another question - if this goes into late Wednesday and there's violence from a certain faction of one of the candidates, could the next day be interrupted as well? What would Canadian stations do then?

Last edited by RadioActive (November 1, 2024 11:51 am)

**Posted by paterson1** November 1, 2024 2:23 pm

Making a mountain out of a mole hill again RA?? Canadian stations have lots of programming to run during the election and heaven forbid if need be on Wednesday evening. The simub is not that big a deal and is becoming less important since US prime time programming is not the draw for audiences it once was. Just look at the weak ratings for these "hit" shows. The numbers are only a little better than in the summer.

**Posted by RadioActive** November 1, 2024 2:29 pm

I think you're reading way too much into what I posted. I'm simply pointing out that the Canadian stations involved would be caught flatfooted at the last moment.

City TV's entire primetime sked on Wednesday is the "Chicago" shows for example - and it would force them to scramble for alternate programming if NBC were to opt for fulltime news coverage.

That's not a molehill. It's a fact. At least they know in advance (not J.D. Vance) about next Tuesday. My point was ongoing coverage into the following day would leave them with little time to prepare or promote any alternatives. Major news events, if they happen, would be too fast to show up in a DVR guide.

The 80th repeat of a Hudson & Rex episode would likely not be a big draw. And they wouldn't have any time to tell viewers about it even it was.

**Posted by Leslieville Bill** November 1, 2024 2:33 pm

I'm an agnostic but I may do a little praying between now and Tuesday evening.

**Posted by paterson1** November 1, 2024 2:47 pm

Stations and networks make last minute changes all the time. It is not a big deal, so I don't get why I am reading too much into it.. The networks are neither flatfooted or will need to scramble. If all of the US networks dumped all of their prime time programming on Wednesday because of the election or unrest, City could show a movie, pick up a hockey game from Sportsnet or show repeats of their regular schedule. It would need to be something very serious for the big 4 US networks to dump an evening of prime time on Wednesday. They all have news channels.

Besides, unless something major happens in the next few days.... Harris is going to win...

**Posted by RadioActive** November 1, 2024 3:28 pm

Yes, they could substitute any shows. But chances are most viewers would not know about the changes. Getting the new skeds to DVRs, TV guides, potential viewers et. al would be difficult at the last minute and likely ruin recordings and require expensive sponsor makegoods. And those two words are the key - "last minute." These decisions would have to be made on the fly. There would be no time to tell anyone or promote the change.

There's no way City would show a new episode of Chicago Med or Fire or PD out of pattern, losing three simsub opportunities. I'm just saying it would be an inconvenience to viewers and require some last minute planning by station programmers. especially since none of them would know in advance.

I know you love to jump on almost everything I say, but there's nothing denigrating here about Canadian stations. It's just a tough spot to be in and very last minute.

Consider what would be affected by an unannounced last minute Wed. interruption:

CTV:
The Masked Singer (Fox)
The Summit (CBS)

Global:
Survivor (CBS)
Abbott Elementary (ABC)

CityTV:
Chicago Med (NBC)
Chicago Fire (NBC)
Chicago PD (NBC)

That’s six and a half hours of programming between them to have to compensate for at the last minute.

Not impossible, of course. But not fun. And no way to prepare if it's due to sudden breaking news.

Fun discussion, but hopefully moot and next Wednesday will be normal.