Technological Innovations, but Few Diversity Surprises
The coverage of Election Night — the culmination of a two-year campaign marathon — will be marked in the broadcast and
Internet media by technological innovations, but few diversity surprises for those who have followed coverage during the
primary season and the presidential debates.
Some networks are responding to concerns about voter irregularities. CNN said it will assemble "go teams" of correspondents
and producers who will report on the irregularities as well as breaking election news. Throughout the day, CNN’s Ali Velshi
is to anchor reports on voting irregularities from the "go teams," and legal experts are to track and analyze such issues
across the country, a news release said. ABC and NBC also mentioned the voter-integrity issue in their announcements.
The racial dimension of the historic election, which could see the nation’s first African American president, is to be
acknowledged on Wednesday by National Public Radio’s midday newsmagazine "Day to Day," which plans to broadcast from the
heart of Los Angeles’ black community — whether Barack Obama wins or loses. 
"Host Alex Chadwick will spend the morning at a
coffee shop owned by Magic Johnson Enterprises in the Ladera Heights section of the city, speaking with African-American
leaders, thinkers and just folks grabbing a cup of coffee," NPR said. 
NPR’s "News & Notes" begins a month-long series on race in America on Thursday. "’News & Notes’ and host Farai Chideya plan
to examine issues of race that have emerged from this election: issues of privilege, perceptions and identity, and the lines
– visible and invisible – between the races that still exist. The first installment in this series examines how the issue of
race played into the race for the White House," according to the network.
With a nod to the unprecedented worldwide attention generated by the election, NPR will also present "Talk of the World"  the on Thursday, an international call-in special hosted by
NPR’s Neal Conan that will be streamed live at www.NPR.org, with a panel of opinion leaders who will analyze how changes at
the White House will affect U.S. relations around the world.
On television, there will be those bells and whistles.
"Election night is like the Summer Olympics and Super Bowl for network news divisions, and each is carting out eye-popping
technical toys to draw viewers," Edward C. Baig and Jon Swartz wrote
for USA Today.
On CNN, for example, instead of the split screen or window TV viewers might typically see during live remote interviews, an
Obama spokesman or spokeswoman will be projected as a three-dimensional hologram, making it appear as if he or she is in the
Manhattan studio with anchor Wolf Blitzer. The network plans to conduct similar holographic interviews with representatives
from the John McCain campaign in Phoenix, the USA Today story said.
"’The real challenge this year is new stuff that will travel easily on multiplatforms,’ says Andrew Tyndall, publisher of
TyndallReport.com, which monitors television network news. ‘Not only must this look good on TV, but on portable devices like
cellphones.’"
"There are plenty of reasons for the gimmicks: This year’s race has been intensely followed, and is expected to draw tens of
millions of voters – and viewers – on Nov. 4. Significantly more people are expected to watch Tuesday night’s results than in
2004, when about 64 million viewed election-night results on network and cable TV, according to Nielsen."
Newspapers, too, are embracing the new technology.
"The Washington Post, along with a host of syndication partners such as The Dallas Morning News, St. Louis Post-Dispatch,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Denver Post, will air six hours of live video election coverage," Abbey Klaassen reported
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=132177
Monday in Advertising Age.
Among the Post journalists of color scheduled to appear are editorial writer Jonathan Capehart, associate editor Kevin
Merida and reporter Perry Bacon, Jim Brady, who directs the Post’s Web site, told Journal-isms. All have been covering the
campaign.
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., chairman of the influential House Energy
and Commerce Committee, sent a letter Thursday to the heads of seven
networks asking each to hold off declaring a winner while voting polls
are still open. Dingell said his concern was that a premature call
"could depress voter turnout."
According
http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE49S1VO20081029?sp=true
to Reuters, "One important step taken by news organizations before the 2008 election was to upgrade the system used in exit
polls — the surveys of voters conducted just after they cast their ballots that are often used to ‘call’ a given state for a
particular candidate." Over-reliance on exit polls proved misleading in both 2000 and 2004, the story said.
"Should all signs on Tuesday point to an Obama landslide, news directors say they will have no choice but to report the
obvious.
"Still, they are sensitive to striking a balance that avoids stating election trends as foregone conclusions while people in
another part of the country are still voting."
Here is some of how each network is including journalists of color in its coverage:
-
ABC
"Good Morning America Weekend" News Anchor Ron Claiborne will be with David Wright at McCain election headquarters in
Phoenix,
according to an ABC announcement
http://www.abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=102708_01
. "Good Morning America" anchor Robin Roberts will report on reaction throughout the country;
Jim Avila will monitor voting procedures with "Ballot Watch" reports; and Pierre Thomas will be among those reporting live
from battleground states.In addition, Democratic Party activist Donna Brazile will be among the "political analysts" in Washington.
-
BET
Black Entertainment Television is showing a special, "The First Black President?: What Obama Means to America" at 8 p.m.
Eastern and Pacific time, and special coverage starting at 11. "During the day, BET News correspondents will file reports on
the latest voting information, while citing issues that will drive our community to the polls,
" according to a BET announcement
http://www.bet.com/News/Decision08/beheard_news_electiondaycoverage.htm
."They will also report on problems arising at polling booths and the recourse that can be taken." On the Web site, "BET.com
will provide live updates and analysis of the latest voting information. We’ll be hitting the streets giving you real time
updates from the polls. From 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. (ET/ PT), we’ll be streaming live BET News’ Special Election ’08 coverage.
You(th) Vote bloggers will be talking to people on the street." -
CBS
In New York will be Byron Pitts, national correspondent and New York Times columnist Bob Herbert and Cynthia Tucker,
editorial page editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as "Campaign ’08 panelists."CBS News Anchor Russ Mitchell plans to be in Atlanta at Ebenezer Baptist Church, correspondent
Bill Whitaker at Ohio State University in Columbus, and Priya David plans to be at Howard University in Washington. -
CNN
Soledad O’Brien joins Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper as coverage begins at 6 p.m. O’Brien and Bill
Schneider will showcase exit-polling data simultaneously from all 50 states. Analysts will include Donna Brazile, Alex
Castellanos, Amy Holmes, Roland Martin, Leslie Sanchez and Tara Wall. Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux will be with Candy
Crowley and Jessica Yellin throughout the evening at Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters in Chicago.Naamua Delaney joins Reggie Aqui on CNN.com. They are anchoring from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Eastern time.
In addition, "Viewers from around the world also will also have the opportunity to follow the U.S. presidential election as
CNN International simulcasts many hours of CNN’s non-stop coverage. The network has teams in place in more than 32 countries
with correspondents in Obama’s ancestral home town in Kenya as well as in Iraq, Israel and key capitals of Europe, Asia and
Latin America. CNN Espa?±ol also will provide rolling coverage of America Votes 2008. In addition, CNN-branded global networks
and digital services such as CNN IBN in India, CNN Turk in Turkey, CNN+ in Spain and CNNArabic.com, CNN’s Arabic language Web
site will provide on-going coverage of ‘Election Night in America,’" the network said
http://www.allthingscnn.com/2008/10/cnn-election-night-coverage-plans.html
. -
Fox News Channel
Panelist Juan Williams of National Public Radio will be part of the evening coverage. Correspondent Wendell Goler is among
those reporting from battleground states, according to a Fox announcement
http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/fnc/fox_news_announces_election_night_plans_98984.asp#more
. -
NBC
On NBC, "Today’s" Ann Curry will provide live coverage of exit polls across the country. Correspondent Ron Allen will be at
Obama-Biden headquarters in Chicago. "Rehema Ellis will lead NBC’s ‘Making Your Vote Count’ coverage, which is already
underway, monitoring reports of any voting problems or issues throughout Election Day," an announcement said
http://mail.google.com/mail/#search/NBC/11d64ead5411b70f
.On MSNBC, Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson will be part of the pundit panel, and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr., and
the Rev. T.D. Jakes will provide analysis. Lester Holt will report on key Senate, House and gubernatorial races around the
countryOn CNBC, "Your Money, Your Vote: Decision 2008," will be anchored by Dylan Ratigan and Maria Bartiromo from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
and Carl Quintanilla and Michelle Caruso-Cabrera from 9 p.m. to midnight."Telemundo will broadcast the most complete news coverage in Spanish with a special emphasis on issues related to the
Hispanic community. Starting in the morning with "Lev?°ntate" (7am/6CT) and throughout "Al Rojo Vivo con Maria Celeste"
(5pm/4CT) and ‘Noticiero Telemundo’ (6:30pm/5:30CT), the network will offer continuous coverage, including live updates every
hour after 10am/9c. At 7pm/6c, Telemundo will air ‘Decisi??n 2008,’ a news special hosted by Pedro Sevcec and Mar??a Celeste
Arrar?°s, featuring exit polls and up-to-the-minute results." -
PBS
The "NewsHour With Jim Lehrer’s" coverage begins at 9 p.m. and continues until midnight (ET) or until a winner of the
presidential race is announced. Ray Suarez reports live from John McCain’s election night headquarters in Phoenix, Arisz.
Gwen Ifill speaks with political analysts Amy Walter and Stuart Rothenberg; Kwame Holman offers an overview of election day
across the country via video from polling places submitted as part of ‘Video Your Vote,’ a PBS/YouTube citizen journalism
partnership." Peniel Joseph, professor history and African-American studies at Brandeis University, is one of the panelists. -
TV One
As reported
http://mije.org/richardprince/black-networks-plan-election-coverage
last month, TV One said it would offer "comprehensive coverage" of the presidential election returns on Nov. 4 beginning at 7
p.m. Eastern time, anchored by team members from its Democratic convention coverage in August. Present on election night are
to be Arthur Fennell, host and managing editor of "Art Fennell Reports" on CN8, the Comcast Network; Joe Madison, XM
Satellite and WOL-AM radio talk show host; and Jacque Reid, news correspondent on radio’s syndicated "Tom Joyner Morning
Show." The network said it plans live coverage from seven different locations, including Obama and McCain election night
headquarters. -
Univision
"The dominant Spanish-language network will have its most extensive election coverage ever, beginning at 7 p.m. Jorge Ramos
and Mar??a Elena Salinas will anchor the coverage, which will focus not only on the presidential election but also on several
state-level ballot initiatives that affect Hispanics. Univision also has an interactive element for the first time, hosting
online chats at Univision.com and offering mobile updates through Univision Mov??l," according to Toni Fitzgerald, writing
http://www.medialifemagazine.com/artman2/publish/Television_44/You_got_it_Blanket_election_coverage.asp
in Media Life Magazine.Univision will kick off its election coverage during its Despierta Am?©rica morning show, and will be providing hourly updates
throughout the day. The network’s primetime coverage will begin at 7 p.m., and will be anchored by Jorge Ramos and Mar??a
Elena Salinas in the network’s new election center. Univision has aggressively encouraged viewers to register, and some-Ramos
included-believe the Hispanic vote could swing the presidential election.
In addition, "TV news organizations from around the globe will be covering the Obama-McCain showdown on Nov. 4 in ways they’ve never done before," as Richard Huff reported
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/10/29/2008-10-29_international_news_networks_pull_out_all-1.html
in the New York Daily News.
"For one night, television will turn this historic vote, which will set the tone for the country and the world for at least the next four years, into an international spectacle perhaps only rivaled by the turn of the millennium."
"The BBC and BBC America, for example, will be broadcasting to more than 200 countries – and calling on former ABC News fixture Ted Koppel to help guide the coverage.
"Offering an Arab perspective, Al Jazeera English will reach more than 50 million viewers with a 12-hour broadcast from Washington, D.C., with reporters stationed in several U.S. cities and more than a dozen countries. Even TV5Monde USA, a French pay-cable channel, will offer seven hours of live coverage from Manhattan."
