Boston Bombings: How the Networks Are Covering the Tragedy
With the annual Boston Marathon ending in chaos when two bombs exploded at the finish line (with a third exploding at the JFK library), broadcast and cable networks are dispatching their most talented reporters to the scene.
At the time of this post, there were two dead and more than 100 injuries reported by local news agencies. Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith, anchor of "Fox Report" and "Studio B," was one of the first reporters on the scene.
"This is how the beginning of every scene happens. What we can hope is well… my goodness. An unthinkable scene," Smith reported. "It is quickly becoming clear that we're in the middle of a disaster in that city. At least one explosion has happened, possibly two. We know that dozens are injured."
On his way in to cover for CNN, Anderson Cooper tweeted an "Apparent ground stop for incoming flights to Boston. At least for shuttle flights from NY" on Twitter.
Also read: Watch live stream coverage of Boston Bombings
New York Times reporter Brian Stelter noted that NBC, ABC and CBS have extended their news programs to an hour on Monday night, something it last did for the Newtown massacre last December and the presidential inauguration in Jan.
Here's how the broadcast and cable news channels are covering the explosions.
ABC
Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos are currently anchoring an ABC News special report to the ABC Television Network. ABC News producer Kendall Heath, who was on the scene at the marathon, is talking to Sawyer and Stephanopoulos on the phone. Sawyer and Stephanopoulos also are talking to eyewitnesses on the phone, who are describing the scene for viewers.
ABC News will air a special one-hour edition of "World News with Diane Sawyer" on Monday to cover the explosion at the Boston Marathon. Sawyer will anchor from ABC News Headquarters with reports from the team of reporters that has been covering this developing story all afternoon.
Terry Moran will anchor "Nightline" from Boston on Monday. The program will be dedicated to covering the latest developments.
"Good Morning America" will have special coverage on Tuesday morning with George Stephanopoulos and Josh Elliott reporting from Boston.
ABC News Radio is providing radio affiliates with a one-hour special on Monday at 7:06 p.m. ET.
ABC News is covering the breaking news across all platforms:
-- ABCNews.com has live updates here: http://abcn.ws/11ikV1p.
-- ABC News Radio Correspondent Aaron Katersky will be reporting from Boston.
-- ABC NewsOne Correspondents Marci Gonzalez and Tahman Bradley will report from Boston for more than 200 ABC affiliates, stations and clients.
CBS
-- Scott Pelley will anchor an extended, hour-long broadcast of the CBS Evening News from New York live on Monday from 6:30-7:30 p.m. ET to provide coverage of the events at the Boston Marathon.
CNN
-- Chris Cuomo and Anderson Cooper will be reporting from Boston.
-- The following coverage is all live:
7 p.m. ET Erin Burnett
8 p.m. ET Anderson Cooper
9 p.m. ET Piers Morgan with Chris Cuomo
10 p.m. ET Anderson Cooper
11 p.m. ET Burnett and Cuomo
12 a.m. ET Piers Morgan
Fox News Channel
-- Shepard Smith was on the scene in the 3 p.m./ET hour. Additional contributions came from: FNC's Molly Line in Boston and FNC's Jonathan Hunt in New York.
-- "The Five" will be preempted for live news coverage out of Boston with anchor Smith at 5 p.m. ET. FNC Senior producer Jay Soroko, who ran the Boston Marathon, called into the 5 p.m. hour to update viewers on what he saw/heard.
-- All primetime will be live, including "The O'Reilly Factor."
-- "On the Record With Van Sustren" will be live on Monday in Boston for a two-hour show beginning at 10 p.m. ET.
-- Smith will be live at midnight for an hour-long program.
-- Tuesday: FNC's Bill Hemmer will be anchor live from Boston for "America's Newsroom" from 9 a.m-11a.m. ET.
-- Tuesday: "FOX & Friends First" will be preempted at 5 a.m. ET for an additional LIVE hour of "Fox & Friends" co-hosted by Steve Doocy, Brian Kilmeade and Megyn Kelly.
NBC
-- Monday
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. ET: Brian Williams will anchor a special one-hour edition of "NBC Nightly News," featuring live reports from Boston. A simulcast of the broadcast will be available on NBCNews.com.
10 p.m. ET: Anchored by Brian Williams, an NBC News hour-long primetime special with reports from Matt Lauer, Lester Holt, Ron Allen, Pete Williams, Katy Tur and others.
-- Tuesday
7 a.m. – 11 a.m. ET: On "TODAY," Matt Lauer will anchor live from Boston, Lester Holt will be on the ground; Savannah Guthrie will anchor from New York.
MSNBC
Monday:
-- Cable channel's primetime team to lead breaking news coverage on the network throughout the evening.
-- 9 p.m. ET: Rachel Maddow will host a special edition of "The Rachel Maddow Show" live from Boston.
Tuesday:
-- On "Morning Joe" from 6-9 a.m. ET, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski will be live from Boston.
-- Chris Jansing will be live from Boston, reporting throughout the day.
Related Articles:
President Obama on Boston Bombings: Perpetrators Will 'Feel the Full Weight of Justice'
Boston Marathon Explosions: Live Stream Coverage (Updated)
'Dark Knight' Shooting: LAPD, Sheriff's Department Boosting Security After Colorado Tragedy
