Inauguration Frenzy Covers All Screens January 21, 2009
Posted by Mark Blei in : Uncategorized , trackbackFor the media, the event blended the Rose Parade, the Olympics and a military maneuver.
NEW YORK For the media, Inauguration Day was a cross between the Rose Parade, the Olympics and a military maneuver: Think saturation coverage, technological innovation, reams of color and commentary, a tone as momentous as the occasion chronicled — and what could be near-record ratings in the U.S. and around the world.
Tuesday dawned with the images of a National Mall that filled rapidly in advance of Barack Obama’s swearing-in at noon, swelling to more than 2 million. That made it one of the biggest U.S. crowds ever, a fact reiterated by virtually every pundit.
By the time the sun set, the broadcast and cable networks had chronicled — with barely any commercials — not just the inauguration ceremony but almost every moment save for a private prayer service and a few minutes of the Capitol Hill luncheon.
The events themselves and the TV coverage went off mostly without a hitch, even if the timing was hopelessly thrown off schedule late in the morning and never really recovered. NBC stayed on the air until 5 p.m. before taking a local break; CBS and ABC carried on as the parade began much later than expected. The cable nets continued through the night.
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