CableNewser: CNN, FOX, MSNBC, and why they matter

Reagan: Snippets From The Critics
> Weekly Standard: "Cable news channels lapsed into what is fast becoming their natural condition--a kind of frenetic pseudo-activity, furious and empty busy-ness, in which the amount of airtime the producers have to fill is unimaginably greater than the amount of information they have to fill it with. After the sixtieth or seventieth replay of Ronald Reagan at the Berlin Wall, I found myself thinking, heretically, 'Aw, tear it down yourself, already.'"
> Daily Journal commentary: "It's as if J.F.K. Jr. crashed his plane into the Columbia shuttle while Princess Diana was on board with Bob Hope. Overkill is not a strong enough word to describe this week's media coverage."
> New York Times: "The decision by the broadcast networks to devote so much time to live coverage even though cable news was doing the same stands in contrast to plans for political convention coverage this summer." 9:29:50 AM

Reagan: Media "Failed" In 80's, Bernard Shaw Says
Quoting Bernard Shaw during CNN's funeral coverage on Friday:

SHAW: Can I say something that touches on a very sensitive issue?
BLITZER: Of course.
SHAW: The news media and how we failed to thoroughly cover and communicate the very essences we're talking about possessed by Ronald Reagan. What I've been reading and what I've been hearing I did not get during his two terms in office, or did I miss something?
BLITZER: I think you're on to something, Bernie.
SHAW: I think we failed our viewers, listeners, and readers to an appreciable extent. I can't quantify it, but I'll put it there. Because I certainly missed a lot.

Judy Woodruff agreed, as well: "I do think there is new material coming out now about Ronald Reagan. You know, with the distance of years, we have the ability to go back and talk to people, to read, to get information, that we sometimes don't get in the hurly burly." Here's the full transcript... 9:29:24 AM

Reagan: Shales Calls CNN's Coverage A 'Reunion'
Quoting Tom Shales in the Washington Post: "The theme for CNN's coverage might have been 'the gang's all here,' as the occasion became a kind of reunion for CNN staff members of now and then. In the afternoon, alumnus Bernard Shaw, famous for his meritorious service during the first Gulf War, was interviewed by CNN anchors as if he were a visiting potentate." 9:28:36 AM

Reagan: "It Was A Largely Watched Event," Bohrman Says
The New York Times leads with quotes about the ratings for Reagan coverage. MSNBC VP Phil Griffin says "the ratings were up and down. The live events were highly viewed, but the prime-time talk shows discussing Reagan didn't pop for anybody." David Bohrman, who produced the coverage for CNN, said it was "not a massively watched event...It was a largely watched event." 9:28:23 AM

Reagan: "Crowds Surrounding The Televisions" During Funeral
An e-mailer notices the same thing I did today, at a different airport: "I just got back from a trip and you should have seen the crowds surrounding the televisions at Dulles airport watching FOX News. I stayed almost an hour after I landed just to watch President Reagan's funeral. Brit Hume did a wonderful job; not a lot of commentary and he allowed the images to tell the story. When he did talk, he was brief and respectful to his audience and the event." Dozens of folks at Reagan National were silent as they peered up at TVs... 10:08:01 PM

Reagan: Talking Heads Talking Too Much
"Chris Matthews needs to learn how to shut the hell up," an e-mailer exclaims today. "He doesn't have to describe over and over again who is at the damn funeral. He would make a very good radio announcer since they have to describe everything for us...but I can see the TV and don't need him to talk. I got sick of him after a while. FOX News had long periods of silence. Chris Matthews would say "let's listen to the music," but then a minute later he'd start talking again. Very disappointing and annoying at the same time. They would also leave his MIC open, so you could hear him mumbling things in the background before they would finally kill his MIC... it was VERY annoying."
> The e-mailer writes in again to note that Matthews has improved... 10:07:09 PM

Reagan: Major Garrett's Visit To The Rotunda
Quoting FOX News correspondent Major Garrett: "[Journalists] look from the outside in, discerning fragile, fleeting truths from interviews and observations as the scene passes by. On very rare occasions a reporter can report from the inside out, reporting not for the moment, but for posterity. My own posterity. I did so for six hours Thursday evening and Friday morning as I stood on line with tens of thousands of others awaiting the chance to pay our respects to former President Reagan." Here is the full report... 9:48:58 PM

Reagan: David Bauder's Summary Of The Day
The AP recaps funeral coverage: "The cable news networks all turned off their insistent news tickers for the funeral," David Bauder notes. Also: "Several commentators made note of the light rain that fell in Washington, and couldn't resist using it as a metaphor." 9:47:23 PM

Reagan: A Farewell: Quotes From Viewers
> Jerry writes in to ask: "Why is FOX the only network to have the crawl 'President Ronald Reagan' while the other 3 cablers have only 'Ronald Reagan' without the title? Isn't 'President' proper since it was his last title in Public Office?"
> TVHeads: This "has now boiled down to a who can 'outreagan' everyone else contest."
> Wonkette calls Lester Holt and Chris Matthews the "Joan and Melissa Rivers of Reagan coverage"
> "CNBC has had some interesting moments today," an e-mailer says. "Sue Herera & Ron Insana, Ted David & Michelle Caruso Carrera have had a business approach to Reagan and it has been interesting."
> From an e-mailer: "CNN's Reagan graphics were by far the best of all of the cablers. Fox's seemed amateurish and managed to steal some dignity from the situation--while CNN's added a perfect tone of respect and gradeur."
> Rantingprofs explained why she watched coverage on MSNBC: "Rarely do I "nest" with a cable net when the broadcast networks are covering a national story, but with a ritual event there are times when what really is called for is . . . silence. And the broadcaster's just pay, ironically, lip service to that idea, but they're utterly incapable of executing it.
> Frank at LostRemote: "Live coverage of the Reagan funeral isn't sports play by play -- why can't these anchors just shut up?" 3:58:16 PM

Reagan: A Farewell: Notes From The Coverage
> Bernard Shaw appeared on CNN around 1:30pm. Wolf Blitzer interviewed him
> Mark writes in to note that FOX was commercial-free until 3pm.
> Greta describes the scene on Capitol Hill last night
> CNN.com's home page looks great (around 3;45pm ET). They have a special layout, with a graphic stripped across the top of the site, and a list of video highlights right underneath the main story. MSNBC.com and FOXNews.com treat the day like any other.
> "It's events like these for where C-SPAN was created," a e-mailer says... 3:57:52 PM

Reagan: A Farewell: Documentaries on MSNBC & FOX This Weekend
Reagan remembrances will be taped this weekend, with a number of documentaries slated to air. MSNBC has a long list of documentaries. "In Memory: A Day with President Reagan" airs at 11pm, "The Great Communicator: Ronald Reagan in His Own Words" airs at midnight, "Time and Again: Reagan-American" airs at 4am, "Headliners & Legends: Ronald Reagan" airs at 5am, and "Love Story: The Reagan Letters" airs at 6am. The shows will repeat throughout the weekend. FOX will air "The Real Reagan" at 11pm, and "Tear Down This Wall" at midnight. Both specials are hosted by Tony Snow. No word on any specials planned by CNN... 3:56:06 PM

Reagan: A Farewell: This Evening's Coverage Plans
> FOX: Chris Wallace will host coverage from 7:30 to 11pm
> MSNBC: Chris Matthews will host Hardball at 7, then host special coverage from 8 to 11pm.
> CNN: Wolf Blitzer will anchor from 7:30 to 9pm, then Larry King will take over from 9 to 10:30. Aaron Brown anchors from 10:30 to midnight. 3:55:14 PM

Reagan: Dispatch From Reagan National Airport
Travelers have gathered around televisions outside restaurants and stores to watch CNN's live coverage of the memorial service. (Why does the 'live' bug look so cheap, though?) Many people stopped in their tracks and watched coverage as the casket left the Capitol. Some travelers stood inside the CNBC News retail outlet to watch coverage on the big-screen TV. Ron Insana called the day "appropriately gray"... 10:56:06 AM

I am traveling to Indianapolis for a journalism conference this weekend. I will be flying out of Reagan National during the funeral, so e-mail or use the form above to send your thoughts on the coverage. 7:35:35 AM

Reagan: Coverage Is Special, And Rightly So, Scarborough Says
In an e-mail to CableNewser, MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough says he doesn't think the Reagan coverage is overkill: "While some in the media have been complaining about the extent to which cable news outlets have been covering Ronald Reagan's farewell this week, I think the coverage matches the public's interest in the story. We will see a far different story covered when Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford pass away. While both were considered good men and faithful public servants, neither provoked the kind of emotions that the 40th President did. Reagan's record on the Soviets, the economy, and the cultural counterrevolution simply makes him the second most influential president of the 20th Century. Spending a few days reviewing his public and private life seems a better use of time than doing more stories on Michael Jackson or Britney Spears." 7:35:24 AM

Reagan: Media Notes: Web Traffic Up; CNN's Silence
> CNN.com and MSNBC.com saw "triple-digit percentage gains from workplace computers in the week ending Sunday, the day after Reagan died, compared with the week before, according to Nielsen//NetRatings." (Reuters)
> "The week has been one of those rare instances when TV fulfills its primary mission: To take us places we are unable to go ourselves and thereby allow us all to witness history in the making," the NYPost concludes today.
> CNN DC chief David Borman tells the Wash Times: "The procession was a genuine piece of American history. We clearly wanted our viewers to watch these moments unfold and experience them without commentary. We had quiet stretches for 20 minutes and probably broke every rule of cable news." Was he watching the same CNN I was?... 7:33:44 AM

Reagan: Extensive Coverage From 9am To 3pm Today
Today the cable nets will go wall-to-wall Reagan for the last day. Brit Hume will anchor FOX coverage from 10am to 3pm. Wolf Blitzer wil anchor CNN coverage from 10am to 3pm. Chris Matthews and Lester Holt will anchor on MSNBC from 9am to 3pm. All three cablers will stream the service on their respective web sites... 7:32:14 AM

Reagan: "The quickest beginning of critical analysis in history"
"What you're seeing is the quickest shift in media coverage and general tone in the death of a popular president I've ever seen," Keith Olbermann tells the Saint Petersburg Times. "(It's) the quickest beginning of critical analysis in history." More:"The mourning period for presidents like Roosevelt and Kennedy was much longer...It was decades. (Because) today's news cycle is so accelerated...it feels like he's been dead all this time and we've barely talked about (his drawbacks)." 7:31:01 AM

Reagan: Wolf Says Viewers E-Mails Are Split On Coverage
The Dallas Morning News quotes Greta and Wolf on the subject of Reagan coverage:
> "I think we all lay down our swords," Greta says. "And I hope that when Democrats die, we do the same thing. Let's respect them and give them a free pass for a couple of days."
> Quoting columnist Ed Bark: "CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer said the network's viewer e-mails are split this week. Some viewers can't get enough of the constant Reagan coverage while others have had their fill."
> "My attitude is that this is the first state funeral in more than 30 years," Wolf said. "It's history unfolding. It's the closest thing we have to a royal sort of funeral. So I don't have a problem bringing people all that tradition and history." 12:04:39 AM

The Billboard Wars: Photos of the New Signs
An anonymous New Yorker sends in some photos of the new FOX billboard above CNN's on Sixth Avenue:

More pics: Full-size | The Streetscape | Banner close-up 8:10:19 PM

Media Notes: Where Was Jim Angle?; Murdoch's Not A Slowpoke
> From an e-mailer: "During the G-8 conference, Bush called on Jim Angle after CNN's John King, and he wasn't there, so he moved on."
> Ha: "MSNBC teased President Bush about to speak at the G-8 Summit. "President Bush is about speak at that podium in about a minute we're told," said anchor Sam Shane. So what does MSNBC do? They go to commercial. Bush walks to the podium not ten seconds later. MSNBC in commercial. FNC & CNN were live with it."
> This will get the media bias watchers chirping: News Corp head Rupert Murdoch was among the guests at a reception with top Reagan administration officials. "I didn't know Rupert Murdoch could run so fast," Vanity Fair writer Bob Colacello told the NYTimes...
> DU wonders: Why does Dennis Miller still have a show? 8:01:38 PM

Reagan: Funeral Ratings: FOX Doubles CNN, Quadruples MSNBC
Between 4:45 and 8:15pm Wednesday night, FOX averaged 3,387,000 viewers, while CNN had 1,650,000 and MSNBC had 649,000. During the coverage of the Reagan state funeral, the ratings averages were: FOX: 2.9; CNN: 1.5; MSNBC: 0.6. Although FOX abruptly shifted to O'Reilly around 8:20pm, the network still beat CNN and MSNBC combined until 9pm. 5:53:03 PM

How To Beat Shep? Matthews Doesn't Know
I missed this tidbit amid all the Reagan stories: Newsweek has an interview with Chris Matthews this week. He is asked "how do you get Shepard Smith's weekday numbers on FOX?" The Hardball host's reply: "I don't know. I'm a skeptic. I don't think anybody would say anything I've ever done is predictable or partisan. People like the fact that, when they turn me on, I would be watching. Heh!" ...Shouldn't the magazine have pointed out that their parent company is affiliated with MSNBC? 2:24:49 PM

Quote of the day
From the News Dissector Web Log: "Thank you CNN for adding "culture" to the subjects you cover regularly on your 6 AM newscast. Usually, "culture" translates as a pop celebrity feature and your story this morning did not disappoint. Along with the fawning faces of Reagan lovers standing in the rotunda and news of how the G-8 is concerned about the plight of Africans, and how the Iraqi Police are freeing Najaf from the bad guys without US support...and then we had a tribute to the 75th birthday of none other than Donald Duck. 2:22:43 PM

Reagan: Liberals Complain About Lack of Critical Coverage
"As the media spend the week memorializing Ronald Reagan, journalists are redefining the former president's life and accomplishments with a stream of hagiographies that frequently skew the facts and gloss over scandal and criticism," FAIR states in a report dated June 9. They say that "television news has displayed an even more pronounced reliance on Reagan's Republican admirers" [than newspapers], and that "even when potentially critical voices were included, the tendency was to soften any disagreements over Reagan's policy." More...
> David Corn on The Nation.com: "Doesn't the current Reaganmania in the media undercut the old conservative bromide that the media is a dishonest bastion filled to the brim with liberals seeking to undermine Republicans?" 2:21:14 PM

Reagan: "There are hundreds of great stories"
Ed has a suggestion for the cable nets: "Having walked down by the Capitol last night and having talked to people waiting in line, there are hundreds of great stories that should be told. If any of the cablers are looking to run live programming through the night, they should station a reporter along the waiting line and just talk to these people... the pizza delivery men selling pizzas to mourners; the sleazy t-shirt vendors with Reagan's image for sale; the kindess of strangers who help pass out water and search for kids who've run away from parents; the real sense that people miss such an iconic good guy and completely understand the historical importance of the event... It would make for great television." 1:50:46 PM

CNN Searching For Executive To Overhaul Primetime Schedule
CNN is expected to appoint an executive to overhaul the network's primetime lineup soon, the New York Post reports today. Former network producers Jonathan Wald ('Today') and David Doss ('Primetime Live') have been mentioned, and there's talk that Headline News E.P. Joel Cheatwood could also fill the role. "With the increase in permanence of high-profile programming originating in New York, we wanted a senior executive based in our Manhattan facility to focus on our New York-based evening shows," a CNN spokesperson says. Is this good or bad news for CNN?... 8:43:40 AM

The Billboard Wars Continue
First Atlanta, now New York. Quoting the Daily News: "Fox News is topping CNN - literally. The cable news network that revels in taunting its rival has just put up a big sign proclaiming its No. 1 status smack on top of a CNN billboard at the corner of 47th St. and Sixth Ave." The story doesn't even bother to mention what the signs say... 8:43:19 AM

Reagan: Summarizing Some of the Critic's Columns
> Alessandra Stanley in the NYT: "The moving, televised tableau was green-lighted by the most powerful production company in the world, the United States Government. And the six-day tribute is being distributed, live and nonstop, by American broadcast networks and 24-hour cable news programs."
> "The all-news channels will continue to cover the Reagan death today as if news was actually breaking," Tim Cuprisin writes in Thursday's Journal-Sentinel.
> Dusty Saunders in the Rocky Mountain News: "Whenever there's wall-to-wall coverage of a nonviolent event, I get numerous viewer protests...We're in a 'Can you top this?' era. 8:41:21 AM

Reagan: MSNBC "Constantly Improving," Wolf "Emotionless" --Shales
Tom Shales complains about all three cablers in the Post: "CNN's emotionless and expressionless Wolf Blitzer tripped over his tongue on at least one occasion as he tried to describe what was happening for viewers at home. On the constantly improving MSNBC, Chris Matthews at one point welcomed viewers to Reagan's State of the Union address, then quickly retraced his steps...The pro-Bush Fox News Channel seemed to be playing the pomp and pageantry fairly straight, without trying to inject political subtext -- although time was found for a gushy report on President Bush's meeting with the president of Iraq and how swimmingly the war was going." 8:40:03 AM

Reagan: No Major Ratings Gains For The Cablers This Week
"Mr. Reagan's death has so far been far less of a draw on cable than was the capture of Saddam Hussein in December," Jacques Steinberg concludes in the New York Times' Thursday editions. Saturday through Tuesday, FOX's ratings are 11% higher than the year-ago average, will CNN's are up 12% by the same measurement... 11:10:23 PM

Reagan: 360 At 11pm; Scarborough Live Until 2am
At the 11pm hour, a day of live Reagan coverage started to wrap up. Anderson Cooper is hosting a live edition of 360 from D.C. (Is CNN testing the waters for a schedule shift?) MSNBC aired a Reagan-themed Headliners & Legends at 11pm. Joe Scarborough will be back live on Capitol Hill from midnight to 2am ET. FOX is in re-runs... 11:08:30 PM

Reagan: FOX Cuts Ceremony Coverage, Airs O'Reilly Factor
As soon as the ceremony ended, FOX cut to Bill. E-mailer "DylanFan" writes in at 8:30pm: "SHAME on Fox News -- the other nets are airing the ceremony, and what is Fox doing? Pandering to O'Reilly's enormous ego. Fox should be ashamed of itself for airing the Factor right now. Proving once and for all there is no limit to this channel's lack of class." FOX took a commercial break by 8:17pm. (The channel had originally planned to push back all the primetime shows by one hour.) A sampling of comments from FR: "FoxNews ought to be ashamed"..."My gosh, Fox News has let me down tonight! I'm watching CNN!"..."This is unforgiveable! If you want to know how it is done, try MSNBC." 9:35:32 PM

Reagan: Camera Is Mightier Than The Voice
The camera is mightier than the voice today. Nothing the anchors could say matched the images of President Reagan's final farewell.
But they certainly tried! "It is just so quiet," Molly Henneberg reported from Constitution Ave. But this wasn't evident on TV: None of the cablers could resist talking as the caisson headed toward the rotunda. At one point, I yelled at the TV: "Wolf, shut up!" MSNBC relied on reports from the crowd the most.
FOX was the most respectful channel. (These folks agree.) But they weren't perfect, either. "Please, no more commentary," a FReeper wrote. "No more chyrons (except your FOXNEWS bug). Please show some decency."
The camera shots along the route were interesting. MSNBC's shot of ordinary citizens waving small flags as the hearse passed was particularly compelling. Today it is the videographers, not the correspondents, who dominate television sets across the nation.

7:05:39 PM

Reagan: Coverage Notes: CNBC Wakes Up; "Horseless Rider?"
> CNBC seemed to continue its regular programming as if nothing was happening until 6:30pm. (A special edition of Capital Report began at 7pm.)
> Lester Holt said the image of Kennedy's funeral was probably his "very first memory of a world event."
> Was I the only person that heard one of the FOX folks reference a "horseless rider?"
> CNN International simulcasted Wolf and Paula's coverage beginning at 6pm. (CNNFan) 7:03:39 PM

Reagan: Coverage Notes: Route Reporters; Natalie's Outfit Change
> The cablers were well-represented along Constitution Ave. CNN tossed to live reports from Bob Franken, Jeanne Meserve and Anderson Cooper standing in the crowd. MSNBC had Amy Robach, Natalie Allen and Natalie Morales reporting live from the crowd. "Where are all the FOX news folks?," an e-mailer asks. "Brit Hume just seems to be talking to himself." FOX had James Rosen and Brian Wilson outside the Capitol, and Molly Henneberg along the route.
> FOX had the audacity to talk to Jim Angle about Bush's comments on Iraq as the hearse headed toward downtown.
> CNN borrowed several camera shots from the local ABC affiliate.
> FOX had a 3D diagram of where dignitaries will be sitting inside the Rotunda.
> From an e-mailer: "Couldn't help but notice Natalie Allen in two different outfits today. The newsroom noticed this morning she was dressed more for a 4th of July celebration and not the arrival of the former President's body. One can't help but wonder if Kaplan told her to change her clothes!" 5:59:09 PM

Reagan: Coverage Notes, Round One
> Major Garrett: "In an era of instant communication...I think what will strike viewers of a [younger generation the most] will be the solemnity, the military precision, and probably most of all, the silence. The moment this hearse arrives, there will be no sound whatsoever. The only sound they will hear...is the clip-clop of those horses."
> Chris Matthews talked to former NBC correspondent John Palmer. Wolf and Paula chatted with "CNN analyst" (former bureau chief) Frank Sesno.
> FOX and MSNBC showed satellite maps of the downtown route.
> "Feel free to take your jacket off, at least in between live shots," Brit Hume told Brian Wilson. Anchors seemed to reference today's terrible heat whenever they ran out of things to say... 5:41:27 PM

Reagan: Cablers' Screens Un-Cluttered During Ceremonies
FOX was wise enough to strip the LIVE bug and the "Farewell to President Reagan" header where the ticker usually resides -- but when they added text to the screen, it looked terrible. CNN's were perfect -- "The State Funeral of Ronald Reagan," they said, over an orange background and without a ticker. MSNBC stuck with the "Farewell" in the lower-left. 5:13:52 PM

Many Reporters Among Evacuees During Capitol Scare
At 4:35pm, CNN was the first channel to report on the Capitol evacuation scare. Anderson Cooper was live outside the west front of the Capitol building when police officers started pushing him back. The camera fell on the ground at one point. CNN was careful to note that it was probably a false alarm.
Lester Holt broke the news on MSNBC two minutes later, via cell phone, since his camera position was also evacuated. He was walking toward Union Station. Seconds later, Deborah Norville and Brian Williams were also on the phone. "I haven't seen this kind of bedlam since the pictures of 9/11," Brian said.
FOX was last with the news. Brian Wilson did a stand-up near the Capitol. "I have never seen so many police come out of thin air," he said. 5:00:43 PM

Was Hardball's #2 Success Short-Lived?
CNN Anderson Cooper 360 beat MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews again Tuesday night. 360 averaged 514,000 viewers, while Hardball averaged 346,000. (Shep had 1,187,000.) Chris Matthews pulled in only 74,000 in the 25-54 demo. "In a heavy political talk week with Reagan passing, these numbers are mind boggling," a cable news source writes to CableNewser. Hardball beat 360 in April and May... 4:19:25 PM

Media Notes: 'Warsaw Rising' Re-Airs; No Liberal Media This Week
> CNN will re-air its special 'Warsaw Rising' documentary this weekend, a P.R. says.
> Greta explains why "part 2" of her interview with O.J. Simpson was only 5 minutes long, on her blog.
> Wonkette asks: "What liberal media?" A must-laugh must-read... 3:12:49 PM

Olympics Coverage: NBC Announces Expanded Plans
NBC announced expanded Olympics coverage today that nearly triples the number of hours of coverage from Sydney. 1,210 hours will air on seven platforms (an increase from 800 hours on five platforms earlier this year). It will begin on MSNBC two days before the opening ceremony. The USA women's soccer team will play the Greek national team live on August 11. The Iraqi national soccer team will play Portugal live on August 12.
A conference call is taking place right now. Quoting Dick Ebersol: "The cable coverage is intended to reach the true fan of all of these sports, so we're trying to [give] wall-to-wall coverage of the event" without as many "features" and packages.
MSNBC will carry a total of 133.5 hours of coverage. CNBC will carry 111 hours. Here's the press release. Additional announcements are expected in the next few weeks... 12:40:24 PM

Olympics Coverage: Ratings Boosts For MSNBC, CNBC
The NBC press release points out that Olympics coverage will be a ratings boost for MSNBC and CNBC. "During the 2000 Sydney Games, the first Olympics carried on NBC's Cable Networks, MSNBC posted triple-digit increases over its normal delivery in comparable time periods (a .7 average cable rating from a .2)," it says. "During the 2000 Sydney Games, CNBC posted double-digit gains (a .5 average cable rating from a .3)." 12:39:29 PM

Reagan: Cable Ratings Up 20-30%; MSNBC Takes It Seriously
> The Tribune says that full-day ratings for the cablers have been up 20-30% since Sat.
> MSNBC seems to be the only channel taking this day seriously, so far. Lester Holt is live near the Russell Senate office building, Chris Matthews is on the Teamsters building rooftop nearby, Amy Robach is live at 16th and Constitution, and David Shuster is live at 3rd and Jefferson. No ticker! Meanwhile, A.M. has "90 second pop"...
> "This is a perfect example of what cable news is for," Aaron Brown tells the Chicago Tribune. "We are in these moments the corner square." 9:55:12 AM

Pew Study: "It's Fair To Ask Why So Many Dems. Are Watching CNN"
In the Wash Post today, FOX spokeswoman Irena Briganti makes an important point about the Pew study: "It's fair to ask why so many Democrats are watching CNN if everyone has to ask why so many conservatives are watching us." Also, view of the study: "The study confirms that while our audience continues to increase and our credibility expands, our competitors are hemorrhaging viewers and losing America's trust." 9:53:33 AM

Reagan: Aaron Brown Explains Extensive Farewell Coverage
Quoting a great NewsNight newsletter today: "Are we spending too much time on one story, Mr. Reagan? I think not for several reasons." More: "Part of the reason we exist is to be a place where you can come, not just for information, but to be a part of these major moments in our lives...In these moments, when you want to reflect on a major event, when you want to be part of the larger community sharing this moment, a common moment, we should be there. This isn't Laci or OJ. This is news and history, and while I understand why people who have TV's on all day get sick of it, most people don't have TV's on all day and don't get sick of it. It is a service, and it is the right service for us to provide." 9:49:21 PM

Reagan: "The Bookers Are Working Overtime" To Find Good Guests
How do you fill airtime with Reagan tributes without "hitting overload?" Quoting Jerry Burke, the E.P. of daytime programming for FOX: "That's why the bookers are working overtime. We don't want to have the same faces. But then again, the man lived to his 90s, so there are 10 decades of people to be chasing." He adds: "It's like throwing a rock into the pool, and the ripples spread out. As the week goes on, you start to see people from the outer rings of his life." The LA Times has more... 9:49:18 PM

Reagan: Judy Woodruff Says No Other Memorial Event Compares
Elizabeth Jensen quotes Judy Woodruff in a story summing up Reagan coverage. "I don't remember another memorial event that lasted this long, and, frankly, we're still sorting out how we're going to do it," Judy says. She asks a question and answers it at the end of the story: "What are we going to be saying by Friday? But on the other hand there are so many facets to his life." 9:49:18 PM

CNBC Fires Wrestler/Financial Analyst For Hitler Salute
CNBC fired> World Wrestling Entertainment star John "Bradshaw" Layfield today, only a month after the network hired him as a contributor. At a WWE event in Germany last weekend, Layfield "goose-stepped around the ring and raised his arm numerous times in an Adolf Hitler salute." CNBC said he was fired because they found "his behavior to be offensive, inappropriate and not befitting anyone associated" with the network. Newsday has details... 9:48:25 PM

'Common Sense:' The Connection Between Reagan And Cavuto's Book!
Neil Cavuto used a Common Sense segment commemorating Ronald Reagan today to promote his new book. Quoting the transcript: "I was kicking off a media tour around the country for my book, "More Than Money," for which I'm very excited. The crowds are big. The enthusiasm was even bigger. My uplifting message of hope in the book is clearly resonating. And then came the sad news about Ronald Reagan. The Great Communicator was gone. There’s not much uplifting there. Until I start revisiting some of the very folks I profiled in my book." He brought it up again at the end: "The Gipper wasn't in my book. He didn't have to be. He could have written it himself." (To his credit, Neil didn't promote his book during his greatest generation-themed commentaries on Friday or Monday.) 9:45:20 PM

Pew Study: Confirms The Importance Of Cable News
25% of Americans watch FOX regularly, and 22% of Americans watch CNN regularly, a new study by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press says. (Two years ago, those numbers were flip-flopped; CNN had 25%, and FOX had 22%.) 11% of those surveyed watch MSNBC regularly -- down from a peak of 15% two years ago -- and 10% can say the same for CNBC. "Cable news appears to be gaining ground on the networks," the study says. Duh! And people wonder why cable is influential... 7:01:29 PM

Pew Study: CNN Still "Most Trusted," But FOX Improves
CNN is still the most credible cable news network, the Pew study says. "CNN was voted the most trusted news organization in America," a CNN source points out. "[That is] a position CNN has held in the Pew study for a decade." CNN's credibility did slump from 2002, though -- from 37% to 32%. MSNBC's fell from 28% to 22% during the same time period. FOX's credibility rating rose 1 point to 25%. Republicans tend to believe that FOX is the most credible news org, while Democrats say CNN is, according to this chart. CNN is the only news organization to be ranked in the #1 or #2 spots for "believeability" among all ideological groups... 6:58:11 PM

Pew Study: FOX's Republican Audience Grows
In 2000, an equal number of Democrats and Republicans said they watched FOX. In 2004, 35% of Republicans say they watch FOX regularly, compared to 21% of Democrats, the AP says. The Pew study says that "political polarization is increasingly reflected in the public's news viewing habits." 72% of O'Reilly Factor viewers label themselves conservative, while 4% say they are liberal. (But only 8% of the 3,000 adults surveyed say they watch O'Reilly regularly, so is that statistic fair?) CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson "said she's proud that CNN is considered a credible source by people of all ideologies," the AP says. Robinson's take on FOX: "They grew their Republican audience. I'll let you analyze what it indicates." 6:55:47 PM

Pew Study: Many Viewers Want In-Depth Analysis
What do viewers want? It's a question that leads to head-scratching on the part of executives. The Pew study has some answers: "Four in ten Americans say that for major news stories, they usually want in-depth analysis of the news in addition to the headlines and basic facts. A similar proportion (37%) say they prefer the headlines plus some reporting on the facts, but not in-depth analysis. Far fewer people (18%) say they prefer just the headlines." So that must be why CNN Headline News can't find an audience. So will MSNBC target that 40% who want in-depth analysis? I'd bet on it... 6:50:30 PM

Pew Study: Other Interesting Tidbits From The Study
> "Among cable news viewers, 43% describe their political views as conservative, compared with 33% of regular network news viewers; 37% of cable viewers are moderate, compared to 41% of network viewers; and 14% are liberal vs. 18% of network viewers." Very interesting.
> Cable news channels have "made modest gains among 18-29 year-old viewers over the past two years."
> "The public has become more familiar with each of these cable news channels in recent years. In 2002, 21% of the public said they did not know enough about the Fox News Channel to give it a rating, compared with 14% today. Similarly, 23% were unable to rate MSNBC in 2002, and now 16% fall into that category."
> The study surveyed 3,000 adults between April 19 and May 12 6:18:05 PM

Pew Study: "Media has reaped what it has sown"
David Bauder asks Pew director Andrew Kohut to explain the partisan nature of the cable nets. "To a certain extent, the media has reaped what it has sown," Kohut said. "The emergence of the shout show as a significant piece on all of the cable networks...has made the news seem more partisan and Republicans increasingly look at the news one way and Democrats the other." It's on the AP... 6:13:35 PM

Monday Cable Ratings: A 1.0 For Aaron Brown
Drudge has cable news race ratings for Monday. On FOX, O'Reilly had 1.8, H&C; scored 1.6, Greta averaged 1.4, Shep saw 1.3, and Brit had 1.1. On CNN, Larry King rated a 1.4, Aaron Brown had 1.0, and Paula Zahn averaged 0.7. On MSNBC, Scarborough, Hardball and Countdown all averaged a 0.3. Norville and CNBC's Dennis Miller scored 0.2's. 5:12:38 PM

Media Notes: Hardball Hardly Rates; The O'Reilly Factor For Kids!
> What happened to Chris Matthews last night? His show averaged only 234,000 viewers, compared to Anderson Cooper's 593,000 and Shep's 1,435,000.
> I'm going to get hate mail for quoting Wonkette: "So glad that the nets are going wall-to-wall with the Reagan stuff for the fourth consecutive day. Otherwise we might forget that he's dead."
> Howard Kurtz on Reagan coverage: "The media seem to have made a collective decision that there is no other news."
> "The O'Reilly Factor For Kids" hits bookshelves this October (Capital Times) 3:59:54 PM

Reagan: MSNBC Announces Funeral Coverage Plans
MSNBC has announced its Reagan coverage plans for the rest of the week. Highlights:
> On Wednesday, coverage begins at 9am with Lester Holt and Chris Matthews live from Washington. Keith Olbermann, Natalie Morales, Natalie Allen and David Shuster will report from D.C. At 7pm, the funeral ceremony will be covered live. At 10pm, Joe Scarborough will be live in D.C. From 11pm to 12:30am, MSNBC will re-air the ceremony. From 12:30 to 2am, Joe will be live again, taking viewer calls and e-mails.
> On Friday, live coverage begins at 9am with Chris Matthews anchoring. Lester Holt will be at the cathedral. Chris will host again from 8:15 to 11pm, and Joe will anchor from 11 to midnight. 3:48:18 PM

Reagan: MSNBC Announces Funeral Coverage Plans
MSNBC has announced its Reagan coverage plans for the rest of the week. Highlights:
> On Wednesday, coverage begins at 9am with Lester Holt and Chris Matthews live from Washington. Keith Olbermann, Natalie Morales, Natalie Allen and David Shuster will report from D.C. At 7pm, the funeral ceremony will be covered live. At 10pm, Joe Scarborough will be live in D.C. From 11pm to 12:30am, MSNBC will re-air the ceremony. From 12:30 to 2am, Joe will be live again, taking viewer calls and e-mails.
> On Friday, live coverage begins with Chris Matthews anchoring. Lester Holt will be at the cathedral. Chris will host again from 8:15 to 11pm, and Joe will anchor from 11 to midnight. 3:47:07 PM

"All Reagan All The Time" On Cable
Excerpts from a few newspaper articles describing cable's Reagan coverage:
> NYND: "The cable news networks will be all Reagan all the time for the rest of this week."
> The Village Voice: "Cable news networks leapt at the chance to preempt their soft Saturday programming. They cued up the black-and-white bio footage, the theme music that recalled Aaron Copland (badly), the personal friends dragged out of bed to recollect. Many a hard-boiled reporter got yolky; many an expert went musing in action. You got the feeling that any new revelation about Reagan would require a seven-figure advance."
> Financial Times: "Reagan's funeral seems to be modeled on that of former president Lyndon Johnson, who died in 1973. But there is one marked difference - the existence of cable news channels, which since Saturday have provided near blanket coverage of his life and the preparations for his funeral." 3:21:16 PM

Greta Weighs In On John King's Tantrum
Greta noticed the story about John King's tantrum, and writes about a similar experience during her tenure at CNN on her FOXNews.com blog: "I said, "This is Greta, put me on the air. The Pentagon has been hit." I was told, "Right away." I waited... and waited... and waited." She was mistakenly transferred to the Sports desk. "My frustration was not about getting it 'first,' but that we were under attack in the nation's capital and getting information out to its residents fast seemed of extreme importance." 2:49:09 PM

Reagan: CNN Announces Funeral Coverage Plans
CNN has announced its Reagan coverage plans for the rest of the week.
> On Wednesday, a "CNN Special Report: State Funeral of Ronald Reagan" will air from 4:30 to 9pm. It will be anchored by Wolf Blitzer and Paula Zahn in D.C. with Judy Woodruff and Anderson Cooper reporting live from the Capitol. (This is what we call "every 'star' anchor wants a piece of the action.") A special edition of 360 will air at 11pm.
> On Friday, a special report will air from 10am to 3pm, with Blitzer and Zahn anchoring, and Woodruff reporting from the cathedral. A Crossfire "town meeting" will air from 4 to 5pm. Larry King will have live coverage of the burial service from 9 to 10:30pm.
CNN has announced its radio coverage plans, too... 2:05:43 PM

Saturday Ratings: Instant Reactions
> An anonymous cable news source: "If MSNBC can't even garner a number during a major breaking news event, they hardly have a shot at renewed vitality. The network continues to be an
embarrassment to GE -- no doubt execs at 30 Rock are scratching their heads today as Kaplan likely cowers under his desk."
> Mark: "I notice that again FNC drew more viewers in each breakdown than the other two combined, though it was close."
> Anonymous reader: "If you look at the numbers...about half of FNC's viewers were the target age...while less than a third of CNN's were the target age. This why Larry King does so well...the average CNN viewer is his age!"
> An MSN group poster: "Hell, everyone says that CNN didn't have its act together on Saturday, 15 minutes late, stumbling all over the place... And they still beat MSNBC." 11:53:55 AM

Saturday Ratings: FOX Averages 1.27 Mil, MSNBC Averages 369K
The ratings averages between 4:45pm and 12am ET on Saturday:
FOX: 1,277,000 viewers
CNN: 837,000
MSNBC: 369,000

The ratings averages in primetime on Saturday:
FOX: 1,410,000
CNN: 1,033,000
MSNBC: 349,000

The ratings averages for the 25-54 demo in primetime on Saturday:
FOX: 562,000
CNN: 290,000
MSNBC: 141,000

"For all of MSNBC's supposed 'critical acclaim' and Rick Kaplan having pep rallies in the newsroom, once again no one is watching...even the perennial .2 Headline News was nipping at their heels when the news broke," a cable news source tells CableNewser. But folks in Secaucus likely won't be too surprised. "We won't be disappointed if the audience isn't as great as hoped for," a source at MSNBC told CableNewser yesterday. "Baby steps here." No word yet on overall weekend #s... 10:51:56 AM

Cable Nets Cause "Video Wall" Feeling, Brokaw Says
Tom Brokaw "acknowledges that cable's blanket coverage of events can't help but affect the Big Three" in the Philadelphia Inquirer today. "I think just about everything is over-covered these days," he says. "The spectrum is so crowded. With all the cable networks, it begins to have a 'video wall' feeling to it." He says MSNBC and CNBC "put it out there" -- "it's your choice as to how much or how little to watch." 9:57:06 AM

Reagan: Press Corps' Reaction; John King's Tantrum
When ABC broke the news of Reagan's death, the press corps went wild. Quoting Page Six: "The reaction, according to one eyewitness, was "total chaos — people running ev erywhere, knocking into things." CNN's John King yelled into his cellphone that CNN had been beaten and was so upset he threatened to quit. King ended his tantrum by throwing his cellphone to the ground. Bad move: his meltdown was captured on tape. 9:55:18 AM

Reagan: Bauder Compares Aerial Hearse Shots To Car Chases
CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC were providing more extensive coverage" of the Reagan memorials, David Bauder writes. "Unlike the broadcasters, cable followed the hearse's entire trip live, using cameras in helicopters. The pictures looked eerily like the car chases that networks so often cover from the highways of southern California. The soundtrack to those pictures included various people talking about their Reagan memories..." 1:13:29 AM

Reagan: FOX Announces Plans For Coverage
FOX details their Reagan coverage plans in a press release:
> On Wednesday, Brit Hume will anchor coverage from D.C. from 5 to 9pm. O'Reilly, H&C; and Greta are pushed back an hour.
> On Friday, Brit Hume will anchor from 10am to 3pm for the funeral service; Chris Wallace will anchor from 7:30 to 11pm for the arrival back in CA. Two documentary re-broadcasts will follow. 12:58:58 AM

Reagan: "Can't They Widen The Search...For Guests?"
Quoting an anonymous e-mailer: "Jerry Brown was on with Matthews the other day, today he shows up on O'Reilly. Ed Meese is on Norville and Hannity & Colmes simultaneously (Norville is pre-taped). [Ed note: Meese was on Hardball Sunday.] Larry King has Dan Rather and Bob Woodward again! I love watching this coverage but can't they widen the search a little for guests?" 12:55:06 AM

Senator Nelson Joins CNN Fla. Lawsuit
I'm going to be lazy and just quote the AP: "U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson joined CNN on Monday in a lawsuit challenging a Florida statute that prevents copying a list of names of more than 47,000 potential felons set to be purged from voter rolls." 12:02:57 AM

For about an hour today, a story mistakenly stated that MSNBC had surpassed CNN in ratings on Friday. The story was retracted after the information proved false. 5:30:46 PM

Reagan: "Fox News: When Saying Nothing Isn't Enough"
Wonkette has a snippet of the closed captioning from this morning's Reagan coverage on FOX: "Sometimes a moment calls for silence. And the only response is silence. You see Nancy Reagan there, standing in silence. This is one of those times when silence is called upon. We are going to let the images speak for themselves with silence....[Silence]...[Silence]...You are watching continuing coverage here on Fox. As we bid farewell to President Ronald Reagan...a somber scene, felt in the silence." As Ana Marie puts it: "Fox News: When saying nothing isn't enough." 3:48:59 PM

Reagan: CNN Promotes Continuing Coverage, Larry King Interviews
CNN just sent out a press release detailing their "Remembering Ronald Reagan" coverage. Nothing earth-shattering; looks like Judy Woodruff and Wolf Blitzer will be leading the coverage this week. It promotes two exclusive Larry King interviews with former presidents later this week. Here is the P.R... 3:39:58 PM

Reagan: Notes From Coverage Of Today's Service
"I just finished watching the coverage of the service at the Presidential Library," a viewer writes in. "MSNBC had much better, cleaner graphics than either Fox or CNN. Both MSNBC and CNN also had the good sense to shut up--I popped over to the main networks and someone needs to shoot Dan Rather with a tranquilizer gun--he was reciting lyrics to My Country 'Tis of Thee!" Also: "Once again, CNN is the first to rush to commercial," Mark notes. He says it is good to see Anderson Cooper being used more.
> All three cablers dropped the ticker during the service. 2:51:09 PM

Media Notes: MSNBC's Lack of Lower-Thirds; CNN's Not 'At This Hour'
> MSNBC is taking a page from the D-Day playbook and keeping lower-thirds to a minimum during Reagan remembrance coverage. The lower-left graphic is perfect...
> What a metaphor: "Somebody should give Kaplan a framed color picture of Birdstone," a TVSpy poster says...
> During CNN's 'At This Hour' update at 11am, the anchor reported on the Amtrak train scare. But it wasn't happening 'at this hour.' The train was searched Sunday afternoon, more than 18 hours earlier... 11:40:16 AM

Condi on Cable: Face-To-Face Makes A Difference
Condi Rice appeared on all three cable nets this morning: FOX at 11:05, MSNBC at 11:15, and CNN at 11:30. The same topics were discussed in each conversation, but there was one important difference. FOX's interview was a remote, with the anchor posing questions from New York. MSNBC and CNN let their reporters at the G8 Summit interview Condi in person, face-to-face. (CNN had one camera angle, while MSNBC had multiple shots, so the latter looked better.) As one producer told me yesterday, in-person "makes ALL the difference." It was evident again today... 11:36:19 AM

FOX Didn't "Play By The Rules," NBC Whines
NBC beat ABC and CBS for the first interview with OJ Simpson on the 10th anniversary of his wife's murder. But they didn't beat FOX -- and that led the network's PR folks to accuse the cabler of not playing by the rules. "Fox News executives had a simple response: What rules?," New York Times reports today, in a must-read article...
> Greta appeared on Good Morning America to promote her interview with O.J. tonight. She writes about it on her blog... 11:35:06 AM

Will Reagan Coverage Will Block Out O.J. 'Anniversary'?
Quoting Cori Dauber: "Jeff Greenfield of CNN is on Imus, and just said that one last gift President Reagan gave the country was the timing of his death, because we'll now have the cable nets talking all week about real issues, like the Reagan legacy, what presidents do, etc, instead of the 10th anniversary of the OJ murders." Funny, but I think we'll still have some O.J... 11:22:21 AM

Could Ashleigh Banfield Replace Deborah Norville? (On 'Inside Edition')
Could former MSNBC'er Ashleigh Banfield replace current MSNBC'er Deborah Norville as host of Deb's syndicated show 'Inside Edition?' The TVWeek Insider's sources "believe that Ms. Banfield is not the only one to whom King World has talked. But they also believe King World execs were miffed when Ms. Norville accepted the MSNBC offer." Deb's contract with King World expires next year. The column also seeks to figure out why Deb's show can't find viewers... 11:19:24 AM

Reagan: The Coverage, During His Presidency Vs. Today
"Reagan was, quite simply, a far more controversial figure in his time than the largely gushing obits on television would suggest," Howard Kurtz concludes in the Post Monday morning. "Why was much of the coverage of Reagan so different from the way he is being revered today? Is it because many journalists were liberals appalled by his conservative philosophy? That may have been a factor, but something more fundamental is at work." More... 12:59:25 AM

Reagan: "Television Networks Put Up A Wall Of" Nostalgia
Quoting Alessandra Stanley in Monday's New York Times: "Did President George W. Bush speak on Sunday at the ceremony in Colleville-sur-Mer for the 60th anniversary of D-Day? It was hard to tell - television networks put up a wall of Ronald Reagan nostalgia so thick that even the president who claims Mr. Reagan's mantle could barely break through. It was as if the president known as the Great Communicator had reached down to his understudy and with a sly grin whispered, 'Not so fast, kid.' In death, as in life, Mr. Reagan's timing was impeccable..." 12:58:37 AM

Reagan: "Thank God" For FOX, Peggy Noonan Says
Mark writes in to note Peggy Noonan's comments on Matt Drudge's radio show tonight [paraphrasing]: "I've been watching Fox, and the other cable networks, and the thing about Fox, thank God for them, is that they seem like normal American people. They wear their opinions on their sleeve -- not the reporters, but the opinion people -- and there's something kindly and thoughtful about them." Noonan is a paid MSNBC contributor...
> Noonan says liberal journalists are going to burst (NewsMax) 12:57:20 AM

D-Day At 60: "As It Happened" Informative, Engaging

MSNBC showed D-Day "As It Happened" on Sunday night. The much-hyped show lost some of its luster due to Reagan's death, but it was an interesting "living history event" nonetheless. Quoting the intro: "Tonight, a journey back in time. From the war room to the front lines, join us on a journey to the longest day: June 6, 1944." The show was updated to include an excerpt from Reagan's D-Day speech 20 years ago at the beginning. "We will retell a piece of history every American should know," Lester said, then began the report.
The show did not have the emotion or sense of urgency that I expected, but it did include a whole lot of informative reporting. The two 'embed' reports were particularly engaging. Notably, Holt and the military expert discussed the "clickers" used by Allied forces to identify each other in the dark (1 click to challenge, 2 clicks to reply). The general said he couldn't reveal the "challenge/response" because it would harm the troops. Clever. The ticker on the bottom of the screen was also a nice touch.
"We took some liberties with style and format...but we took no liberties with the facts," Holt said after the back-in-time portion of the show. He spent most of the second hour speaking to grandchildren of Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Churchill. (It was fascinating.) The conclusion was compelling -- a replay of a prayer Roosevelt shared via radio the night of the invasion. 12:56:50 AM

Reagan: A-List Anchors on Primetime Tonight
It's Sunday, but the cablers are treating this evening as a weekday, with extensive live coverage of Reagan's passing.
> On FOX, Shep is anchoring the FOX Report. O'Reilly will be in from 8 to 9, then the previously-scheduled D-Day anniv. recap (Hosted by North and Asman) will air.
> On MSNBC, Hardball runs until 8, then the D-Day 'As It Happened' special will run. Scarborough is on from 10 to 11, then MSNBC airs D-Day repeats.
> On CNN, the typical weeknight schedule is running: Wolf, Lou, Anderson, Paula, Larry, Aaron. At 11pm, CNN's acclaimed 'Warsaw Rising' documentary will air. Their planned 'People in the News' D-Day special has been moved to 2am. 7:25:17 PM

Reagan: FOX Required Affiliates To Air FNC's Coverage
David Folkenflik notes in the Sun that "the Fox network mandated that its stations and affiliates carry coverage within minutes of Fox News Channel reporting Reagan's death at 4:48 pm." Also: "Predictably, television channels lingered on aerial shots from a traffic helicopter of Reagan's home in California." They even followed a hearse through the streets... 6:58:27 PM

D-Day At 60: MSNBC Airs Anniversary Coverage
On Sunday so far, FOX and CNN have focused on Reagan's passing, while MSNBC has concentrated on the D-Day anniversary. Tom Brokaw anchored coverage of the D-Day ceremonies on MSNBC beginning at 3:45am. I hear that MSNBC consciously planned to keep the lower-thirds to a minimum (and the ticker), and the result looked wonderful at 4am. The "D-Day At 60" logo was present, without being overpowering. It was certainly easier on the eyes than CNN or FOX's live shots. At 10:30am, MSNBC was the only cabler to carry Chirac's speech. (CNNI did, but domestic did not.) They also aired many segments from the British, French and international ceremonies around noon... 12:40:55 PM

Reagan: Praise For Keith Olbermann's Reports
Keith Olbermann's performance on MSNBC last night has received kudos from many chatters. "This was the finest I have ever seen Keith," one e-mailer said this morning. A TVSpy poster says "he was winging it the whole way through, you couldn't have asked for more." Another person says he was on par with a network anchor: "Keith's closing was a classic, 'President Reagan today slipped the surly bonds of earth to see the face of god.' "Keith just had an ease and grace about him that was without parallel last night," a TVHead-er says. 12:32:22 PM

Reagan: A Master of TV, A Manipulator of Media
"Ronald Reagan was born before television, but television was born for him," the Mercury News says Sunday. "No president before Reagan, and no president after, was ever as comfortable with, or such a master of, TV." Howard Kurtz described Reagan's relationship with the media on CNN this morning. "Reagan was probably the first modern president who really perfected what all [presidents aspire to], which is to go over the heads of the media," he said. Former WH correspondent John Palmer appeared on MSNBC. I wrote a research paper on Reagan's media relations last month; here are excerpts. 12:31:47 PM

Reagan: CNN "Couldn't Even Get Their Lines Right"
The TVSpy posters aren't afraid to express their opinion of CNN's early Reagan coverage. "Get your act together," one viewer says."We have all known that the news of Reagan could come at any moment, and CNN couldn't even get their lines right." Here's how one person describes initial coverage: "They are LAST with the news Reagan has died. Then they go to the beauty-queen anchor who stumbles her way through a lead to a Reagan obit package.... but they DON'T HAVE IT READY. She stumbles for another 30 seconds or so, the prompter glaringly absent, they finally cue it up. Weak." It seems to have improved on Sunday, though. 12:31:10 PM

Reagan: Media Notes: FOX Airs Excerpts; CNN's Graphical Confusion
> CNN aired an obit package from Frank Sesno, who left the network years ago
> FOX has been airing snippets from Reagan's most memorable speeches throughout their coverage
> MSNBC.com is inviting web surfers to "share [their] remembrance and thoughts" about Reagan. "MSNBC will be sending your messages to the Reagan family," they say
> Around 3:30am, CNN couldn't decide what they wanted to call their coverage. The graphics said "Remembering Ronald Reagan," then abruptly switched to "Ronald Reagan 1911-2004." Ten minutes later, it was back to "Remembering." Then it switched back to the dates. This morning, it seems to be "Remembering" again. 12:29:53 PM

Reagan: MSNBC "Fires On All Thrusters;" "Emmy Quality" Praised
From an e-mailer: "The coverage is Emmy quality. I think Lester Holt's knowledge of policy and politics blends nicely with Tom Brokaw's more nuanced narrative of Reagan's life -- and the intriguing parallel between the ebb and flow of Reagan's biography and Brokaw's own -- which makes for very powerful and profound discussion. This is the sort of conversation that I would have expected from PBS, and I'm glad that MSNBC has found its voice -- one that blends its modernistic feel with the historical wealth that is embodied in the institution of NBC News -- and that it has effectively conveyed it this afternoon. Again, marvelous reporting."
Quoting a TVHeads post: "Kudos to MSNBC for continued excellence in the coverage of Pres. Reagan's passing. Coverage has been top-notch, tasteful, compelling and thorough. Glad to see all the big-guns of NBC participating and providing insight as well." A second person chimes in: "MSNBC owned this story and put both CNN & Fox to shame tonight."
The folks at MSN agree. "Kaplan has got to be proud of the amazing job MSNBC has done today," an MSN poster says. Another person agrees: "I haven't seen MSNBC fire on all thrusters so well in a long time. Despite what was surely a lot of pre-production work being thrown down the toilet, Rick Kaplan has to be pleased with how well things went from D-Day then shifting to Reagan." MSNBC's intros, graphics, and music hit all the right notes -- pardon the pun... 3:50:54 AM

Reagan: CNN's Weak Coverage: Ended Live Shows At Midnight ET
There seems to be a consensus that CNN's coverage of Reagan's passing left something to be desired: Most notably, more live coverage. "Overall, CNN was weak, weak, weak throughout," Mark writes in an e-mail. CNN ended live coverage at midnight ET, and re-aired Larry King's show. At 1am, they re-aired the 10pm Aaron Brown hour. "Don't they realize it's only 10:00 pm in California, where Reagan interest is bound to be high?," Mark says. CNN, you are the "world's news leader," but you made mistakes today. "Thanks for making CNN your news source," Betty Nguyen said at 3:36am. But people aren't going to keep doing that if the network keeps failing...
> CNNFan.com says CNNI aired CNN's domestic coverage until midnight ET, when it started to air live coverage from Atlanta. 3:49:16 AM

Reagan: A Timeline of Cable Coverage, 8pm to 2am
Kudos to Mark K. for his detailed e-mails this evening dissecting the Reagan coverage. Here are snippets from his messages:
8:30pm: "I just switched over to CNN and they were in commercial! FNC has been commercial-free since the announcement. Don't know about MS...I saw Olbermann on there a minute ago. I really can't imagine anyone who's interested in Reagan reminiscences tuning in Keith--they don't want a smart-alecky type guy
at a time like this. Anyone, even Matthews, would be better! CNN has Aaron Brown; FNC had Chris Wallace but Brit took over at 8." (This post at TVHeads says Olbermann was excellent, though.)
10:00pm: "Shep took over from Brit at 10pm; Larry King had Mike Wallace on."
10:20pm: "MS still has Keith on, flipped over just now and caught a commercial! FNC is still commercial-free, but with the others already caved they won't hold off much longer I suspect."
11:15pm: "FNC takes its first commercial break at 11:12 pm. Shep still anchoring. Fox has been feeding coverage to network affiliates for optional pickup. Matthews takes over on MS; I never thought I'd say it but a big improvement over KO. Our local NBC picked up some MS coverage for a bit earlier tonite. Aaron Brown took over from King at 10:00 pm; AB's still there."
12:01am: "FNC turns over hosting to Rita Cosby. I would suspect she will hold down the fort until 3:00 and D-Day stuff. MS still has Chris. CNN is rerunning the 9:00 pm Larry King show!! WTF?!?"
1:20am: "MS is still Chris. He's doing OK but I get impatient when he trots out his "usual suspects" like Jerry Brown or Pat Buchanan. (Buchanan at least has some genuine connection with Reagan, but he still rubs me the wrong way--and he is just a tad bit insane.) Rita Cosby stayed only an hour at FNC. She had a small scoop earlier in the evening with Michael Reagan, who issued a written statement and said he wouldn't be making any public appearances. But Rita got him on the phone (off-air) and got some good quotes from him. Anyhow, now Bob Sellers and one of the Fox anchorettes are taking over."
2:00am: "CNN is still rerunning earlier Aaron Brown hours. MS is live with Witt and Shane. MS had a nice montage of Reagan quotes that ended the previous hour with Chris--they also ran this montage earlier this evening. FNC is live with Sellers and Kiran Chetry. They seem to be doing more live remotes than MS." 3:34:57 AM

Reagan & D-Day At 60: "A Nation Mourns, A Nation Remembers"
So how in the world do you cover the D-Day anniversary and the passing of a former president? Very carefully. An e-mailer writes in around midnight: "As you probably know, most of the broadcasters focused on Reagan's death, however MSNBC did the best job of mixing D-Day and Reagan together, IMO." MSNBC is now running promos: "A Nation Mourns, A Nation Remembers." The commercials mix D-Day and Reagan perfectly. FOX has been talking about Reagan with politicians who are in Normandy. By 3:30am, all three cable nets turned to D-Day ceremony coverage... 3:33:17 AM

Reagan: Instant Analysis Of The Cable Coverage
"Cable TV networks tried to top each other" in their coverage of Reagan's death, Newsday says. "Some relied on anchors and reporters, in France for today's 60th anniversary of D-Day, to report on Reagan's death. For example, CNN's Wolf Blitzer was seen interviewing historians near a World War II cemetery on the Normandy coast in France." 3:32:35 AM

Reagan: FOX Breaks News First; CNN Lags
FOX News was the first cable channel to report Reagan's death, at 4:48:44pm. MSNBC was second, at 4:49:52. CNN was last, at 4:50:32. (I didn't get a text message from CNN.com until 5:05pm.) FOX affiliates across the country took FOX News's feed live, a spokesperson said. He notes that guests included former Education secretary Bill Bennett, current labor secretary Elaine Chao, former Reagan Chief of staff James Baker, Oliver North, former Sec of State George Schultz, former Reagan Press Secretary Jim Lake, Newt Gingrich and Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol. 3:32:24 AM

Reagan: MSNBC Recognized D-Day Plans Could Change
In an e-mail to me Friday night, an MSNBC insider said the network recognized that D-Day coverage plans could be radically changed by the death of a former president this weekend. The source wrote this note prior to Reagan's death: "We have a few things in the can for a Reagan passing. I think the real battle and plan for coverage will center around the guests each network can get. Family members, people who knew him intimately, people who worked with him, ran against him and even acting with him way back when. Getting the 'big get' will be a priority and will be the focus of everyone's coverage. Undoubtedly the people who do the bookings- have got it planned down to the last detail-- or at least I hope." 3:30:44 AM

Reagan: CNN Is Somber; FOX Is "Like An Irish Wake"
Jonah Goldberg has an interesting thought on cable coverage of Reagan's passing at The Corner: "I'm flipping between Fox and CNN and it's really very interesting in a media criticism sense how CNN is treating this as somber news...There's nothing wrong, and lots that's right with this sort of coverage. At Fox, however, it's more like an Irish wake. Everyone's telling funny, and sometimes slightly barbed but good natured, stories about the Gipper. Draw what conclusions you like." An e-mailer expresses similar thoughts: "I know for quite a large chunk of time this afternoon on FNC, Chris Wallace chatted with the "Beltway Boys." They all had covered Reagan, and were telling all sorts of stories, personal and business, remembering the Gipper as a great man." 3:30:14 AM