UK: Newspapers ramp up coverage for US election

Posted by Rosemary D'Amour on November 3, 2008 at 3:25 PM

In what is being called a "marathon" of politics, UK newspapers are revving up their coverage for the 2008 US presidential election. The demand for both print and online coverage is resulting in non-stop coverage by the international media of this momentous election in the USA.

Compared with 2004, The Guardian has upped its video content from "the occasional video" to five per day, according to Harriet Sherwood, who has been directing The Guardian's election coverage from the US. The Guardian sent an additional 20 journalists to the 15 editorial and production staff already based in the US for the duration of the election, anticipating a 36-hour shift starting on Tuesday.

By comparison, The Daily and Sunday Telegraph will only have 10 correspondents covering key swing states live during the election.

Blogs Eagle Eye and Toby Harnden will provide continual opinion and political analysis.

Telegraph.co.uk and The Times online will offer online election maps, in addition to correspondents throughout the USA, to keep viewers with up-to-the-minute coverage.

BBC is sending a staff of 125 people, both reporters and technical staff, in addition to its US team to provide coverage across channels BBC One, the BBC News Channel, BBC America, BBC World, World Service Radio, Radio 4, Five Live and British local radio.

In an effort to ensure "efficiency and value for money," staff will work for more than one area of output to provide nearly 150 hours of coverage under a "heavily coordinated and scrutinized" effort, according to a BBC spokesman.

CNN International is joining the race with CNN US, with teams in more than 32 countries broadcasting eight hours of "simultaneous live coverage."

Source: PressGazette