Fox News and others sign on to carry CNN’s presidential debate

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As a seasoned movie critic with over two decades of experience in the industry, I have seen countless examples of competition and collaboration between media giants. However, the recent announcement that Fox News and other networks will carry the simulcast of CNN’s presidential debate between President Biden and former president Trump marks an unprecedented level of cooperation among typically fierce competitors.

Many television networks, such as Fox News and ABC, plan to air live broadcasts of CNN’s presidential debate on June 27, marking the initial encounter between President Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump, in the 2022 election cycle.

The cooperation marks a first among the typically fierce competitors.

Starting in 1988, the Commission on Presidential Debates has been responsible for organizing and presenting presidential debates up until the present day. They selected both the debate locations and moderators, while various broadcasters managed the technical aspects of the live transmissions.

As a dedicated cinephile following the political scene, I’d put it this way: In contrast to previous elections where the commission played a significant role in organizing debates for presumptive nominees, this year saw the candidates bypassing that process and opting for two debates instead. CNN graciously agreed to host and moderate the first debate at their Atlanta studio with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash taking the reins. The second event is scheduled for September 10, produced and carried out by ABC. Lastly, CBS generously invited the running mates – Vice President Kamala Harris and the yet-to-be-announced VP pick from the opposing team – to engage in a meaningful conversation on their platform.

As a film enthusiast, I’d put it this way: Some media outlets balked at CNN’s conditions for simulcasting their coverage of the presidential debate. These requirements called for displaying CNN’s logo on-screen throughout and labeling the event as the “CNN Presidential Debate” in all promotional materials and press releases.

Instead of “But Fox News adopted the same terms as its competitor and declared its intentions on a Thursday,” you could also say “Fox News chose to align with its competitor’s rules and announced its plans for coverage, named ‘Fox News Democracy 2024: CNN Presidential Debate,’ on a Thursday.”

Fox News Media will showcase the event across various platforms: Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, the regular Fox broadcast network, and their streaming service, Fox Nation.

Shannon Bream, the host of “Fox News Sunday,” will oversee the network’s coverage. Meanwhile, Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum will manage the event on cable. Additionally, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a pro-Trump co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” will share her perspective on Fox Nation.

Although Fox News adheres to CNN’s rules, its conservative commentators have adopted their usual critical stance towards CNN prior to the event. During Wednesday’s debate discussion, prime-time host Sean Hannity labeled Tapper “Disingenuous Jake” and referred to CNN as “Misleading CNN.”

According to historical data from the last approved 2020 debate, Fox News attracted the most viewers with approximately 18 million, making it the network with the biggest audience for that event. Across all the broadcasting stations during this debate, an estimated 73 million people tuned in, as reported by Nielsen.

ABC News announced their decision to broadcast the simulcast, which will simultaneously stream live on Hulu, with anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis providing analysis. CBS News confirmed their plans on Thursday, with Norah O’Donnell heading up the coverage. Joining her will be Gayle King from “CBS Mornings,” John Dickerson as chief political analyst, and Margaret Brennan as host of “Face the Nation.”

I’ve learned that NBCUniversal News Group will broadcast the event on NBC, MSNBC, and Telemundo for their audiences. Additionally, Nexstar’s NewsNation and Scripps News have confirmed they’ll cover it, as have representatives from right-wing channel Newsmax.

As a long-time political enthusiast and someone who has closely followed presidential debates over the years, I find it quite intriguing that for the first time in history, commercial breaks will be included in the general election debates. Having grown up watching debates that were commercial-free, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia for those uninterrupted exchanges between candidates. However, I understand the reasoning behind this change.

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2024-07-18 22:05