ABC tries for a head start over rivals on midterm coverage
NEW YORK — ABC News says that it is treating midterm election night coverage as if it were a presidential year, promising Wednesday to get a one-hour jump on its broadcast rivals by devoting the entire prime-time schedule on Nov. 6 to reporting results.
The network said its “Your Voice, Your Vote” show, anchored by George Stephanopoulos, will begin at 8 p.m. Eastern time and 7 p.m. Central. While cable news networks will undoubtedly be on the story all day, both CBS News and NBC News previously announced that their continuous election-night coverage would begin at 9 p.m.
“It’s something I’m thrilled about,” Stephanopoulos said. “I’ve never seen a midterm election that feels like this or could potentially be more consequential. This feels like a presidential election, in part because President Trump has made himself the centre of the debate.”
Four years ago during the midterm election of President Barack Obama’s second term, ABC had only an hour of prime-time coverage starting at 10 p.m. Eastern.