Networks Plan Over-The-Top Coverage of Royal Wedding

The wedding of
Prince William and
Kate Middleton is almost upon us, and as the April 29 date draws closer, major networks here in the U.S. are unveiling their coverage plans. According to
Deadline, the three major networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- all have elaborate plans for the big day, from live coverage beginning as early as 3AM EST to primetime specials about the royal couple, while CNN will have one of its biggest stars, U.K. native
Piers Morgan, on the scene because of his connections to the royal family -- "I have connections that most American anchors can only dream of," he told
EW -- and FOX News is looking to its sister channel in the U.K. to bolster its coverage.
The expected global audience for the event is anticipated to be nearly 2 billion, more than double the number reached when Prince Charles married Princess Diana in 1981. Around 140 broadcast trucks with satellite uplinks are expected in London's Green Park, near Westminster Abbey, where the wedding ceremony will take place, and every major broadcaster in the world is expected to set up shop somewhere along the procession route. Sadly, the Abbey itself is so small that Prince Charles' office had to decline News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch's request to shoot the wedding in 3D -- there simply wasn't enough room for the necessary equipment.
For details of each major network's coverage, read on.
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NBC: The peacock is basing 50 people at the production offices of ITN, the U.K.-based news provider that is co-producing the net's coverage. NBC will offer 20 hours of combined coverage with MSNBC on the big day. Martin Bashir, who most probably know from his 2003 interviews with Michael Jackson, will lead MSNBC's London coverage.
A one-hour primetime documentary, hosted by Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira, will air the evening after the wedding. Every NBC brand is covering the nuptials, with live coverage on 'Today,' 'Access Hollywood,' Bravo, E! and Telemundo. The net's website iVillage will feature, according to
Deadline, "an exclusive interview with the couple's former landlady."
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ABC: The net's coverage of the wedding begins tonight with '20/20: William & Catherine: A Modern Fairytale.' 'Good Morning America,' 'World News with Diane Sawyer,' 'Nightline' and '20/20' will all broadcast from London in the week leading up to the wedding.
On Wills and Kate's big day, Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters will begin live coverage at 3AM, which will be followed by a special West Coast edition of 'Good Morning America,' hosted by Robin Roberts, live from Westminster Abbey.
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FOX: 'Countdown to the Royal Wedding,' airing April 24, will kick-off FOX News' official coverage. From there, the net is partnering with its sister station, the News Corp-owned Sky News, one of the three official U.K. networks covering the wedding, for coverage in the lead-up to the event, though at least 50 American staffers are being sent to London as well. Sky News' will broadcast from an on-the-spot studio outside of Buckingham Palace on April 29 beginning at 1AM EST Friday morning, and Shepard Smith and Martha MacCallum will anchor live coverage of the ceremony.
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CBS: Probably the most laid back in its approach to the royal nuptials, CBS will have Katie Couric in London for live coverage of the wedding on April 29. Couric will also host an hour-long primetime special that evening.
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CNN: With a London bureau with 75 staffers, CNN is ready to go. But, as previously mentioned, they will work alongside Piers Morgan, whose popularity in the U.S. the network is counting on to pull in viewers.
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Charlie was a cute kid. But he needs to do something with his teeth,now. He is not a dream boat prince.Harry is the dream boat....
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He grew up the spitting image of Diana. But as he gets older, he's turning into Charles.
Very strange.
Oh...sorry. I ment William, not Charlie. Doesnt matter...they are both rather ugh...
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Haven't we had enough of the "Royals"....I'm sick and tired of hearing and seeing them....Media stop promoting the rich ....If the Brit's are dumb enough to pay for Kings and Queens in the modern age...let them but please leave us alone.
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your right on man, hard to belive in this day and age the brits still support the so called royals.I could care less.
I am looking so forward to seeing these two love-birds get married. I wish them nothing but the best and Lots of Kids.
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Prince Williams looks so old for his age. I can't stand the dude. Prince Harry is my guy, I'm in lov with him. Can someone hook me up with him? LOL
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YAPPER & MONTE: """" hard to belive in this day and age the brits still support the so called royals.I could care less.Haven't we had enough of the "Royals"....I'm sick and tired of hearing and seeing them....Media stop promoting the rich ....If the Brit's are dumb enough to pay for Kings and Queens in the modern age...let them but please leave us alone.""""
I Soooo agree with both of you..however, I bet we ALL will be watching this in TV should we not be driving someplace.
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My question is, why wasnt the president or other political representative invited? Terribly rude for the perfect etiquette
of the Brit Royals. It is important to keep Tradition with the Crown, I think. But they should work towards helping their people. Their money is ridiculous.
Sorry, spelling off today.
what is so special about the royals theyre only humans like the rest of us.
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I wish the couple every happiness, but I do think the networks are hugely overestimating the amount of interest this has with the public.
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We all watched Chuck & Di because nobody thought the old ugly guy would marry the young beauty who was 12 years his junior. Now we know it was a sham - poor Diana! This marriage is the result of Charles telling his son William not to let his fist love get away like he did with Camilla... Diana suffered for it and William knows it. So on with the wedding of "first love" and let's hope it lasts...
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Guess no one else but me feels like the US really got snubbed when our President and his wife didn't get an invitation to the wedding. He represents the US and we got the cold shoulder. Does no one else feel this way but me? You would think they are the king and queen of the US the way everyone is acting. Makes me angry. They even invited some of the heads of the Middle East govs or that's what I read somewhere. Whoa!! what are we thinking.
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Dixie; I understand what youre saying but the President and First Lady wasnt invited because they could pose a security risk beyond measure not to mention they could steal some of the weddings thunder- better they didnt go anyway
Do Americans really care? If so, why ???
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OK, I saw the "3 am" beginning coverage time, BUT exactly what time is the wedding actually starting? And I mean USA time. ty
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Although lots of people here in the states consider the Royals "unnecessary", they are a big draw for the tourist business in the UK. I have watched all the royal weddings since they first became televised and have enjoyed them all. I do have to admit that my favorite part is always seeing the fashions and outrageous hats, but, hey, it's better than watching garbage like the Housewives and Jersey Shore!!!
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I WAS HAPPY THAT OBAMA AND MAMA WERENT INVITED TO THE WEDDING. THEY WOULDNT HAVE FITTED IN WITH ARISTOCRACY NOR LIKED THE FOOD. THEY ARE JUST SIMPLE AMERICAN BLACK FOLKS WHO SHOULD STAY WITH THEIR OWN KIND.
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Sorry Charlie, but.... "They wouldn't have FITTED in"?
What kind of english is that?
Maybe it's you who wouldn't have fitted in with the aristocrats.
The Obamas have just as much manners and poise as any noble tourist attraction the Brits can provide.
So i'd say... they would be with their own kind... but who really cares?
The 29th is looking like a good day to catch-up on my reading.
they should stay with their own kind?are you serious? wow i thought Brits weren't racist! i don't understand why you hate Americans so much but you all watch their movies,listen to their music and just copy everything from them! The Obamas have no manners? looks like you are the one with no manners dude!!!!!!!!