NBC Plans 13 Hours of Midterm Coverage as ABC and CBS Clear Prime Time
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Nov 3
NBC Plans 13 Hours of Midterm Coverage as ABC and CBS Clear Prime Time
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Nov 3
Summary
NBC will offer local stations 13 straight hours of midterm coverage Tuesday, running from 5 p.m. Eastern to 6 a.m. Wednesday.
ABC and CBS are also expanding their election-night plans, giving over all prime time to results and returning overnight as Congress’s balance of power hangs on the vote.
The broader push marks a sharp shift from 2014, when ABC, CBS and NBC typically aired only an hour or two of live midterm results between regular entertainment programming.
Networks are betting the scattered local races will still draw strong audiences because both parties have cast the night as existential and control of Congress is at stake.
As ballot counting slows and security increases, how will 13 hours of continuous TV coverage handle the inevitable delays in finalizing results?
With networks deploying AI and multiview streams for the 2026 midterms, will these high-tech tools clarify the results or just overwhelm viewers?
Could the gamification of election night through interactive maps and continuous livestreams actually increase public anxiety rather than providing clear information?