The last night of the Democratic National Convention has been moved to Denver's INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium, which can accommodate more than 75,000 people. (See related discussion here.)
After months of planning and spending millions to prepare for covering the convention, the national news media says not so fast.
When the news was first announced, early reports said that the networks considered not covering the speech at all, due to the logistics of setting up in two locations.
They have toned that down a little today, saying the last minute change makes coverage "enormously more expensive" but that they are looking at ways to reallocate resources. According to Politico:
"We want to anchor at it," one broadcast executive said. "[But] do you need to be there to anchor for all four nights? That’s something that we are asking ourselves.""We are still planning to carry the most significant appearances and speeches from Monday on, in primetime," he noted. "It doesn’t seem smart to invest in a full anchor setup at both locations when the candidate is only going to show at one location."
The broadcast executive added that Obama’s decision will, at a minimum, lead the broadcast networks not to go "whole hog at the Pepsi Center," which is nearly two miles from the outdoor stadium.
In announcing the change of venue for Obama's presumed acceptance speech, DNC Chairman Howard Dean said "The Democratic Party is nominating a true change candidate this August, and it is only fitting that we make some big changes in how we put on the Convention. Senator Obama's candidacy has generated an enormous amount of excitement and interest, not only in the Democratic Party but also in the 2008 Convention. By bringing the last night of the Convention out to the people, we will be able to showcase Barack Obama's positive, people-centered vision for our country in a big way."
|
Topics:
|
|
Discussing:
- AI bubble burst? (2 replies)
- Tennessee paying $637 million over 5 years for voucher software program (2 replies)
- UT paying $2 million to fired professor? (2 replies)
- A bear in Alcoa (1 reply)
- Here are some good Presidents (1 reply)
- Alcoa Hwy construction to extend to 2030 (3 replies)
- Happy 250th, pfft (2 replies)
- Smith & Wesson noise problem (3 replies)
- Are Chat bots a waste of time? (1 reply)
- Musicians dropping out of President's Freedom Concert Series (1 reply)
- It's time for new blood in Congress, Barnett in - Burchett out (1 reply)
- Burning Down The House... (2 replies)
TN Progressive
- Alcoa property taxes will probably not go up (BlountViews)
- Smith & Wesson not a good fit for Blount County (BlountViews)
- Pellissippi Parkway extension delayed again (BlountViews)
- Blount County early voting record turnout (BlountViews)
- WATCH THIS SPACE. (Left Wing Cracker)
- America As It Is Right Now (RoaneViews)
- A friend sent this: From Captain McElwee's Tall Tales of Roane County (RoaneViews)
- The Meidas Touch (RoaneViews)
- Massive Security Breach Analysis (RoaneViews)
- (Whitescreek Journal)
- My choices in the August election (Left Wing Cracker)
- July 4, 2024 - aka The Twilight Zone (Joe Powell)
TN Politics
- Tennessee’s emergency management agency becomes standalone state department (TN Lookout)
- Vonda McDaniel, Tennessee Labor leader, mourned after Tuesday death (TN Lookout)
- A proud history and a cloudy future: Congressional Black Caucus hit by Supreme Court ruling (TN Lookout)
- Judge extends order blocking Tennessee officials from reporting sick, disabled immigrant children (TN Lookout)
- Summer food program for West Tennessee kids could distribute twice as many meals this year (TN Lookout)
- A sweaty Fourth of July ahead for the US as extreme heat descends on 20 states (TN Lookout)
Knox TN Today
- Behold the 250th (Knox TN Today)
- Overserved (Knox TN Today)
- KFD Asst. Chief Mark Wilbanks retires & he’s already at new job (Knox TN Today)
- TN GOP + Trevor Bayne + Todd Ailes + Patricia Nash + Pete Pearson ++ (Knox TN Today)
- New Business Spotlight: Intrepid Nitro Coffee & Tea Bar (Knox TN Today)
- Western Plaza sells for $65 million (Knox TN Today)
- Rotary Club of Bearden announces new Board leadership (Knox TN Today)
- Everyday Genius: Hidden social media features (Knox TN Today)
- Weekend Scene has Anvil Shoots to Independence Day Parade & more (Knox TN Today)
- Wallace Real Estate welcomes summer intern Suzanne Stone (Knox TN Today)
- ArtBeat: Spotlight on the local arts events and entertainment (Knox TN Today)
- 7/2 HEADLINES: News and events from Knox, World, USA, Tennessee & Historic Notes (Knox TN Today)
Local TV News
- AMR sees rise in emergency response calls as hot temperatures persist (WATE)
- East Tennessee HVAC companies see surge in calls as extreme heat strains AC systems (WATE)
- Dead rats, soil to be tested as Norris police investigate unusual case (WATE)
- Overdose deaths in Knox County continue downward trend in first six months of 2026 (WATE)
- Woman's murder at Knoxville gas station remains unsolved 6 years later (WATE)
- Temperature problems found at Loudon brewery during health inspection (WATE)
News Sentinel
State News
- Erlanger Park ready to host Chattanooga FC match on Fourth of July - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Erlanger Park diamond gets makeover for soccer match - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- ‘I was really angry:’ Teen confessed to killing nearest sex offender in video played in Collegedale court - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Motorcyclist dies after colliding with car near Soddy-Daisy - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
Wire Reports
- Donors were misled by Trump-backed Freedom 250, House Democrats allege - The Washington Post (US News)
- Former Olympian faces felony charge over alleged Reflecting Pool vandalism - The Washington Post (US News)
- Stock Market Today: Nasdaq Falls After June Hiring Misses Expectations — Live Updates - WSJ (Business)
- Paramedics responded to a ‘cardiac arrest’ at Mitch McConnell’s home on day of hospitalization - NBC News (US News)
- Inside the Mamdani-AOC endorsement compact - Politico (US News)
- Dangerous heatwave scorches US ahead of Fourth of July holiday - BBC (US News)
- Tesla Sales Blow Away Expectations. Why the Stock Is Dropping. - Barron's (Business)
- Wall Street Bets Rallying Markets Will Absorb Every Market Blow - Bloomberg.com (Business)
- Jersey Mike’s IPO illustrates how bad the AI hype has become - TechCrunch (Business)
- Trump's 'hero' justice offers roadmap after Supreme Court rejects birthright order - Fox News (US News)
- What are the investment options for Trump Accounts? - Fox Business (Business)
- Trump bought Apple, Nvidia and other tech giants before tariff reversal fueled rebound - CNBC (Business)
- Couple charged with felonies for Empire State Building climb-turned-proposal - AP News (US News)
- Taxes on Trump's $1.4 billion crypto income could total hundreds of millions - CBS News (US News)
- Trump's job market is proving resilient. Consumer confidence is still sagging. - Politico (Business)
Local Media
Lost Medicaid Funding
Search and Archives
TN Progressive
Nearby:
- Blount Dems
- Herston TN Family Law
- Inside of Knoxville
- Instapundit
- Jack Lail
- Jim Stovall
- Knox Dems
- MoxCarm Blue Streak
- Outdoor Knoxville
- Pittman Properties
- Reality Me
- Stop Alcoa Parkway
Beyond:
- Nashville Scene
- Nashville Post
- Smart City Memphis
- TN Dems
- TN Journal
- TN Lookout
- Bob Stepno
- Facing South

understandable
Considering modern TV production is a complicated affair, especially when you factor in this level of participation, I can see how they'd be a little irked. Still, I'm sure all you'll need to do is go to Ustream each night and some clever video streaming blogger will have figured out what we all know: talking heads don't matter, candidates and their platforms matter.
not understandable
I understand how this requires tough business decisions, but not how they could even consider not covering it. How they allocate resources is completely up to them. But it would be a serious dereliction of journalistic duty to not cover the speech regardless of the amount of money they've spent preparing for one venue. It's not the news media's job to dictate events but to cover them. The candidates control how their campaigns are run, the media how to cover them. To enjoy to right of freedom of the press is to accept responsibility for determining what's newsworthy and providing unbiased coverage of it. The move to the stadium is itself incredibly newsworthy... the event even moreso.
Waah!
They'll cover it, even if they do whine.
BTW Randy, be sure to check out where all the cool kids will be in Denver, at the BigTent.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson
Big media rakes in millions
Big media rakes in millions and millions of dollars from Presidential campaigns. They have done everything they can to stretch these elections out into multi-year gloss fests. They can take their whining and stick it where they put all the real news they don't cover.
Seconded
I second that emotion.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson
"the logistics of setting up in two locations"
All they really need is a few camera crews at the second location, right?
It would not be the end of the world for them to not have their pretty little sets for their talking heads at INVESCO Field. How many viewers would really care if they just stayed at the first set and watched it on TV like everyone else?
Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.