By David Bauder, Media Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Watch out for Britney Spears and the Jonas Bros.: CBS News is building a new high-tech election night set in the Times Square studio where MTV's "Total Request Live" ruled the music world two decades ago.
The set, at the ViacomCBS headquarters on Broadway, highlights modern wizardry like "augmented reality" 3-D images and multiple data screens while offering enough roominess to protect staff members from being infected with COVID-19, the network said on Thursday.
Norah O'Donnell will anchor her first presidential election night, joined on the set by Gayle King, Margaret Brennan, John Dickerson and Ed O'Keefe.
"We're empowering our top political journalists with the latest data visualization and storytelling tools to bring as much clarity as we can to this election," said CBS News President Susan Zirinsky.
New York and Hollywood studios often have multiple lives, and it can be interesting to trace their histories. In the early 2000s, music's top artists journeyed to 1515 Broadway to talk to host Carson Daly and to look out on fans massing in Times Square below. The show's original incarnation ended in 2008.
Shades will be drawn on the windows for the serious business of election night. For television networks, there's no bigger night to show off their wares than presidential election nights. CBS would not say how much it was spending to retrofit the new studio.
The coronavirus, which has driven millions of American workers into home offices, added to the challenge of creating the new studio, said David Bohrman, executive producer of the election night coverage.
Everyone who enters the studio preparing for the election must be tested for the coronavirus every day, he said.
The network's CBSN streaming service will provide continuous election coverage from 7 a.m. on November 3. On television, CBS will have Major Garrett reporting on voter integrity, Jeff Pegues on misinformation and Nancy Cordes on congressional races. Anthony Salvanto will run the decision desk, while Reince Prebius and Valerie Jarrett will be commentators.
“Scandal” cast will reunite for online script reading for hurricane relief in western North Carolina
The cast of ABC's hit political drama "Scandal" may need to brush up on their snappy, speedy delivery known as "Scandal-pace," because they're reuniting for a good cause. Its stars including Kerry Washington, Tony Goldwyn and Bellamy Young will take part in a live virtual script reading on Nov. 17 to raise money for hurricane relief in western North Carolina.
Beginning Friday, fans can go online and donate to reserve a spot for the online reading. Proceeds will benefit United Way of North Carolina. Everyone who donates will be able to take part in a virtual pre-event with the cast and Shonda Rhimes will give an introduction.
Additional guest stars will also be announced. The online fundraising platform Prizeo is also holding a contest where one person who donates online via their site will be selected to read a role from the script with the actors. The winner should not worry about the "Scandal"-pace, assured Young over Zoom.
"Whomever the lucky reader is can read at whatever pace they want," she said.
Young, who played Mellie Young, the first lady and later Republican presidential nominee on "Scandal," was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina. She came up with the idea for the effort with a friend and took it to her fellow "Scandal" actors, who all jumped on board. Young said this is the first script reading the cast has all done together since the show ended after seven seasons in 2018.
Which episode they will be reading has not been announced yet.
Young said it's "been devastating" to see so many parts of her hometown badly damaged by Hurricane Helene, which ravaged western North Carolina one month ago.
To research the best use for donations, Young spoke with numerous political leaders, including North... Read More