PBS NewsHour Plans Coverage of Political Conventions

PBS NewsHour is going to give viewers a first-hand look at the 2012 party conventions. Expanded online coverage will provide an “all-access pass” to the GOP and Democratic conventions in the U.S.

Award-winning political journalists Judy Woodruff (pictured left) and Gwen Ifill will co-anchor gavel-to-gavel broadcast coverage from the PBS Skybox at both the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL (August 27 – 30) and from the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC (September 4 – 5) as well as the Bank of America Stadium (September 6).

Meanwhile, the 2012 Republican National Convention has announced that web major Google has been named the “Official Social Platform and Live Stream Provider” of the Republican presidential nominating convention to be held Aug. 27-30 in Tampa. (Read: Republican Convention Selects Google as Tech Partner)

As the electioneering is gaining momentum in the U.S., tech companies are offering a slew of solutions to make political processes efficient for the parties and candidates. (Read: How Technology is Entering the American Political Arena)

NewsHour Correspondent Hari Sreenivasan will extend the coverage online via the NewsHour’s interactive digital map center and “NewsHour All Hours” – a 24-hour livestream on multiple channels that offers viewers an “all-access pass” to the conventions.

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On air, PBS special broadcast coverage will begin at 8:00 p.m. ET each night of the conventions and continue LIVE until the conclusion of the proceedings at approximately 11:00 p.m., ET.  The coverage will be interspersed with analysis, interviews and commentary.

“The conventions have traditionally been PBS NewsHour’s time to shine during the election season and this year is no exception,” said executive producer Linda Winslow.

In presenting the 2011 award to PBS NewsHour, the judges for the Walter Cronkite Award for excellence in television political journalism praised Ifill and Woodruff for “focusing on the issues, talking with real voters and letting the candidates explain themselves.”

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The NewsHour’s emphasis on exploring issues extends to www.pbs.org/newshour, where the coverage continues around the clock via the “NewsHour All Hours” livestream.

The pairing of veteran political journalists Woodruff and Ifill marks the first time the two have anchored presidential election coverage together and marks a return to the two-anchor format established by Robert MacNeil and Jim Lehrer.

PBS NewsHour made this announcement today, June 21.