Amazon Prime Video to cover US presidential election as first live news event

by Thinus Ferreira

Amazon Prime Video is expanding into news coverage for the first time with the video streaming service which will cover the upcoming 2024 American presidential election on 5 November with rolling coverage for viewers globally, including South Africa.

Amazon says its Amazon Prime Video streamer will be a "one-stop destination for election insights" when it streams Election Night Live with Brian Williams from 23:00 on 5 November.

The programme will be produced by Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirsher with Jonathan Wald as executive producer and showrunner and is Amazon Prime Video's first streaming of a major live news event.

Election Night Live with Brian Williams will be available in English to Amazon users in most countries where Amazon Prime Video is available, regardless of whether they have are subscribers of Amazon Prime Video.

Brian Williams, a former American TV news anchor who left NBCUniversal's American TV news channel MSNBC at the end of 2021, will be joined live by guests to share real-time poll results and commentary in the election race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

According to Amazon Prime Video, Election Night Live with Brian Williams "will meet global viewers where they are, providing a unique, first-stop opportunity to follow the evening's results in an informative, accessible and non-partisan presentation directly on Prime Video".

Brian Williams will be joined in conversation by a variety of experts across news and politics with insights and analysis.

"After 41 years in the business - from local news to network shows to cable news - this feels like the next big thing. And the global marketplace of Amazon is a natural home for this first-of-its-kind venture," says Brian Williams in a statement.

"Together we will follow the storyline on election night wherever it leads us."

Albert Cheng, vice president and head of Amazon Prime Video, says "Amazon Prime Video is excited to host Brian Williams for a one-night-only election night special event".

"This non-partisan live special will draw from major news sources and complement the various partner news channels available on Amazon Prime Video. Our comprehensive offering is designed to give today's viewer a direct and seamless way to keep up with election results."

Today's interesting TV stories to read from TV with Thinus - 11 September 2015

eNCA's (DStv 403) Iman Rappetti talks.
The eNCA PrimeTime anchor talks to The Media - reveals how she thought she was going to die giving birth in the desert (in a military hospital), shares her views on womanhood, being a "fierce and loyal friend", and how she had to knock on doors in South Africa media.

ABC News' David Muir is an "anchor monster".
"Cranky" David has apparently been "lashing out at staff" and screams at the crew because "David is still losing to Lester".

M-Net's Zambezi Magic on DStv is now looking for music videos.
After M-Net dumped Channel O outside of South Africa, it now wants to try again from scratch, looking for music videos from Southern Africa in preparation for Zambezi Magic's first two music video shows, Zed Top 10 and Zim Top 10 - but artists need to be registered with RISA and SAMRO in South Africa.

"Mini crabs are quick to hide in their holes. MultiChoice and Mauritius do have some similarities." 
Another belated story about the MultiChoice Content Showcase of last week, this one a bad, blatant press release cut and paste job, infused with some tropicalness. Let's cry for this continent's journalism.

Steve Harvey on why there will be no more Oprah Winfreys.
The talk show host of The Steve Harvey Show on etv. and SABC1 explains why he isn't - and why there won't even be - another Oprah Winfrey.


Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogery
In Britain, the Channel4 weatherman Liam Dutton goes viral after he perfectly says, well, the basically impossible - a small town's name in Wales. Perfectly.
And then Iman Rappetti on eNCA also tries to say it on Thursday night.


Brian Williams wills start on MSNBC (StarSat 263) on 22 September.
The damaged and disgraced former NBC Nightly News anchor is shipped off to MSNBC

Meanwhile CNN staff are furious with their boss Jeff Zucker
over his obsessive Donald Trump coverage. "We are not perfect," CNN boss tells staffers at meeting.

FOX says it won't interfere editorially after buying National Geographic
and uniting Nat Geo's media platforms under one platform that will now be going for profit.

In a wonderful long-piece, more about how David Gregory was fired at Meet the Press Sundays on CNBC Africa (DStv 410).
And what it says about television news: the nasty internal sabotage, TV-size ego's clawing to climb, terrible bosses - and the high priority to constantly be breaking news in a saturated media environment.

A terrific look behind the scenes of the special effects to create Game of Thrones' environments and different landscapes.

NBCUniversal suspends lying news anchor Brian Williams of NBC Nightly News on CNBC Africa for half a year without pay, calls it a 'painful period'.

NBCUniversal has suspended the lying American news anchor Brian Williams of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams for half a year and without pay, calling the swirling scandal a "painful period".

The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams is broadcast nightly on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) in South Africa and the rest of the continent at 01:30.

A firestorm erupted last week after Brian Williams was forced to do a bad on-air apology for "misremembering" after he lied and said he was in a helicopter that was shot at in Iraq during the Iraq war - something which didn't happen.

Several other incidents of Brian Williams "misremembering" has since come to light, damaging his reputation as well as the credibility of NBC News and the NBC Nightly News. 

Speculation is swirling about whether Brian Williams will be replaced permanently.

"By his actions, Brian Williams has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News," says Stephen P. Burke, the CEO of NBCUniversal in a statement. "His actions are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate."

"We have decided today to suspend Brian Williams as managing editor and anchor of NBC Nightly News for six months. The suspension will be without pay and is effective immediately," NBC News president Deborah Turness told NBC News staff in an email.

"We let Brian know of our decision earlier today. Lester Holt will continue to substitute anchor the NBC Nightly News. As managing editor and anchor of Nightly News, Brian has a responsibility to be truthful and to uphold the high standards of the news division at all times."

"While on Nightly News on Friday, January 30, 2015, Brian misrepresented events which occurred while he was covering the Iraq War in 2003. It then became clear that on other occasions Brian had done the same while telling that story in other venues. This was wrong and completely inappropriate for someone in Brian’s position".

NBCUniversal has launched an internal review of Brian Williams and the things he's said during interviews about stories he's covered.