ABC News Now
goes on the air
 July 26,
2004 -- Though it
didn't appear from a purple haze,
ABC's new digital news channel
was launched Monday with a little
help from Jimmy Hendrix. Using
music that sounded like it was
from the '60's icon was an
unusual choice to help start ABC
News Now, but this is an unusual
news channel. Reaching only
viewers with digital televisions,
high-speed internet access or
special cell phones, ABC News Now
promises to be on the air 24/7
until election day. Coincidence
or not, the broadcast began at
the Fleet Center in Boston with
Peter Jennings confidently
walking out onto the Democratic
Convention floor -- and striding
directly past the anchors of the
granddaddy of news channels, CNN.
In general, ABC News Now is not
nearly as well produced as CNN --
or even C-SPAN, which it more
closely resembles with its focus
on politics. There were bad
switches and even dead air at
times -- not that unusual for a
first-day broadcast. After going
more than hour without a break,
the channel finally started
giving its anchors (and viewers)
a rest by airing public service
announcements in slots where
commercials would appear on the
analog ABC network. But there is
potential here. Jennings
interviewed two Boston Globe
journalists who authored a book
on John Kerry, and he even noted
it was great to have the time for
an extended conversation instead
of just dealing in sound bites.
There was a fun report on a
former ABC newsman who now
collects political buttons and
posters. And around the top of
the hour, there was an ABC News
Brief, recapping other stories.
When the conventions are not
going on, it seems like it will
be tough to fill 24 hours with
its current format. Jennings
pointed out that ABC News Now is
just an experiment. If it hopes
to survive beyond Election Day,
it might need to tinker with its
formula.
>> Click to see
ABC News Now's start
>> Click to see
ABC News Now News Brief
>> Click to see
ABC News Now report
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