Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Incongruent Numbers

As it always happens during election nights, different news stations report election coverage in different ways. CNN, for example, is currently displaying only definite wins in their electoral count...



...while MSNBC is presenting projected results from states whose polls have closed but are still processing the ballots (they do not, however, mention that the numbers are not confirmed).



How does this effect election coverage and viewers who are most likely watching only one channel all night long? Is MSNBC setting themselves up to look "silly" if those projected wins don't come through?

1 comment:

BR said...

I've absolutely noticed that. CBS, from what I've seen thus far, has been far ahead on projections (but I haven't checked out MSNBC). What I'm wondering is which channels are taking the best approach? The conservative ones like CNN and Fox or the somewhat rogue ones like MSNBC and CBS?