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Plenty Of Options For Inauguration Watchers

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By WALT BELCHER

wbelcher@tampatrib.com

Published: January 18, 2009

During the election some compared Barack Obama to a rock star. They were wrong. He's bigger than a rock star if TV coverage is any measure of fame.

The major broadcast networks, 24-hour cable news outlets and even HBO, Nickelodeon, Disney, ESPN and QVC channels are getting a piece of the action involving the inauguration of the nation's 44th president.

The swearing-in ceremony at midday Tuesday will be beamed out to a worldwide audience. It could easily top the Super Bowl as the most-watched event on television. It also will be streamed online through dozens of Web sites.

Coverage began Saturday with pre-inauguration specials on the cable news networks. The first inaugural concert airs tonight on HBO.

All of the morning network news shows will originate from Washington on Monday and Tuesday.

NBC, CBS, ABC, PBS, Fox News Channel, CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, C-SPAN, BET, TV One, Telemundo, Univision, ESPN and Fox Business Channel will carry the inaugural ceremony, which officially begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday on the west front of the U.S. Capitol.

Obama is expected to take the oath of office about noon and then give his inaugural address.

The ceremony also includes music by the United States Marine Band, the San Francisco Boys and Girls Choirs; welcoming remarks by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; an invocation by the Rev. Rick Warren; a song by Aretha Franklin; the swearing-in of Joe Biden as vice president; a song by John Williams; a poem by Elizabeth Alexander; a benediction by the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery; and the National Anthem sung by The United States Navy Band "Sea Chanters."

Here's a rundown of the Obama drama coming to a TV screen near you:

Today

HBO: 7 p.m., "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial." A taped presentation of a free star-filled concert scheduled for 2:30 p.m. today featuring Bruce Springsteen, U2, Beyonce, Usher, Garth Brooks, Stevie Wonder, John Mellencamp, Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Herbie Hancock, Josh Groban, John Legend and James Taylor. Denzel Washington, Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III and Queen Latifah will read. Obama will make an appearance. HBO is making it accessible for free to all cable or satellite subscribers.

Monday

WFLA, CHANNEL 8: 4 p.m., "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Winfrey hosts a special live edition from the Kennedy Center Opera House.

DISNEY CHANNEL: 8 p.m., "Kids' Inaugural: We Are the Future." Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Bow Wow will perform. Billy Ray Cyrus, Keke Palmer and Usher are also scheduled to appear. Perry Rubin, 13-year-old daughter of entertainment reporter Sam Rubin, will be the special backstage correspondent. It will be simulcast on Disney Radio and will be available later on Disney.com.

NICKELODEON: 4 p.m., "Kids Pick the President." A series of short taped reports from kid correspondents Lily Collins, JJ and Pick Boy begin airing between and during programs and run through Jan. 31.

Tuesday

NBC: Brian Williams begins anchoring at 10:30 a.m. with Tom Brokaw and Lester Holt. Williams also hosts a live special at 10 p.m. from the inaugural galas.

CBS: Katie Couric anchors coverage from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with input from correspondents Bob Schieffer and Jeff Greenfield, plus a bevy of CBS reporters. Couric also hosts a special at 9 p.m. tracing Obama's journey to the White House.

ABC: Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos begin coverage at 10 a.m. and continue through the inaugural parade. ABC covers "The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration" at 8 p.m., followed by recap of the inauguration at 10 p.m.

PBS: Jim Lehrer anchors beginning at 11 a.m. with columnists David Brooks and Mark Shields among his panelists. A special "Frontline" at 10 p.m., "Dreams of Obama," profiles his life and career.

WTVT, CHANNEL 13: Shepard Smith anchors from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. followed by a live feed from Fox station WTTG through the end of the parade.

C-SPAN: Plans are for 18 hours of no-frills, no-narration coverage beginning at 6 a.m.

CNN: It begins at 5 a.m. live from the National Mall and continues to 1 a.m. Wednesday with Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper handling the bulk of the coverage.

Fox News: Anchor Bret Baier checks in at 8:30 a.m. and anchors until 10:30 a.m. Chris Wallace takes over until 3 p.m. Pundits Brit Hume, Fred Barnes, Bill Kristol, Juan Williams and Karl Rove will provide commentary. Baier, Megyn Kelly, Bill Hemmer and others will cover the inaugural balls beginning at 9 p.m.

MSNBC: Coverage starts at 6 a.m. in a popular Capitol Hill pub. At 10 a.m., the action moves to the National Mall with Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow and Eugene Robinson carrying on until 1 a.m. Wednesday.

CNBC: Beginning at 6 a.m. and continuing throughout the day, the theme is "President Obama & Your Money."

MTV: The celebration starts at 10 p.m. live from Washington at the Youth Inaugural Ball where Obama will call on young people to engage in national and community service.

Nickelodeon: Vignettes featuring footage of Obama taking the oath of office will air on Nickelodeon, The N and Nicktoons beginning at 8 p.m.

QVC: The shopping network will broadcast live from Washington throughout the day while hawking mementos such as coins, jewelry and paintings.

TV One: The network, aimed at a black audience, begins at 6 a.m. with documentaries about Obama. Inauguration coverage starts at 10 a.m.

ESPN: In a first for the sports network, it takes the ABC feed about 11 a.m. with ESPN reporter Jeremy Schaap providing live cut-ins with commentary and reaction from athletes.

BET: Hill Harper and Rene Syler will co-anchor daylong coverage. At 8 p.m., Nick Cannon will host "Yes We Will! BET's Inauguration Celebration," the network's first-ever Inaugural Ball, with Gabrielle Union, Tyler Perry, Mary J. Blige, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Wyclef Jean, Cedric The Entertainer, Samuel L. Jackson, Queen Latifah, Anthony Hamilton, Anita Baker and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater.

Keyword: Inauguration, to play Inauguration Address Bingo with our downloadable cards.

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