Chicago’s media gets ready for the DNC


Local stations emphasize streaming coverage

Batten down the hatches, Chicago: the Democratic National Convention is coming to town.

For four days – August 19 to August 22 to be exact, the nation’s third-largest television and radio market will be the center of the political universe, with the convention taking place at the United Center on the West Side. More than 5,000 delegates and tons of media from around the world will be on hand to witness Vice President Kamala Harris’ nomination for President and take on Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump in November. 

In the past, political conventions had been duds at drawing viewers as independent stations in the 1980s, and cable TV networks in the 1990s brought out heavy artillery such as top-rate movies and specials as counter-programming. But with an increased political appetite, recent conventions have been top-rating draws. The final night of the Republican convention last month from Milwaukee drew 25.4 million viewers, peaking at 28 million viewers when Trump took the stage to accept the nomination –  only behind the Paris Olympics games, which averaged north of 30 million. 

This is the third time in the last sixty years Chicago has hosted a political convention; the last one held here in 1996 was mostly problem-free as opposed to 1968’s when protesters were beaten on live TV and chaos ensued at the convention itself when a fight broke out among delegates on the floor of the International Amphitheater. 

But as we all know, this isn’t 1996. With a conflict in Gaza and the Ukraine war overseas and general unhappiness with politicians from both sides of the aisle, expect a lot of protests and possible mayhem as road closures and security checkpoints around the UC and McCormick Place will make life miserable for commuters and residents alike for the next four days. 

With that said, local media will be on the ground covering the convention including how the event affects traffic across the Chicago area, protests, and tons and tons of political coverage. 

Chicago’s media outlets will have expanded coverage from community non-profit publications (Block Club Chicago, The Triibe) to mainstream (ABC 7, Chicago Tribune.) The network-owned stations are emphasizing their streaming channels, as NBC 5, Fox 32, and WGN-TV are touting all-day coverage. CBS Chicago is adding former Mayor Lori Lightfoot as a guest analyst, while NBC 5 welcomes back Carol Marin for special 6 p.m. newscasts all week.

WTTW’s Chicago Tonight is planning week-long live broadcasts from the UC at 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. for the duration of the convention. 

National and international media are here, of course with the major broadcast and cable news networks – not to mention new kids on the block Scripps News and NewsNation, and all will have extensive coverage of the convention. The broadcast networks join in at 9 p.m. Central every night, except Thursday when coverage starts at 8 p.m. Late newscasts could be prone to overruns this week as coverage might expand past 10 p.m., so keep that in mind. 

CBS’ Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show are also in town this week, with Jon Stewart expected to to host Daily on Thursday. Colbert arrived here this week, taping segments for his show, including at Wrigley Field Friday when he had fun with the “ballhawks” outside the stadium. You can expect a lot of Trump and GOP jokes, and hopefully a dig or two at the White Sox. 

The next few days will be historic for the city in all contexts. Is the local media up to the task? Hopefully, they learned their lessons from the last time a major event was in town – the 2012 NATO conference where overkill was the word of the week

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