Entertainment Networks Join In Coverage Of Jackson Memorial Service
BET, MTV, VH1, TV Guide Join Cable News Networks
Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 7/6/2009 4:38:10 PM
Black Entertainment Television, MTV, VH1 and TV Guide Network on Monday joined the list of cable networks announcing that they will provide live coverage of the July 7 memorial service for pop music legend Michael Jackson.BET will provide live coverage of the memorial from Staples Center in Los Angeles beginning at noon (ET) and running to 4 p.m., according to the network. Also, guest reporters Lola Ogunnaike and April Woodard will join the BET News team with correspondent Jina Johnson to provide pre and post-live coverage of Jackson's memorial from both Los Angeles and New York City, including celebrity guests, tributes, and special reports.
The memorial service will be the anchor of a day-long tribute to Jackson, which will include encore airings of BET specials Forever The King: A Tribute To Michael Jackson and Don't Stop Till You Get Enough: Michael Jackson Special, as well as themed episodes of 106 & Park.
BET will encore its presentation from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight, according to the network.
TV Guide will also begin its live coverage of the memorial service live and commercial free tomorrow beginning at 12 noon, as well as re-air the memorial service tomorrow evening beginning at 8 p.m.
MTV, MTV.com, VH1, VH1.com, VH1 Classic and VH1 Soul will offer extended coverage of Jackson's Memorial service beginning at 12 noon, including commercial free coverage of the service from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. In addition, MTV will devote its entire programming schedule on Aug. 1 - MTV"s 28th birthday - to a global celebration of Jackson's music. The programming slate - details of which will be released at a later date -- is expected to reach more than a half billion households in over 160 countries around the world.
Fox News Channel anchor Shepard Smith will host live coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial for the news network beginning at 12 noon. Fox News' Greta Van Susteren will also be on-scene in Los Angeles providing live coverage updates throughout the day, according to the network.
TV One, E! Entertainment, CNBC, MSNBC, and CNN have previously announced their plans for live coverage of the memorial.
For its part, Hulu will begin streaming live coverage of the memorial service at 12:30 p.m. Following the live-stream, provided by Fox News, Hulu will also offer on-demand access of the entire memorial service.
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