Cbs Currently debating pope's death/ncaa final four

[Ragone]

Whether or not to split screen pope coverage with ncaa final four.. or pre empt it entirely for pope coverage

They are leaving it up to local affiliates.. dear god.. i swear. oh wait, i don't think thats gonna work here

[Honolulu_Blue]

Whether or not to split screen pope coverage with ncaa final four.. or pre empt it entirely for pope coverage

They are leaving it up to local affiliates.. dear god.. i swear. oh wait, i don't think thats gonna work here
Wow. Maybe they'll just do a runner along the bottom of the screen. All we know is that they sure as HELL not pre empt the end of CSI...

[albionmoonlight]

They are leaving it up to local affiliates..
I think that means that I'll be watching basketball.

[Peregrine]

Same, Albion. The only way our local stations would go away from the Final Four was if the Second Coming happened during the game, and even then it would probably be on a ticker.

[Ksyrup]

So the Pope dying isn't as big a news story as OJ?

[WrongWay]

What is this the 1960s? How many other CBS owned "News" channels can and should carry this live?

I feel for all those who have not yet purchased a cable-ready TV???

[Barkeep49]

Any word on what CBS owned affiliates are going to do?

[Flame Eater]

I think they should show the games, and have a running ticker across the bottom of the screen with the Pope's vital signs. (j/k) I think the news coverage is in pretty bad taste.

I really hope the Holy Father bounces back from this. Or at least gets well enough to get to the window of his apartment and thumb his nose at the cameras before he passes.

[cthomer5000]

So the Pope dying isn't as big a news story as OJ?
Is an old guy dying news? I mean, really?

[NoMyths]

Is an old guy dying news? I mean, really?Yes.

[rexallllsc]

Ridiculous.

[Flame Eater]

I think the Pope's dying is very news worthy. There are 1.2 billion Catholics around the world who are very interested in the subject. Heck, I'm a Methodist, and I'm interested. But this "circling of news vultures" waiting for him to die is a little morbid.

The Pope is a world leader. He is a brother in Christ. That's why I care.

[SunDancer]

I think the Pope's dying is very news worthy. There are 1.2 billion Catholics around the world who are very interested in the subject. Heck, I'm a Methodist, and I'm interested. But this "circling of news vultures" waiting for him to die is a little morbid.

The Pope is a world leader. He is a brother in Christ. That's why I care.

He's the Catholic leader, not the world leader. As sad as it (I'm don't agree with alot of the Catholic theology, but have alot respect for his contributions to society), but with every other station in the world is carrying it, I think CBS should carry that Final Four coverage that they are paying nine-figures a year for, and is a ratings drawer. What exactly would they cover though in the Pope's dying, besides announcing that he has died, for four hours of that game?

[henry296]

I think it is an easy decision, but it would be slightly different if he does die during the middle of the games... how should they handle it then.

[rexallllsc]

I think it is an easy decision, but it would be slightly different if he does die during the middle of the games... how should they handle it then.

Well if they want to break in and say he died, go for it. But I have a strange feeling that they;d give us hours and hours of shots of the hospital and various parts of The Vatican.

Lame.

[Ben E Lou]

CBS will do whatever they think is going to be financially advantageous for them in the long run. They're not interested in offending 1.2 billion Catholics by suggesting that basketball is more important than the Pope. At the same time, they don't want a repeat of the Heidi Game either. I wouldn't want to be in the decision-making shoes on this one.

[finkenst]

Or...

Perhaps the NCAA will step up and pause the game for a moment of silence at the Pope's passing...

[timmynausea]

Does anybody think he's not going to die this weekend? If it was a big shock I could see interrupting basketball.

[Gary Gorski]

I love March Madness - its the only event/show on TV I will make time to watch the entire year. But in the end its a basketball game - the death of Pope John Paul II, when it happens, is going to be a historical event. This pope is much more than the leader of over a billion catholics worldwide - he's a man who has demonstrated the utmost in humanitarism in the past 25 years and has been instrumental in changing the world through his efforts especially with his efforts to defeat communism and free his home country.

If you have not read about his life take a few moments to do so. His life has been extraordinary and he's touched millions upon millions of lives - both Catholic and not and that has been one of the things that has made him so remarkable not to mention the things he has survived in his lifetime, especially prior to becoming pope.

I think when one of the most important and influential people in the world in the past quarter of a century dies, you interrupt a basketball game - especially since CBS knows ABC and NBC certainly will be pre-empting whatever it is they are showing. They can always show the game later on tape delay.

[sterlingice]

I think it is an easy decision, but it would be slightly different if he does die during the middle of the games... how should they handle it then.
Agreed. It's not as if they're breaking the news that the Pope is sick. Right now, his condition is similar to what it's been all weekend. If there's no change, I see no need to pre-empt anything for round the clock coverage of no new news.

You know there's some executives over there thinking "Damn it, old man, can't you wait to die until tomorrow"

SI

[Solecismic]

We're in the realm of the Boston affiliate, and there are no local teams playing, so I'm afraid of what CBS will do here.

Personally, I think they should break in with a brief special report, no more than a minute.

The reason I say that is that everyone who has a television knows by now that the pope is in pretty bad shape. So the new news is very limited in scope.

If people want more details, they can change channels to one of the many that will be providing in-depth coverage from that moment on.

While I agree that the pope dying is bigger news, world-wide or even country-wide, than the results of an NCAA semifinal, you could also argue that the sudden death of Allison Freebagel in Petaluna last Thursday was bigger news than a rerun of Joey. Yet you didn't see NBC affiliates breaking into coverage.

Moralizing about the value of the life of JP2 means nothing to the discussion. That's up to the individual. I agree that as popes go, he was a good man. Unless they're planning on cancelling the game if the pope dies, CBS needs to televise the game.

[Draft Dodger]

in my thinking, if he was to die suddenly and unexpectedly, I would expect CBS to break in and at least report that it had happend (and then resume the game). but, it's not like people don't know he's going to pass soon...I would say mention it, but not break away.

[cthomer5000]

in my thinking, if he was to die suddenly and unexpectedly, I would expect CBS to break in and at least report that it had happend (and then resume the game). but, it's not like people don't know he's going to pass soon...I would say mention it, but not break away.
That was the spirit of my original post. I know what I actually wrote sounded far more callous.

I think if he dies, breaking into the coverage is fine. But if I'm getting a split screen with 1/2 game 1/2 "pope-cam," I think it's pretty ridiculous.

[sterlingice]

That was the spirit of my original post. I know what I actually wrote sounded far more callous.

I think if he dies, breaking into the coverage is fine. But if I'm getting a split screen with 1/2 game 1/2 "pope-cam," I think it's pretty ridiculous.
Well, I doubt anyone would have any problems with that- if he dies, it's very big news. But if it's "Pope Vigil: Day 3" then let me watch basketball.

SI

[kingfc22]

Not to be mean or anything, but how many hours of "special reports" are we going to have to watch?

[TazFTW]

ABC was going to show an MLS game now but is doing there special report. The game has been moved to ESPN though.

[Ryan S]

If I were running a network, I would run a ticker along the bottom of the screen if the pope died. I would figure that most people who are interested in the pope would then change the channel to one of the many news channels out there providing blanket coverage.

If I actually cared about college basketball, and if the games were preempted, I would be extremely pissed off.

[tdydynasty]

maybe they can postpone the games or move them to another network

[Draft Dodger]

moot point now?

[sterlingice]

Yeah, looks like CBS snuck in and pulled the plug early so it wouldn't interfere with the games.

SI

[tdydynasty]

thank for cbs to pull the plug on the Pope coverage. It is on 100 channels anyway.

[SunDancer]

We're in the realm of the Boston affiliate, and there are no local teams playing, so I'm afraid of what CBS will do here.

Personally, I think they should break in with a brief special report, no more than a minute.

The reason I say that is that everyone who has a television knows by now that the pope is in pretty bad shape. So the new news is very limited in scope.

If people want more details, they can change channels to one of the many that will be providing in-depth coverage from that moment on.

While I agree that the pope dying is bigger news, world-wide or even country-wide, than the results of an NCAA semifinal, you could also argue that the sudden death of Allison Freebagel in Petaluna last Thursday was bigger news than a rerun of Joey. Yet you didn't see NBC affiliates breaking into coverage.

Moralizing about the value of the life of JP2 means nothing to the discussion. That's up to the individual. I agree that as popes go, he was a good man. Unless they're planning on cancelling the game if the pope dies, CBS needs to televise the game.


Good post Jim. I like the "break in for a special report" for a minute, and I don't mind the break betwen the games to be for a special report/update. In reality, I'm not sure what is their really to watch about the special reports of this nature in all honesty. CBS shouldn't offend those who aren't Catholic or really all that interested in it.

[Gary Gorski]

In reality, I'm not sure what is their really to watch about the special reports of this nature in all honesty.

It depends how you view John Paul II. Personally I think he led an amazing life and is one of the most significant people that has lived in the past 25 years and this his contributions to the world - to both Catholics and non Catholics - over the period of his papacy are unmatched by anyone else who has lived in that time period.

To me, I'm watching the coverage because there are wonderful things being told about his life and the fascinating experiences he had in his life. The number of near death experiences he has had in his life and his experiences with the Nazis are amazing stories in of themselves.

He was a man that cared about the human rights of every individual in the world regardless of their social status, race or creed. He helped bring down communism in Eastern Europe, helped bring Christians and Jews together and was a extremely intelligent, charasmatic leader who has authored some incredible letters and books. He's much more than a person I admire simply because I'm Catholic and he was the leader of my faith. I think that his death today is very significant because he will be remembered as one of history's great men because he was much more than just a religious leader.