CNN’s Clarissa Ward has been in conflict zones all through her profession as a overseas correspondent. However reporting from an underground subway platform in a big European metropolis crammed with Ukrainians searching for refuge from a attainable air strike was a throwback to a different period.
“It jogged my memory of World Battle II scenes we’ve been proven within the U.Okay. of individuals taking shelter in tube stations in the course of the Blitz,” Ward mentioned in an interview Thursday from Kharkiv, the second-largest metropolis in Ukraine.
She introduced an nearly surreal scene of civilians sitting on chilly concrete flooring and in darkened subway automobiles, afraid of what was coming subsequent throughout Russia’s unprovoked full-scale army invasion of their nation.
“As a result of it was so acquainted and it’s Europe, it was extra putting,” mentioned Ward, who has carried out excursions all through the Center East. “No person believed this was going to occur, and there may be profound shock. Nobody right here has ever skilled something like this.”
Ward’s report created what are more likely to be among the many lasting iconic pictures of the worldwide disaster that can fill hours of TV information protection within the coming weeks as Ukraine will get pounded by Russian forces.
“We’re on as excessive alert as a information group might be,” mentioned Janelle Rodriguez, editorial senior vice chairman for NBC Information.
Broadcast networks broke into leisure programming, turning to their information anchors, whose somber tones portended the historic nature of what viewers have been about to see.
“We could also be witnessing now what’s the starting of the bloodiest battle in Europe since World Battle II,” mentioned “CBS Night Information” anchor Norah O’Donnell alongside video of Ukrainian cities the place explosions have been heard Wednesday night time.
Networks had graphic packages able to model their protection (“Ukraine Invasion” on MSNBC and “Russia Invades Ukraine” on CNN).
The 24-hour cable information networks — which used provocative opinion hosts to attract audiences in recent times — have leaned on their correspondents to offer real-time reporting on the assault.
Whereas they don’t get the eye obtained by Fox Information Channel’s stars who discuss politics, Jennifer Griffin, the community’s senior nationwide safety correspondent, and veteran worldwide reporters Steve Harrigan, Mike Tobin and Greg Palkot are a long-running group with expertise in masking the area and logging vital airtime.
“After we discuss, I need folks to pay attention,” Griffin mentioned. “I don’t should be on each hour. I don’t should be on day-after-day. All of this thread has been constructing for 20 years.”
Fox Information’ conservative hosts and commentators have been harshly crucial of President Joe Biden’s dealing with of the scenario. However Griffin, who noticed Russian President Vladimir Putin close-up when she was based mostly in Moscow in the course of the late Nineties, has not been afraid to contradict them when their views or theories battle together with her reporting and huge historic data of the area.
Fox Information Senior Nationwide Safety Correspondent Jennifer Griffin.
(Fox Information)
“I’ve at all times been a fact-based reporter,” mentioned Griffin, who has been based mostly on the Pentagon for 14 years. “That’s my job. That’s what they pay me to do. My purpose day-after-day is to determine the reality and share it with our viewers. The explanation my viewers trusts me is I don’t give my opinion.”
The unpredictability of the occasions led community information operations to maintain their cameras fastened on places all through Ukraine. With the opportunity of an assault at any time, a number of of them used “squeeze backs” throughout their industrial breaks to run scheduled spots in an adjoining field with out interrupting the feed.
The method permits networks to maintain their advert income with out lacking any motion. Nonetheless, if casualties result in extra grotesque pictures, advertisers are more likely to pull their commercials.
Industrial “squeeze backs” can create some jarring moments for viewers. One video getting play on social media confirmed CNN shrinking its dwell shot of air raid sirens sounding in Kyiv to make room for a rowdy Applebee’s restaurant industrial with Zac Brown Band’s “Rooster Fried” as its soundtrack.
Former cable information host Keith Olbermann tweeted: “Demise from the skies…sponsored by @applebees.”
Damaging response to a number of the juxtapositions led to CNN dropping the squeeze again adverts later Thursday.
However the networks are placing some enterprise issues apart as they current the grim and harmful story that’s headed into uncharted territory.
NBC Information made its feed from cable information channel MSNBC accessible over the NBC Information Now streaming channel. Customers sometimes want a pay TV subscription to look at MSNBC on-line. CNN has dropped the pay wall in related circumstances.
The strategy additionally aimed toward making certain the security of correspondents. Doing a single dwell report that airs throughout broadcast, cable and streaming limits their publicity in harmful conditions.
Cable networks are altering their schedules as nicely to cope with the disaster.
Clarissa Ward reporting dwell Thursday from a subway station turned bomb shelter in Kharkiv.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Instances)
MSNBC host Rachel Maddow is returning early from her monthlong hiatus to seem on the community’s prime-time protection on Thursday. She can be scheduled to be again within the studio Monday and Tuesday to cowl President Biden’s State of the Union handle.
Fox Information has preempted its late-night comedy discuss present “Gutfeld!” to offer straight information protection of the battle with anchor Shannon Bream.
