When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, the only way to get the news out to the new nation’s 2.5 million citizens was via fledgling newspapers, with dispatches carried on horseback and by ships traversing coastal ports. Compare this to today’s United States, with 330-plus million inhabitants and the technology to instantaneously reach almost anyone with HD video.
To get ready for the event called by a name few people will probably use—”Semiquincentennial”—TV networks and station groups are offering hundreds of hours of special-event programming and taking advantage of 21st-century technologies to deliver it to anyone within reach of a TV or mobile device.
Plenty of Celebratory Fare Already Underway
ABC’s “Good Morning America” is running “50 States in 50 Weeks,” a yearlong series where a “GMA” anchor or correspondent will visit different states in order of their admission into the Union, a network spokesperson said. The feature showcases a state’s history, notable landmarks, culture and traditions.
Station group Sinclair initiated special event programming last December with the first installment of “Amazing America 250: From Neighborhood to Nation,” which aired in connection with the annual Army-Navy football game.
Additionally, Sinclair stations are featuring stories spotlighting American innovation, U.S. heroes, and everyday Americans making a difference in various communities where Sinclair has a presence. This series, “The National News Desk…America’s News Now,” airs weekly through July.
“‘Amazing America 250’ is a reflection of Sinclair’s mission to enrich local lives in every community we serve,” Sinclair President and CEO Chris Ripley said. “From national specials to local stories, from everyday heroes in our neighborhoods to defining moments in our shared history, this campaign honors and celebrates America’s journey.”
NBCUniversal Local’s NBC and Telemundo stations began a 100-day celebration of the 250th in March, with the initial airing of “Our 250th” (“Nuestros 250” in Spanish), featuring news coverage, historical vignettes and other programming celebrating the 250th anniversary of the nation’s independence. The final segment airs July 4th with six hours of live coverage of the “Sail4th 250” event from New York Harbor, an event billed as the largest assemblage in history of international ships in U.S. waters.
“We’re excited to launch this special initiative to inform, entertain and support our communities as we count down the final 100 days to our national celebration on Independence Day, which we’re proud to commemorate by presenting Sail4th 250’s festivities to audiences nationwide,” NBCU Local Chairman Valari Dobson Staab said.
NBC and Telemundo stations will also air programming tailored to their communities highlighting local traditions and historically notable individuals and locales.
Fox News Media is also celebrating the country’s 250th birthday in a big way.
“Fox News Media will be the place for Americans to experience the celebration of America’s 250th—with comprehensive coverage designed to meet audiences wherever they are,” Fox News Media Senior Vice President of Politics Jessica Loker said. “Viewers can count on Fox News to be on the ground for the signature celebrations in Washington, such as ‘Rededicate 250’ on the National Mall, the National Observance of Memorial Day, the Great American State Fair and Salute to America on the Fourth of July. Beyond the capital, Fox News will broadcast live from Sail4th in New York and the opening of the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library in North Dakota.”
Fox News began its special Semiquincentennial programming last New Year’s Eve, Loker noted, with coverage of the six-night special illumination of the Washington Monument and the celebratory fireworks that officially kicked off the nation’s 250th birthday event.
Fox’s special programming for the 250th concludes July 4, with that day dedicated to “expansive, live multiplatform coverage creating a unifying, immersive all-day experience across all screens,” said Loker. “Through real-time reporting and live broadcasts, Americans can come together to watch the celebrations unfold as they happen.”
‘My American Story’
Nexstar Media Group has also been commemorating the country’s birthday event with its share of special programming, including a cross-platform initiative, “My American Story.”
“As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Nexstar and our new content studio are uniquely positioned to tell the nation’s story—not from one city or one network, but from every community across the country,” said Dan Lanzano, Nexstar’s president of national advertising sales, adding that the content initiative “reflects the heart of who we are” and is “deeply connected to the people and places that make this country extraordinary.”
The series is available on the group’s national and local outlets as well as a website, myamericanstory.tv. Other special Nexstar programming includes “Main Street USA,” which highlights the revitalization of small communities, and “Celebrating Main Street on Route 66,” which honors the nation’s 100-year-old “Mother Road.”
Although CBS hadn’t finalized its coverage plans at press time, it did reveal what its owned-and-operated stations had in store.
Special coverage in the New York market served by WCBS-TV began in April with
“Tri-State 250: Our Legacy of Liberty,” a series airing three times each day and spotlighting Revolutionary-era sites and stories across New York, Connecticut and New Jersey.
KYW-TV, CBS’s Philadelphia operation, is airing programming focusing on that region’s role in America’s founding and its continuing influence today. The series “Founded in Philly” includes historic neighborhoods, civic institutions and community events.
In Detroit, CBS’s WWJ-TV is featuring historical and cultural subjects including the city’s automotive industry, Motown Records and the Underground Railroad.
The network is planning expanded coverage of major July 4th commemorative and civic celebrations, including a number of large-scale events taking place in metropolitan New York City.
The National Association of Broadcasters has also been very much involved in Semiquincentennial-year doings, issuing targeted spot announcements and information and suggestions to assist stations in engaging with their communities of license in connection with the big event.
“As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we are proud to spotlight the unique role broadcasters play as trusted recorders of history,” NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said.
Marking an 18th-Century Event With 21st-Century Technology
Our country’s last big birthday celebration was in 1976. While television played a large role in making Bicentennial events accessible to the general population—save for the use of some early minicams and a few satellite-delivered remotes—there was little in the way of “high tech.” Things have changed a lot in 50 years.
The last time the U.S. celebrated its birthday in a really big way was in 1976. While television played a large role in making major Bicentennial events accessible to the general population, save for use of a few minicams that arrived with the ENG movement a year or so earlier and some satellite-delivered remote feeds (NBC was bold enough to attempt a July 4 live feed from Yellowstone National Park using yet-unproven Ku-band spectrum), there was little in the way of “high tech.” Things have changed a lot in that regard in the past 50 years.
All coverage of the 250th will be delivered in high definition, and most programming will be available over-the-air and streamed to smartphones and tablets in formats customized for those devices.
With such a multiplatform approach, “we have the ability to lift up smaller, deeply local stories and share them far beyond a single newscast or market,” Tegna Chief Content Officer Adrienne Roark said. “Rather than focusing on a single, national, over-the-top production that showcases new technology, we’re using our streaming and mobile resources to meet audiences where they are and using these tools to make local stories national in scope.”
Additional tech that was unthinkable back in the analog days of 1976 is also enhancing the viewing experience.
“Our field operations and production teams are taking advantage of HDR technology when appropriate,” noted Fox News Media’s Loker, adding that drones will play a major role in that network’s July 4th coverage. “If there is one technology that truly elevates these broadcasts, it is the use of drones. The Fox Flight team will be deployed to capture sweeping aerial views and showcase celebrations from unique perspectives across the country.”
Sinclair stations will use ATSC 3.0 over-the-air broadcasts to “to deliver enhanced visual storytelling and immersive viewing experiences [to ensure] audiences can engage with the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary across multiple platforms,” spokesperson Jessica Bellucci said.
CBS O&Os are even leveraging augmented and virtual reality in their coverage.
“Many of our stations are unique in the sense that they are the only station group that has augmented reality/virtual reality technology-driven studios,” said Elita Fielder Adjei, senior vice president of communications at CBS Stations. “Viewers will be able to see special programming that is produced within this environment.”
CBS’s KPIX San Francisco will be using AR/VR “to tell historical stories, giving viewers an immersive look at life for Indigenous communities in 1776,” Adjei noted, while KYW-TV will also tap AR/VR “in connection with its ‘Founded in Philly’ initiatives, including ‘Philly Is Proud,’ ‘Philly Is Innovative’ and ‘Philly Is a Vibe.’”
This year is certain to be remembered as a very special one for our country and for the special television coverage that’s being made available to viewers.
