A former first lady has brought a little harmony and agreement to the competitive media realm.
Since the death of Barbara Bush at age 92 on Tuesday, the coverage in print, broadcast and online has portrayed her as a beloved and respected public figure, a devoted and down-to-earth matriarch and a woman of great faith. The collective media has produced timelines, photo essays, positive editorials and affectionate commentary for the last 72 hours.
“She was known as America’s grandmother — and ordinary Americans are lining up to pay their respects, with many mourners donning pearls in a nod to the former first lady’s signature accessory,” People magazine noted Friday.
Her final goodbye has warranted significant wall-to-wall coverage through carefully crafted and ambitious “special report” presentations lasting from two- to three hours.
The private funeral services for Mrs. Bush on Saturday in Houston has been covered live by every broadcast and cable network in the nation, each sending their most high-profile anchors and correspondents. Coverage includes input from presidential historians and veteran journalists who knew the former first lady personally during her time in the White House.
Programming on Fox News began at noon with anchor Shepard Smith broadcasting live from St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston. Chief political anchor Bret Baier — who covered the second term of the Bush administration in 2006 — and senior political analyst Brit Hume is also featured.
Fox News anchor Dana Perino — who served as White House press secretary under the George W. Bush administration and knew the former first lady personally — is part of the team, along with senior political correspondents Mike Emanuel and Adam Housley.
C-SPAN provides complete coverage for those who favor a minimum of intrusive commentary or fancy onscreen graphics.
CNN’s special coverage began at 10 a.m. featuring anchor Wolf Blitzer, chief political correspondent Dana Bash and chief national correspondent John King reporting from the network’s Washington bureau.
Special correspondent Jamie Gangel, who has long profiled the Bush family, reports from St. Martin’s church, along with correspondents Kaylee Hartung and Kate Bennett, who covers the East Wing of the White House, are live as well. Offering tributes: CNN presidential historians Douglas Brinkley and Tim Naftali, contributor Kate Andersen Brower and Kristan King Nevins, former chief of staff for Barbara Bush.
“CNN will carry uninterrupted coverage of the service,” the network reports.
NBC and sister network MSNBC feature special coverage titled “Remembering Barbara Bush,” to began at noon on both networks. Correspondents include Tom Brokaw, Andrea Mitchell, Kelly O’Donnell, Nicole Wallace, Craig Melvin, presidential historian Michael Beschloss, Brian Williams and Chris Matthews.
ABC News presents “Celebrating Barbara Bush” featuring chief anchor George Stephanopoulos, anchor Amy Robach and Mark Updegrove, a presidential historian and president of the LBJ Foundation.
Special coverage on CBS includes CBS “This Morning Saturday” co-host Anthony Mason and anchor Reena Ninan, plus correspondents Bianna Golodryga, Weijia Jiang and veteran newsman Bob Schieffer.
CBS “Sunday Morning” will feature a story on the funeral as well as a commentary by historian Douglas Brinkley. “Face the Nation” will also provide coverage on Sunday.
In one form or another, the reports will be livestreamed online or available on-demand at network websites.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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