NPR is buzzing

Just as NCPR gears up for the evening's coverage of regional elections, NPR is buzzing and getting ready to bring results from around the country. I'm stationed in Studio 4A, election coverage-central. I've received a copy of the 12 page Election Night 2006 game-plan for NPR News staff.

I just asked Jay Kernis, VP for Programming at NPR, what would set NPR's coverage apart from every other radio or tv network's coverage. He said, "Everyone else will give you results, we'll have results plus the best analysis and discussion about what it all means."

Senior Correspondents Robert Siegel and Linda Wertheimer will be anchoring the NPR coverage until 1 AM Eastern; then Andrea Seabrook and Don Gonyea take over until 5 AM tomorrow.

Ellen Weiss, who is acting VP for News, had this to say about what's different this year: NO EXIT POLLS. Ellen says that NPR decided it would not buy any exit polls this year. Why? Because in 2000 and 2004 they were wrong, and in 2002 they didn't deliver in a timely fashion. So, no exit poll extrapolations or theorizing...not on NPR coverage, anyway. The other big deal: web coverage. Very exciting to see the results board in 4A essentially reproduced on NPR (and NCPR) websites, and to follow results with the maps and background info. Check it out!

More soon.
Ellen Rocco, from studio 4A at NPR