ABSTRACT
The most prominent differences between CNN and ABC during 1992 were distinctions of form. Throughout the campaign, ABC reported more statements about the election on "World News Tonight" than CNN did on "PrimeNews." Overall, six in ten election statements were broadcast on ABC, a figure that varied little between campaign stages. Over the months, the networks differed in the amount of interest they paid to the campaign. CNN chose to represent the election to its evening audience as a regular story worthy of fairly steady attention. The networks packaged the election story differently, each relying on a style of presentation suitable to its format. ABC emphasized the anchor-introduced reporter piece, whereby Peter Jennings would lead into a videotaped report of roughly 90 to 120 seconds' duration. CNN utilized this format as well but relied more often on shorter reports relayed directly by the news anchors and, at times, on far longer reporter background pieces.
