News networks broke into their regular programming Thursday with special reports on the death of South African president Nelson Mandela, who passed at the age of 95.
MSNBC cut into programming at 4:44 p.m. (ET), with ABC right behind at 4:46 p.m. Fox News Channel, The CW, NBC, CNN and CBS all went to special reports as well.
ABC will air a special edition of Nightline on Mandela live tonight on both coasts Thursday.
President Barack Obama addressed the nation from the White House beginning at 5:25 p.m., which was carried by all the news networks. He spoke until about 5:30.
NBC was scheduled air a one-hour Nightly News on Mandela tonight.
For CNN, Anderson Cooper will anchor coverage from 8-11 p.m. ET, along with Robyn Curnow (from South Africa), Christine Amanpour and Wolf Blitzer.
FNC said it will continue coverage of Mandela throughout its primetime (7-11PM/ET). FNC has producer Paul Tilsley and a crew in South Africa. Senior correspondent Greg Palkot is traveling to South Africa and will begin coverage this weekend.
CNN Films' An Unreal Dream, which was scheduled for 9 p.m., will be rescheduled.
