TV news played it safe on election night until Fox News declared Democrats' House victory

The New York Times

NBC News, CNN, ABC News and other news outlets seemed wary of declaring victory for the Democrats in retaking the House of Representatives. "Then blue-state redemption arrived from an unlikely source: Fox News," reports The New York Times. "In an aggressive call on a night when many television networks played it safe, Fox News was the first major news organization to project that the Democrats would retake control of the House of Representatives, dealing a blow to the channel’s most famous viewer, President Trump...About 50 minutes after Fox News’ call, NBC News followed suit. CNN did not weigh in with a definitive projection on the House until 11 p.m." This year, the Big Three broadcast networks devoted much more time to covering the midterms. As The Times notes, "ABC, CBS and NBC allotted a supersize block of time — three hours in prime time — to feed viewers’ appetite for political news. Usually, midterms only merit an hour of coverage on the Big Three broadcast stations, usually starting at 10 p.m. Cable news networks, whose ratings now regularly beat rival channels like ESPN, constructed glossy new sets for the occasion; Fox News, for instance, built a hub outside its studio on Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan."

ALSO:

• Sean Hannity was noticeably absent from Fox News' election coverage after appearing on stage with Trump
• CNN had the best presentation on election night
• Beto O'Rourke dropped the F-bomb on live TV while giving his concession speech
• Ted Cruz's victory prompted Stephen Colbert to break the glass for his "emergency drink"
• Seth Meyers had a more upbeat election night reaction compared to two years ago
• Olivia Wilde's mom loses Congressional race to an alleged "devotee of Bigfoot erotica"