Election Night 2024: A Celebration of Technology, But a Missed Opportunity for Innovation

As television networks unveiled their election night coverage plans for 2024, one thing became clear: while the technology powering these broadcasts has evolved dramatically, the fundamental approach hasn’t changed significantly over the past two decades. 

Despite declining traditional viewership numbers and changing audience habits, most networks seemed content to add a fresh coat of paint to their tried-and-true formulas.

This year’s coverage highlighted an industry caught between innovation and tradition, with most outlets opting for incremental changes rather than wholesale reinvention. The result? A night of television that felt simultaneously cutting-edge and oddly dated.

This isn’t to say it wasn’t good television or worth the effort, as countless hours went into making it possible… just the time is quickly coming for broadcasters to adapt to survive as they face growing pressure from new competitors and shareholders.  

The most visible change across networks was the widespread adoption of augmented reality and virtual production techniques, such as virtual set extensions. 

NBC News transformed Studio 4E into a virtual vista overlooking Rockefeller Plaza, CBS News reconfigured Studio 1515 with an impressive array of AR capabilities and Telemundo transformed part of its Telemundo Center adding a 360-degree virtual environment.

Overall, these implementations didn’t distract from the viewing experience and were largely used to help further the data and story of the night. 

Compare this relatively conservative approach to international broadcaster Al Arabiya’s coverage, where the network turned the Dubai skyline into an immersive electoral canvas, complete with virtual Capitol buildings and data visualization that would make a Hollywood effects house proud.  The contrast highlights American networks’ reluctance to push creative boundaries too far, even as they invest heavily in new technology.

If there was one common thread across every network’s coverage, it was the ubiquitous presence of touchscreen displays and their designated operators.

What began as MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki phenomenon has evolved into an arms race, with each network hoping to replicate that magic – which saw nearly 10 million YouTube views on election night.

The result of this replication? Plenty of analysts poking at screens.

While the data inside a touchscreen can add value (such as diving deep into Bucks County), it’s not always the “right” delivery method. Only CBS (at the local station level) opted to move some data analysis from a touchscreen to a full virtual set, which allowed for a better visual presentation. 

When every network has its version of the “big board,” it stops being special and starts feeling like mandatory theater.

The night’s most intriguing broadcast came from an unlikely source: Amazon Prime Video’s “Election Night Live” hosted by Brian Williams.

Broadcasting from an MGM soundstage, the production utilized an LED volume wall to create panoramic virtual views of Americana – complete with classic cars, barns and winding highways lined with American flags.

The broadcast even began with a different approach to a cold open, one that wasn’t overly dramatic but something more akin to a History Channel special. 

While the technical execution occasionally felt rough around the edges, Amazon’s willingness to experiment with format and presentation offered a glimpse of what election coverage could become.

The more relaxed pace and unconventional setting created something familiar and fresh. Yet even this bold experiment didn’t fully break free from traditional conventions, still relying heavily on panels of political consultants and conventional analysis.

Perhaps the most significant story of the night wasn’t about what appeared on screen, but who was watching – or instead, wasn’t watching. Nielsen reported a 25% decline in traditional television viewership compared to 2020, with just 42.3 million viewers across 18 networks. Meanwhile, streaming platforms saw unprecedented engagement, with YouTube alone accounting for 84 million hours of election-related watch time.

This shift in viewing habits extends beyond just platform preferences.

Alternative sources like political commentators on Rumble and Twitch streamers drew significant audiences, suggesting viewers increasingly seek coverage that aligns with their preferred style and perspective rather than traditional network presentations.

Maybe it’s time for networks to consider engaging these audiences with dedicated streams.

The broadcasting industry is already facing great challenges in the years ahead, with audiences looking at new ways to engage with content and on new platforms. 

While networks have embraced new technology, they’ve been far more hesitant to rethink their approach to election coverage.

Factual reporting is, of course, still the most important element, especially in a tone and manner that doesn’t confuse but informs an audience, especially as data continues to pour in. 

But with the continued decline in traditional viewership, technical innovations alone won’t be enough to stem the tide of viewers migrating to alternative platforms.

The success of streaming coverage, whether through established platforms like YouTube or newcomers like Amazon Prime Video, indicates audiences are ready for something different. The question is whether networks will take the hint and push broadcasts further “outside the box” while they still have the audience. 

As election night demonstrated, the tools for reinvention are already here. What’s needed now is the will to use them in truly transformative ways. 

It’s worth noting that election night represents the television news industry’s equivalent of the Super Bowl – a massive undertaking requiring months and even years of preparation and thousands of hours of work from hundreds of talented professionals.

These productions showcase broadcast journalism at its most ambitious, with networks deploying hundreds of journalists nationwide, coordinating multiple control rooms and processing vast amounts of data in real-time.

The dedication and skill required to pull off these complex broadcasts deserve recognition.

However, acknowledging this excellence shouldn’t prevent us from asking whether all this impressive machinery could be deployed in service of something transformative. 

As viewing habits continue to evolve, perhaps the greatest tribute to these hardworking professionals would be giving them the freedom to reinvent election night coverage for a new era rather than simply adding another layer of technological polish.