WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com
The LA Times is the first to just say that Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver will be moved from the Pepsi Center to Invesco Field at Mile High, as opposed to it being just under consideration:
The unusual move, confirmed by two sources, would be an echo of John F. Kennedy's acceptance speech in 1960. Kennedy delivered his address before thousands of supporters at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Obama's big moment also would fall on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.And the TV networks don't know what to do:
...
Officials involved in planning the event said the challenge of filling the stadium didn't seem to be much of a worry for the Obamians, who attracted huge crowds during their primary campaign this spring. More worrisome, they said, were issues of logistics and security for all the Democratic dignitaries at the convention -- plus the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms in the open-air stadium.
Network insiders tell TVNewser an emergency meeting of the five networks (ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX & NBC) will occur Monday afternoon to determine what to do about Thursday's news....Some more no-comments:No decision has been made but insiders tell us the Obama campaign is expected to announce the move on Monday....
This creates issues for the networks for whom the costly setup, transmission and overall operation of the first three days and nights now might mean moving production of the final night to the Denver Broncos football stadium. Workspaces, anchor locations and all that goes along with a remote network news production would have to be shuffled for the final night.
The networks could hold off on sending resources for the first three days and devote more of their budgets to the final day. Its doubtful, however, that the networks would forgo sending their star anchors. The cable networks and news Websites could also use the DNC feed of the proceedings for the first three days, something networks are not prone to do since it would mean giving up editorial control to the party.
“No decision has been made in regards to this,” wrote Matthew Chandler, the Colorado press secretary for the Obama campaign in an e-mail. A spokesperson at Obama’s Chicago headquarters declined to elaborate and Denver’s convention host committee declined to comment. - Denver PostInterestingly, Denver's Channel 7 noted in late May that the University of Colorado said the Barack Obama campaign has asked about renting the school's football stadium for a rally during the week of the Democratic convention. This wouldn't make sense during the convention, but would make for a nice Friday morning event.
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