Falwell Dead: “Much Favored By Outlets In The Mainstream Media…”

All the cable news networks reported Jerry Falwell‘s death at 1:33pm.

ABC and NBC aired special reports a couple minutes later. Charles Gibson anchored from DC on ABC and Chris Jansing anchored on NBC.

At 1:27pm, MSNBC said a local radio station had reported Falwell’s death, but emphasized that it was unconfirmed.

“We remember him in the news business… because he played an important role as a Christian right leader in American politics, but I think the height of that was probably roughly 20 years ago,” Brit Hume said on FNC at 1:45pm. “…He continued to be a talking head on television. He was much favored by outlets in the mainstream media in particular becuase he was given to say quite controversial things, which made news, made noise…”