The death of Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia forced broadcast and cable news into breaking news coverage Saturday afternoon. Among cable news networks, Fox News reported the story first, at 5:05 p.m. ET, followed by CNN at 5:09 and then MSNBC, at 5:12 p.m. ET.
The cable nets remain in rolling coverage at this hour.
CBS News broke into golf coverage with the news at 5:15 p.m. ET, NBC News carried a special report anchored by Erica Hill at 5:18 p.m. ET, and ABC News broke in last, at 5:29.
Chief Justice Roberts issues a statement on Scalia’s death https://t.co/RowKlWCuM1 https://t.co/WM7QylYsWV
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 13, 2016
Will Senate quickly nominate new SCOTUS justice? “We won’t,” @GrahamBlog says, citing Democrats’ “abuse of power.” https://t.co/xtQF4bXy7v
— CBSN (@CBSNLive) February 13, 2016
More: Rachel Maddow phoned in to MSNBC’s coverage at 5:45 p.m. “At a time like this first thoughts have to go to his wife and his family and his friends. Justice scalia was a larger than life person with a huge impact on the course of his country.” At 6:15, Bret Baier picked up coverage on Fox News Channel.
Awaiting statement on Scalia passing from Pres Obama. In the past, Obama had called Scalia “a distinguished scholar” & a “terrific writer.”
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) February 13, 2016
President George W Bush releases statement on Antonin Scalia, calling him a “towering figure” on the Supreme Court. pic.twitter.com/W6WDk8odv0
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) February 13, 2016