Networks Announce Katrina Anniversary Coverage

As we arrive at the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this month, the news nets are prepping special coverage to mark the occasion. We will update as we learn more, but here’s what we’ve heard so far:

	Brian Williams will anchor “NBC Nightly News” from New Orleans on August 26, 27, 29, and 30th where he will interview Brad Pitt and Harry Connick Jr. for segments on the 27th and 28th. Williams will also moderate “Meet the Press” from nearby Jackson Square on the 29th. “Dateline” will air a special hour titled “Hurricane Katrina: The First Five Days” airing the 22nd. Al Roker and Matt Lauer will co-anchor NBC’s “Today” show from New Orleans on Friday the 27th.
	Bob Woodruff will report a series for ABC News titled “Katrina: Where Things Stand,” which will first appear on “World News” the 26th and continue on “GMA” and “Nightline.” On Friday the 27th, Robin Roberts will anchor “Good Morning America” from her hometown of Pass Christian, MS, which was devastated by the storm.
	CBS’ Harry Smith will anchor “The Early Show” from New Orleans on Friday the 27th for full anniversary coverage throughout the program. Mark Strassman will report that day for “Evening News” and Jeff Greenfield will have a report for “CBS Sunday Morning.” Russ Mitchell will anchor Sunday’s “Evening News” from New Orleans as well. The Saturday “Early Show” and “Evening News” will also provide coverage.The network will also have a special CBS News poll on Katrina’s impact and aftermath.

	For CNN, Anderson Cooper hosted the “CNN Heroes: Coming Back from Katrina” special, which premiered over the weekend. Additionally, Cooper will anchor “AC360” live from New Orleans the 25th-27th and will host “In Katrina’s Wake” on the 26th. Soledad O’Brien’s documentary “New Orleans Rising” debuts this Saturday evening. We spoke to O’Brien about the doc for our latest Media Beat. John Roberts anchors “American Morning” on the 27th from the Lower 9th Ward with O’Brien reporting live.
	Jonathan Hunt, Trace Gallagher, and Arthel Neville will be reporting from the Gulf for “Studio B” and “Fox Report” starting on Thursday the 26th.Shepard Smith spoke to the NY Daily News about his involvement with the network’s coverage.
	MSNBC will air “Brian Williams Reports: A Return to New Orleans” at 10pmET on September 10th. Rachael Maddow will anchor her program live from New Orleans on August 26 and 27th, Tamron Hall will anchor MSNBC dayside from there August 27-29, and Ed Schultz will anchor his program from the convention center August 30th.
	Senior correspondent Scott Cohn will report from New Orleans for CNBC.
	PBS’ “NewsHour” is planning several reports for the on-air broadcast as well as the website that will be reported by health correspondent Betty Ann Bowser including “NOLA, Five Years Later,” which revisits interviewees from five years ago.