Pope: Cable, Online Notes

> “The news was conveyed in an e-mail to the world’s media by papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls,” MSNBC.com says.

> The cable news networks have dropped their tickers; “All other news stops for a while,” an e-mailer says.

> I like the FOXNews.com home page the most: It’s a huge purple graphic, without much text. MSNBC.com is using their large-graphic format. Their video gallery is particularly impressive. CNN.com has published their special report.

> An e-mailer describes the “NBC archive advantage:” “Now that the Pope has died, MSNBC tonight plans to mix live coverage with historic Pope video — moments that were recorded before CNN or Fox came into existence. Some of the reports that will air for Olbermann/Matthews between 6pm and 10pm are incredible… especially the highlight reel of the Pope’s first USA visit in ’79…”

> CNN.com’s breaking news alert: “Pope John Paul II, the spiritual leader to more than 1 billion Catholics who spread his message worldwide in his 26-year papacy, has died, Vatican sources tell CNN.”
> “CNN/I, thus CNN/US, were in the middle of a “standup” from Kelley Wallace when the Pope has died graphic was put up, Jonathan Mann interrupted Kelley to announce the news,” What’s Happening At CNN says. HLN also took the CNNI feed.