Election Night coverage is expanding beyond traditional television, with independent journalists and digital creators preparing livestreams and special programs for the midterms. Many are hoping to attract new viewers, subscribers and advertisers as audiences increasingly turn to social platforms for news.

Scott MacFarlane, formerly of CBS News, will begin livestreaming for the progressive outlet MeidasTouch at 7 p.m. Tuesday. He will appear alongside former MSNBC host Katie Phang. MacFarlane says the format will let him speak directly to viewers without a teleprompter or a producer shaping his contributions.

Other projects bring together familiar names from broadcast news. Former NBC News political editor Chuck Todd and colleague Chris Cillizza will host “The Projection,” streaming on YouTube, X, Substack, Decision Desk HQ’s Votes portal and Noosphere. Piers Morgan is traveling from London to host several nights of coverage in Washington, while former anchors Jim Acosta and Katie Couric will broadcast from the University of Virginia. Their guests are scheduled to include Rahm Emanuel, Pete Buttigieg and Tara Setmayer. Don Lemon will host a New York City program featuring guests including Joy Reid and Hunter Biden.

C-SPAN also plans to simulcast hours of coverage from The Young Turks and conservative commentator Patrick Bet-David. Meanwhile, Fox Nation will air a three-hour live special led by the hosts of the “Ruthless” podcast, complementing Fox News’ election coverage rather than competing with it, co-host Josh Holmes says.

Traditional outlets are also experimenting with digital formats. NBC News is launching its first vertical-video program, hosted by Gadi Schwartz from Texas, with conversations involving journalists in other parts of the country. The program will appear on NBC News’ social media accounts and Schwartz’s own feeds.

The shift is driven partly by commercial prospects. Rashida Jones, CEO of Morgan’s company and a former MSNBC chief, says advertisers were eager to sponsor its Washington programs. She sees a strong Election Night performance as a chance to build audiences and business. A Pew Research Center survey cited in the report found that 58% of U.S. adults consider social media an important way to keep up with news, up from 43% in a similar 2022 survey.

Couric and Acosta say their experience in network television helped them bring existing audiences to their digital project. They are aiming for a less formal style than traditional election broadcasts, while still delivering important information. Couric says working independently gives them more freedom than they had at their former networks.

Sources: Variety.