America at War

One year after the killing of Osama Bin Laden, there will be special coverage this week of the anniversary.

In what NBC is calling a “first for network television,” “Rock Center with Brian Williams” takes viewers inside the White House’s Situation Room. Airing Wednesday at 9pmET/PT, the program features interviews with President Obama, Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and other top administration officials.

Discovery Channel presents “Secrets of Bin Laden’s Lair,” a one-hour special that will feature what the cabler says is the “very first comprehensive television report” of classified intelligence seized during the Abbottabad compound raid.  Among many other topics, that intelligence gives insight as to Bin Laden’s opinions on American media, including the cable wars between CNN, FNC, and MSNBC. Produced by Peacock Productions, NBC News correspondent Harry Smith narrates the program, Tuesday at 10 pmET/PT.

(Photo: White House/Pete Souza)

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On FNC’s “Happening Now” this afternoon Jon Scott — who also hosts the “FOX News Watch” media analysis show — moderated a debate on the fairness of the news coverage of the end of the Iraq war — which culminated early Sunday morning as the final MRAP vehicle crossed into Kuwait. Alan Colmes and Rich Lowry went head-to-head and it turned into a pretty typical left-right, blue-red debate (apologies for the Hoodie Footie commercial at the top).

At 11:28pmET, U.S. cable news networks broke into coverage as the final U.S. combat troops crossed from Iraq into Kuwait, creating a lasting image for the end to the 8-and-a-half-year war, which was officially declared over on Thursday. CNN/U.S. and CNNI simulcast coverage with Hala Gorani and Don Lemon co-anchoring. Michael Holmes reported from Kuwait, Arwa Damon from Baghdad and Martin Savidge, who traveled the 5-and-a-half hours with the American convoy, reported by phone (and later, around 12:27amET, via livestream from inside an MRAP vehicle) after crossing into Kuwait. CNN/U.S. stayed live until MidnightET (CNNI until 12:30amET) and included interviews with soldiers at Camp Virginia, Kuwait.

On Fox News Geraldo Rivera and Greg Palkot reported live from Kuwait, with the final MRAP truck crossing over at 11:38pmET / 7:38am along the Kuwait/Iraq border. “I have tears in my eyes, so emotional,” said Rivera, who is on his 11th trip to the region. Fox News wrapped coverage at 11:46pm.

MSNBC produced a 4-minute special report with Richard Engel live in Kuwait. Engel too, traveled with the U.S. convoy. “So much has transpired when they crossed this berm in 2003 going North,” said Engel. “They were on their way to topple a dictator. Now they are crossing this berm again. The dictator has been toppled and the troops are going home.”

ABC News senior foreign affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz is profiled in today’s New York Times Sunday Styles section — looking stylish photographed atop ABC News’ Washington DC bureau.

If there has been a glamour beat in television news in recent years, it may well be war correspondent. Starting with the original “Scud Stud,” Arthur Kent of NBC in the 1991 gulf war, conflict reporters, including the current slate of Richard Engel (NBC), Lara Logan (CBS), and Ms. Raddatz’s ABC colleague Alexander Marquardt, have become news media celebrities not just for acting fearless but for looking fabulous.

(Photo: Matt Roth for The New York Times)

The cable networks all broadcast live the annual Veterans Day wreath laying at Arlington National Cemetery. But this year’s ceremony, followed by a speech from Pres. Obama, occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of 2011: 11/11/11.

The wreath was presented at the Tomb of the Unknowns at 11:06am followed by the playing of Taps.

Pres. Obama leaves for San Diego this afternoon where he will deliver remarks on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson. The President will also do interviews with Jim Gray of Westwood One and Andy Katz of ESPN during the Carrier Classic college basketball game on the flight deck of the Carl Vinson.

HLN “Morning Express” anchor Robin Meade is hosting a special primetime hour tomorrow — Veterans Day. “Salute to Troops: Stories of Courage” features the stories of veterans and their families; some of whom have paid the ultimate price for the nation.

Meade traveled across the U.S. for the special. From West Point, Meade interviews Capt. Scotty Smiley a soldier who was blinded and partially paralyzed after an IED attack while serving in Iraq. Meade also features the Blue Star Moms, an organization formed by mothers whose sons and daughters were already serving in the military when the US was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. And Meade meets Dan Nevins and Bryan Wagner who share their stories of the battlefield, rehab and achievements since joining the Wounded Warrior Project.

The special airs on HLN Friday night at 7pmET and will reair Saturday and Sunday at 7pmET.

For the second consecutive day, the broadcast networks broke into regular programming to cover a statement by President Obama. At 12:45 PM ET, Obama announced that the U.S. would withdraw all of its combat troops from Iraq by the end of this year. Yesterday Obama briefly spoke about the death of dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Savannah Guthrie anchored on NBC, joined by Chuck Todd and Richard Engel. Scott Pelley anchored on CBS, joined by Norah O’Donnell and George Stephanopoulos anchored on ABC, joined by Jake Tapper.

Once again, all the cablers covered it live. CNN reported the news at 12:16 PM ET, followed by 12:21 for Fox News and 12:28 for MSNBC.

ABC’s Martha Raddatz will be reporting from Afghanistan this week. Tomorrow she interviews the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan Gen. John Allen, who replaced Gen. David Petraeus in July. Raddatz has made more than two dozen trips to the region, most recently to Afghanistan in May after the killing of Osama bin Laden. Throughout the past decade she has also reported extensively for ABC News from Iraq, Pakistan, and Yemen. Last week, CBS announced Scott Pelley would also be reporting from Afghanistan this week.

A memorial cricket match was held over the weekend at London’s Chiswick House between CBS News and the Rory Peck Trust. The match was played in honor of CBS News cameraman Paul Douglas and soundman James Brolan who were killed by a roadside bomb while on assignment in Baghdad on May 29, 2006. The blast seriously injured correspondent Kimberly Dozier.

More than $13,000 was raised for the Rory Peck Trust which supports freelance news gatherers and their families in times of need. CBS News’s London Bureau Chief Andy Clarke tells TVNewser it was a resounding victory for the Rory Peck team, “but CBS News was comfortable in defeat knowing that they had remembered ‘the boys.’”

That’s the CBS team on the left of the picture above. The Rory Peck team, to the right, was captained by ITV News anchor Mark Austin. Here’s more on the match. And if you’d like to learn more about the Rory Peck Trust, click here.

Pres. Obama is going to talk about the situation in Afghanistan and announce a U.S. troop reduction there, in an address from the White House Wednesday night. ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC are clearing their schedules for the address at 8pmET. For ABC and NBC it means interrupting reruns. NBC will slide “The Voice” results show as FOX slides “So You Think You Can Dance?”

Brian Williams, Diane Sawyer and Scott Pelley will anchoring following their evening news broadcasts. Shepard Smith will anchor a special for FOX after his “FOX Report” on FNC and Judy Woodruff anchors on PBS.

The cable news networks will also carry the address.