The confirmation hearings for Judge John Roberts will receive limited coverage as news nets focus on the aftermath of Katrina, Variety says.

"Democrats are sure to frame their questions provocatively, but with no coverage, it's like the tree falling in the forest and no one hears," Paul Waldman, senior fellow at the liberal Media Matters for America, complains.

"When the Senate hearings begin this morning, the cable news networks plan to dip in and out after carrying some opening statements," Howard Kurtz adds.

> PBS, Court TV and C-SPAN3 will carry the hearings live...

> FOXNews.com is touting live coverage online...

> Brian Williams will be anchoring some coverage on MSNBC...