CBS News has announced its coverage plans for the upcoming political conventions, which kick off next week in Tampa. Coverage will be led by “CBS Evening News” anchor Scott Pelley, “Face the Nation” anchor Bob Schieffer and “CBS This Morning” co-hosts Charlie Rose and Norah O’Donnell.

In addition to hosting “Evening News” from Tampa and Charlotte for the duration of the respective conventions, Pelley will helm a one-hour primetime special at 10pmET on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of both the DNC and the RNC. Schieffer will be live from Tampa the Sunday before the RNC and from Charlotte the Sunday before the DNC for “Face the Nation.” Rose will host “CBS This Morning” from Tampa and Charlotte, with co-host Gayle King remaining in New York.

Additionally, Bill Whitaker will report from the convention floor in Tampa and Byron Pitts will report from the convention floor in Charlotte. Jan Crawford travels to Tampa with Mitt Romney, while Nancy Cordes travels to Charlotte with President Barack Obama. Bill Plante and John Dickerson will also contribute to the network’s coverage.

More information in CBS’ release, after the jump.

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Christiane Amanpour is among the network anchors packing their bags and heading for Japan. Amanpour will host “This Week” from Tokyo on Sunday, the only Sunday show host to do so. ABC News says “World News” weekend anchor David Muir, and correspondent Clarissa Ward are also en route to Japan to report on the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami.

For NBC News Weekend “Today” and Weekend “Nightly News” anchor Lester Holt, is on his way as is “Today” news anchor Ann Curry. Correspondent Lee Cowan, and Ian Williams are in route as well.

For CBS News, anchor Harry Smith will lead coverage for the network. Correspondent Lucy Craft continues her reporting and correspondents Bill Whitaker and Charlie D’Agata are also en route.

For Fox News, correspondents Adam Housley, David Piper and Greg Palkot are en route.

And here’s who is going, or already there, for CNN.

But it’s Amanpour who gives real meaning to the term globetrotter.

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One year after the earth shook under Haiti, TV news reporters and anchors, producers and photographers, looked at the devastation and the recovery with return trips, special reports, and interviews with celebrities making a difference.

• Fox News’ Bill Hemmer told Cincinnati Magazine that last year’s experience was like “traveling to the moon” because they “had to bring everything” with them to an island with “no electricity, in absolute desolation.” Fox News’ Steve Harrigan — who was there last year — went back to report on the tragedy.
• CNN’s Sanjay Gupta, Anderson Cooper and Gary Tuchman are reporting from Haiti this week. Cooper talked to actor/humanitarian Sean Penn about his work in Haiti. (Update: Cooper stayed in New York for breaking news in Tucson, Ariz.)
• MSNBC contributor and Senior Correspondent for TheGrio Jeff Johnson provided analysis from 30 Rock on his trip to Haiti last year.
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TVNewsers prepare for Haiti earthquake anniversary coverage. During the catastrophic event last year, many tvnewsers went themselves to see what was really going on in Haiti first-hand.

• Fox News Channel is sending Steve Harrigan — who was there last year for the hurricane’s aftermath — back to Haiti. Harrigan will do live reports and packages across the FNC platforms beginning on Monday and throughout the week. He will report on numerous stories — including the state of Haiti and the cholera outbreak.
• CNN’s Sanjay Gupta, Anderson Cooper and Gary Tuchman will be reporting from Haiti.
• MSNBC contributor and Senior Correspondent Jeff Johnson will be doing reports from Haiti.

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“CBS Evening News” has an exclusive jailhouse interview with Laura Silsby, who is currently being held in Haiti as she and nine other Idaho Baptists face kidnapping accusations for trying to leave the country with 33 children. CBS News LA based correspondent Bill Whitaker snagged the exclusive that will air tonight.

The network morning shows didn’t let their November sweeps stories get in the way of real, live breaking news. ABC’s Good Morning America was live with both Chris Cuomo and Sam Champion reporting on the California wildfires. Bill Whitaker reported for CBS’ The Early Show and Chris Jansing for NBC’s Today show.



On NBC, their anchors were a bit tied up, as they began reporting from “The Ends of the Earth.”



Later this week, TVNewser will have behind-the-scenes videos, live chats and more from each network’s week-’o-stunts — NBC’s Ends of the Earth, ABC’s Hot Seat and CBS’ Destination Unknown.

The National Association of Black Journalists’ has named the 2008 Salute to Excellence Awards winners. CBS News picked up five of the 12 awards in the network television categories.

The network won in Winning in Long Form News (CBS Evening News), Investigative (Early Show), Long Form Feature (60 Minutes), Public Affairs Segment (60 Minutes) and Public Affairs Interview/Discussion (Early Show).

In attendance at the awards ceremony over the weekend were Byron Pitts and Bill Whitaker of the Evening News.

NBC News picked up three awards for Short Form News (Nightly News), Short Form Feature (Nightly News) and Spot News (Dateline). CNN won one award for Documentary (a “Black in America” special) and ABC won one in Specialty (Robin Roberts‘ “Breast Cancer Journey” on GMA). BET News won two awards.

Anderson Cooper won an award, but not for CNN — it was for his work with 60 Minutes.