CNN’s Jake Tapper began reporting Thursday morning too, through the chaotic overnight events of Friday morning, into late Friday afternoon. FNC’s Bill Hemmer reported for about 32 hours straight Thursday into Friday. And NBC’s Lester Holt, stationed in Watertown, a city which had been under siege all day, finally jubilant as local, state and federal officials made their way out of town. “They were preparing for the worst. Now they are basking in the applause of the crowd. I may be punchy because I have gone 40-some hours without sleep,” said Holt, adding, “I have a big grin on my face. This does take me back to one of the very few good memories of the time related around 9/11. That was when we recognized the hard job our first responders do. They got their credit. That’s what we are seeing here in Watertown tonight.”

Holt, Sanders and dozens of other correspondents and anchors — network and local — who’ve worked long hours all week, are back on the air this morning as the full investigation into the bombings gets underway.

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Shots were heard in the area by several correspondents, including CNN’s Drew Griffin and ABC’s Linsey Davis, around 7pmET. On CNN, Griffin recounted what he had heard for Wolf Blitzer.”I just heard what sounded like multiple assault rifle shots to me. Rapidly fired, and then all of a sudden it stopped,” Griffin said.

Shortly after Griffin’s report, the CNN video feed focused on a shot of the media stand-up locations in Watertown that showed NBC’s Lester Holt readying for a live shot (pictured right).

In addition to the coverage on the cable networks, which has continued throughout the day, all three broadcast networks are on the air with special reports that have extended through the evening newscasts.

Around 7:15pmET, NBC dipped into the feed from New England Cable News and a reporter could clearly be heard saying, “we don’t know shit.”

“Well that was a fortuitous time to dip into New England Cable News. We apologize for the language we inadvertently aired during what was a mix-up of communications on their part,” Brian Williams said immediately.

And it may be a long night: around 7:45pmET, Williams read an email from a law enforcement source on the air that said “Believe it’s him. Slow going here.”  Stay tuned.

More, 8:33 p.m.: On ABC News, Diane Sawyer talked to a resident of the neighborhood who is a friend of the man that tipped the FBI to the suspect’s location in the boat. “He looked up and noticed something was off about his boat, so he got his ladder, and he put his ladder up on the side of the boat and climbed up, and then he saw blood on it, and he thought he saw what was a body,” he said.

More, 8:42p.m.: NBC News is broadcasting WHDH’s special coverage. The NBC affiliate is reporting that the suspect has been taken into custody alive. NBC confirms; ABC News, CBS News follow minutes later.

On cable, Fox News and MSNBC reported the suspect’s arrest at 8:42 p.m., followed by CNN at 8:45 p.m.

By 10:05 President Obama appeared in the briefing room grieving those lost and thanking the people of Boston and first responders. Also, a message for the media — both social and traditional: “In this age of instant reporting, tweets, and blogs, there’s a temptation to latch on to any bit of information, sometimes to jump to conclusions. But when a tragedy like this happens with public safety at risk and the stakes so high, it’s important that we do this right. That’s why we have investigations. That’s why we relentlessly gather the facts.”

All the broadcast networks are in continuing coverage. “20/20″ on ABC, “Rock Center” on NBC and a special report on CBS. At 10:48pm, CBS News airs the first picture of the suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on the ground, getting medical care. “The police commissioner believes that he was shot in the firefight last night and had apparently been bleeding for 20 hours before he was found in the boat,” said Scott Pelley.

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The first reports began coming in after 1am. Networks were cautious of not connecting the shooting of the MIT officer with the search for the bombing suspects. CNN International broke in to CNN/U.S. at 1:13am. MSNBC’s Mara Schiavocampo broke in at 1:18 with the news along with correspondent Kerry Sanders. At 1:24am Fox News’ Marianne Rafferty broke in to a re-air of “On the Record” with news of the MIT shooting.

At 2:24am, as it was becoming clear the holdup, carjacking and MIT incident were related to the blast investigation, CNN’s Jake Tapper held up his iPad to show new photos of the suspects that he’d been emailed.

ABC’s overnight show World News Now kept viewers up to date throughout the night with help from affiliates. George Stephanopoulos anchored his first special report for ABC at 4:30am. NBC’s Lester Holt anchored an NBC News special report around 3:30amET and CBS News broadcast a special report at 4:40am with Anne Marie Green.

Developing…

More, 8:27am: CNN’s Jake Tapper and John Berman, anchoring coverage, are talking to a Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School friend of 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the suspect still on the loose: “To think he’s capable of something like this is beyond belief.”

More: 8:35am: A Fox News is trained on a home in Watertown, MA where local and FBI officials have guns drawn. “Our cameraman is being told to back off,” said Brian Kilmeade.

FNC’s Griff Jenkins was near the firefight last night and this morning explained his rental car “is in the middle of the crime scene.”

More, 9:12am: On CNN, via an interview with CBS owned station WBZ-TV, the uncle of the brothers says his 19-year-old nephew had called another relative last night after his older brother was killed and said, “Forgive me and from now on we will be together.” After reporters apologized to him, the uncle added: “I’m sorry too, if he did this, I’m sorry too. I can’t believe it. It’s so crazy. It’s not possible. When I heard this on TV news, I was thinking how can it be like this?”

Update: ABC and CBS have expanded their morning shows beyond 9am as the manhunt for the 19-year-old suspect continues. NBC’s 9am hour of “Today” is also devoted to the breaking news. At one point, new ABC News correspondent Byron Pitts was reporting live as police officers moved him and other reporters away from an active location. A police officer could be heard telling the reporters: “Come on. Let’s go. Off the sidewalk, please. Around the corner.”

More, 9:35am: ABC showed what it called exclusive video of a bullet-riddled SUV being taken away by investigators. Brian Rossreported: “Our cameraman caught a shot of that car being towed away, a Mercedes SUV that the two brothers hijacked — carjacked at a gas station in Cambridge near Memorial Drive.” Explosive devices were reportedly thrown from car by the suspects. The driver was released by the brothers, unharmed.

More, 10:50am: All networks have their cameras trained on a neighborhood in Watertown, MA. CNN has said it is putting programming on a 5-second delay as local and federal authorities have their guns drawn imploring media to stay back.

More, 12:24pm: On CNN, correspondent Deborah Feyerick reported that, after being pushed back from an area in Watertown, police are now allowing reporters to return to their original positions closer to the search scene.

More, 1pm: CBS special report ends. Diane Sawyer continues on ABC; Brian Williams picks up across NBC.

More, 1:45pm: ABC’s Bianna Golodryga, who speaks fluent Russian, spoke to the father of the two bombing suspects, Anzor Tsarnaev, on three separate occasions today. Tsarnaev, who lives in Russia, tells Golodryga that neither the U.S. government nor the Russian government has contacted him at that time.

More, 2:09pm: Anderson Cooper cuts away from remarks from the suspects’ aunt in Toronto, who claims her nephews are innocent. “Clearly she is in a state of denial or not really aware of the whole impact of what has happened here, what is going on,” Cooper said. Megyn Kelly comes to the same conclusion on Fox News: “That’s the aunt,” she said.

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Faced with few overnight developments in the investigation of the bombings, the morning shows focused on the human impact of the explosions, interviewing eyewitnesses and victims that were at the marathon finish line.

On “Today,” Savannah Guthrie‘s interview with the President — which was taped before news of the bombings broke — was condensed due to NBC’s coverage from Boston. More of the interview will air later this week. In Boston, Matt Lauer did a number of interviews with victims of the attack, including one with a couple from a hospital room at Tufts Medical Center:

On “Good Morning America,” George Stephanopoulos anchored from Boston, joined by ABC’s Josh Elliott, Martha Raddatz and Brian Ross. Stephanopoulos interviewed a runner who crossed the finish line seconds before the first blast, and “GMA” used a spot-shadow to identify her in the video of the explosion: continued…

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The cable news networks pivoted to breaking news in Massachusetts shortly after 3pmET Monday afternoon as two explosions went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Fox News was the first cable news network to report the news at 3:06:18 p.m., followed just seconds later by CNN at 3:06:53 p.m. MSNBC reported the news at 3:08:45 p.m. All three cable news networks were several minutes minutes behind the first reports of the explosions on Twitter.

Fox News and CNN are relying on live pictures from Boston local stations. MSNBC has video from New England Cable News, which is owned and operated by NBC Universal.

> More: The broadcast networks also broke in with news of the explosions. CBS News was first at 3:10pmET, followed by ABC News and NBC News at 3:13 p.m. Scott Pelley is anchoring on CBS, Brian Williams on NBC and Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos on ABC.

> More: Matt Frucci, the incoming executive producer of CNN’s new morning show, is doing eyewitness reports from the scene for the network. Wolf Blitzer is anchoring. And on Fox News, Shepard Smith is talking with WGBH’s Emily Rooney, former network executive and daughter of Andy Rooney.

> More: Anderson Cooper is on his way to Boston and will anchor at 8pmET and 10pmET.

> More: Here’s affiliate video of one of the explosions, as seen on CNN:

continued…

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“We rock-paper-scissored it. I won 34-31, so I’m carrying the baby, bam!” Wolfe quipped.

As for which gentleman provided the donation to enable the pregnancy, Wolfe demurred in a joking fashion.

“The rumor is that it is Lester Holt, but it is not, you don’t have to worry,” she said.

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Another vote from the Vatican, but no Pope yet. The cable news networks reported on the latest round of black smoke within seconds of each other at 6:39amET. Fox News’ Shepard Smith and CNN’s Chris Cuomo led coverage from Rome on their respective networks. MNSBC covered the latest vote during “Morning Joe.”

The smoke initially appeared to be a light grey color, leading to some slight hedging on CNN at the very top of their report. “When you look at the smoke, it’s not as dark as it was last night. And that’s part of the mystery here,” Cuomo said. He introduced John Allen and Father Edward Beck and joked they were there “to share the blame if I’m wrong about the color of the smoke.”

The broadcast networks all began their special reports at 6:39amET. CBS’ Norah O’Donnell and ABC’s Josh Elliott anchored from Rome, while Savannah Guthrie and Matt Lauer anchored for NBC from New York, with Lester Holt contributing from Rome.

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And now the wait begins. At 12:34pmET, the doors of the Sistine Chapel closed as 115 Cardinals began the process of choosing a new pope. Now, TV news anchors, analysts, producers and bookers are at the ready for the first signs of smoke.

The news networks produced special reports as Cardinals made their way to the Sistine Chapel for the conclave with live video provided by Vatican TV. NBC’s Lester Holt and ABC’s Diane Sawyer, both in Rome, anchored special reports for their networks beginning at 11:30am. CBS’s Scott Pelley anchored a special beginning at NoonET. Now all the anchors, including Anderson Cooper and Chris Cuomo from CNN, Chris Jansing from MSNBC, and Shepard Smith from Fox News will be seated and dialed into their respective control rooms awaiting the smoke signal: black smoke for no pope, white smoke for a new pope.

Having been on the other side of this process as Jansing’s producer at the conclave that elected Benedict XVI in 2005, I can tell you the next 24-48 hours will be one of great anticipation, and, in some cases, frustration; with no warning of when the smoke will fly and when it does, finding that what appears white smoke is really black. It can be one of the most exciting and memorable moments of live TV, for its history and rarity. It’s like election night, without exit polls or precinct-by-precinct data to tell you which way the wind is blowing. And it can also be fraught with too early or wholly incorrect reporting, made more challenging this time by the wide open field of the Papabili. When the smoke clears, we will have a new pope. Before then, don’t be surprised by some misinformation from an always plugged-in global media relying on a smoke signal for news.

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ABC’s Diane Sawyer will broadcast “World News” from the Vatican beginning this evening. Sawyer is joined in Rome by Terry Moran, Josh Elliott, David Wright, Cokie Roberts, Rob Claiborne and Cecilia Vega. The network plans to broadcast special reports for the cardinals’ twice-daily votes.

CBS’ Scott Pelley will also be live from Vatican City starting today. Norah O’Donnell and Charlie Rose will host “CBS This Morning” live from Vatican City, with CBS News correspondents Allen Pizzey and Mark Phillips contributing to coverage.

Chris Jansing and Lester Holt will lead coverage for NBC News and MSNBC from Rome.  Anne Thompson, Keir Simmons, Claudio Lavangna and George Weigel will also contribute to NBC-MSNBC coverage. Both networks will provide special reports for the cardinals votes. Jansing and Holt also led coverage of the last papal conclave in 2005, which Jansing talks about in a lengthy Q&A with Inside Cable News.

On Fox News, Shepard Smith will anchor from Rome. He will be joined by correspondents Amy Kellogg and Lauren Green to cover the conclave. Bryan Llenas will be reporting for Fox News Latino.

Chris Cuomo and Anderson Cooper will lead CNN’s coverage from Rome. Ben Wedeman, Miguel Marquez, Dan Rivers and Becky Anderson will report, along with CNN en Español’s Adriana Hauser and Jose Levy. CNN Vatican analyst John Allen will also contribute to coverage.

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President Obama has begun his second term with a brief, official swearing-in in the Blue Room of the White House. At 11:55amET Chief Justice John Roberts administered the oath with First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters by his side. Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos anchored on ABC, Scott Pelley on CBS and Lester Holt on NBC. The last time the official Oath of Office fell on a Sunday was in 1985, at the start of Pres. Reagan’s second term.

NBC’s report lasted 7 minutes from 11:53am to Noon. ABC’s went 9 minutes from 11:52 to 12:01 and CBS’s went the longest at 12 minutes, from 11:53 – 12:05pm.

The cable networks also carried the event. On Fox News, Megyn Kelly anchoring with Bret Baier and Chris Wallace, said “I owe Wallace a quarter.” She’d bet the “Fox News Sunday” host that Chief Justice Roberts wouldn’t use notes for the Oath. He did. “He messed it up the first time,” said Wallace of Roberts. Chuck Todd on MSNBC and Wolf Blitzer on CNN and their guests also remarked on Roberts using notes after botching the Oath in 2009.

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On Sunday Lester Holt will lead the network’s coverage, first on “Today,” and then again during a special report for the swearing-in around noon. He will also anchor “NBC Nightly News” that evening. “Meet the Press” will also dedicate its program to a roundtable discussion on President Obama’s second term.

On Monday Brian Williams will lead the network’s coverage, anchoring a special report starting at 10 AM, as well as “Nightly News” that evening. “Today” will also originate live from Washington Monday morning.

More information on NBC’s coverage, after the jump.
continued…

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On CNN, Candy Crowley will anchor “State of the Union” from Newtown. Don Lemon, Wolf Blitzer, Erin Burnett and Anderson Cooper will anchor from Newtown Sunday, and the network will air a weekday primetime schedule. Fox News will again have an expanded edition of “Fox & Friends” beginning at 6amET Sunday, and MSNBC will have live programming until 6pmET. HLN will cover the shooting beginning at 7amET and going through 1pmET.

On the broadcast networks, the shooting will be the main topic of the Sunday public affairs shows. Connecticut governor Dannel Malloy will appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” CBS’ “Face the Nation” and ABC’s “This Week.”

On CBS, Jeff Glor will anchor “CBS Evening News” from Newtown. “CBS Sunday Morning” will also feature three segments on the shooting.

ABC’s Dan Harris, Amy Robach, and Lara Spencer will anchor “Good Morning America” from Newtown. David Muir will also anchor “World News” from the location of the shooting.

We’ll continue to update this post as the networks set coverage plans.

>Update: The cable networks have added Sunday night programming to cover President Obama’s visit to Newtown:

Fox News will air a two-hour special anchored by Bret Baier at 6pmET. Baier will be joined by Molly Line and Mike Tobin from Newtown, as well as chief White House correspondent Ed Henry.

MSNBC will be live through 9pmET with coverage of Obama’s visit.

On CNN, Anderson Cooper and Erin Burnett will anchor a three-hour special from Newtown beginning at 6pmET.

>More: ABC News will also broadcast a special report during Obama’s remarks at the vigil, anchored by George Stephanopoulos and Diane Sawyer.  Muir will contribute from Newtown. NBC News will also have a special report anchored by Lester Holt in Newtown.

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On ABC, weekday anchor George Stephanopoulos will anchor “Good Morning America” from Newtown. Elizabeth Vargas will join him from New York. ABC’s Josh Elliott, Amy Robach and Dan Harris will report from the scene in Newtown.

NBC’s “Today” will also have the weekday team in, with Matt Lauer and Savannah Guthrie anchoring from Newtown. Lester Holt, Erica Hill, Ann Curry and Willie Geist will contribute to the program.

Anthony Mason and Rebecca Jarvis will anchor “CBS This Morning Saturday” from Newtown. CBS will also preempt “48 Hours” Saturday night for a special report on the shooting at 10pmET.

Fox News will be live at 5amET with “Fox & Friends First.” An expanded edition of “Fox & Friends” will air from 6-10amET, and will be simulcast on FBN. The 10am-noon business block will be preempted for live coverage anchored by Jon Scott and Jenna Lee. Scott will also host an expanded two-hour “Fox Report” beginning at 6pmET. Mike Huckabee‘s program will be live from NYC at 8pmET and Jeanine Pirro and Geraldo Rivera will host their primetime shows from Newtown.

MSNBC will focus on the shooting during regularly-scheduled programming and will be live until at least 7pmET Saturday night.

On CNN, Ali Velshi and Jon Berman will anchor from 6-9amET. Soledad O’Brien will anchor from 9-11amET, Wolf Blitzer will anchor from 11am-1pmET and Don Lemon will anchor from 1-3pmET. O’Brien will anchor from 3-5pmET, and Blitzer and Kate Bolduan will anchor from 5-8pmET. Anderson Cooper will anchor from 8-9pmET,  Lemon and O’Brien will anchor from 9-10pmET, and Cooper will take over again from 10-11pmET.

On HLN, Nancy Grace will host a special on the shooting tonight at 8pmET. Dr. Drew Pinsky will host a special live hour at 9pmET.

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Update: The special has been postponed due to the shooting in Connecticut.

To help promote the special, the folks at “Dateline” had correspondent Keith Morrision, with his inimitable voice, read Clement Clarke Moore‘s classic A Visit From St. Nicholas, known colloquially as The Night Before Christmas.

WATCH:

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