Sky News Announces Multi-Platform US Election Coverage Plans

Specially created studio in Times Square, New York

More presenters, specialists and social media producers deployed than ever before 

New nightly show, America Decides, Hosted by Jeremy Thompson 

Sky News will kick off its special multi-platform US election coverage from America on Monday 31 October with a nightly show presented by veteran news anchor, Jeremy Thompson, who is covering his 6th US election.  America Decides will air at midnight to 1am (UK) Monday-Friday, bringing Sky customers the latest developments, interviews and analysis of the closing stages of the campaign. 

Sky News will then be presented live from Monday 7th November from a specially created studio overlooking Times Square in the heart of New York. Non-stop coverage will continue through to the end of Wednesday 9th November before transferring to Washington on Thursday 10th November, as attention turns to the US capital and the job facing the new President. 

Adam Boulton, Kay Burley, Gillian Joseph, Sarah-Jane Mee, Dermot Murnaghan and Jeremy Thompson will all anchor the channel's coverage from Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's home state of New York. Special editions of Sunrise, All Out Politics, Sky News Tonight and MURNAGHAN will all be broadcast from the US. There will also be teams embedded with both campaigns and reporters in the key swing states that will determine the outcome of the election. 

On election night, Jeremy Thompson will anchor Clinton v Trump: America Decides from the studio in Times Square, Adam Boulton will be in Washington and Kay Burley will be travelling around New York City speaking to voters, campaigners and officials. The show will start at 10pm (UK), ahead of the first polls closing at midnight (UK), through to Sunrise the next day, and will air both on Sky News and Sky Atlantic.

The coverage will also be streamed live via Sky News’ Facebook, Twitter and YouTube channels as part of Sky’s ongoing multi-platform engagement with viewers. Bespoke social media content includes a 360 degree film telling the story of the night, US Election explainers demystifying the campaign, a ‘Disunited States’ social series featuring interviews with election experts and a collection of Facebook Lives taking place across the US with the Sky News team. 

There will be also be a comprehensive, instantly responsive results service on TV, mobile, social and Sky Q, bringing customers every result as it happens. 

Sky News is subscribing to the official National Exit Poll for the most immediate result and comprehensive analysis of the election, even before the result is officially called. Sky News will also carry the official exit poll data from the 5 most important swing states, bringing unrivalled insight into how, why and where the election is won and lost.  Economics Editor Ed Conway will present this information overnight, with Sophy Ridge taking over the next day. Throughout election night Jeremy Thomson will be joined by one of America's foremost polling experts and election forecasters, Professor Todd Donovan from West Washington University.

There will also be teams live in all the swing states that matter; Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida and Arizona. There the teams will talk to the voters who will decide the outcome, bringing the human stories behind the election to the fore.

Sky News is sending more people than ever before to cover the election including social media and mobile video producers who will be making bespoke content for all platforms. Sky News specialists and correspondents who will be offering their expertise include Dominic Waghorn, Amanda Walker, Cordelia Lynch, Hannah Thomas-Peter, Greg Milam, Mark Stone, Michelle Clifford, Lisa Holland, Ian Woods, Siobhan Robbins and Nick Martin. 

Head of Sky News John Ryley said: “No American election campaign has captured the world's attention like this one. We are sending more people than ever before to cover the most bitter and controversial election in modern US history bringing our customers the best news, debate and analysis from our unrivalled team of specialists and presenters across TV, mobile, radio and social media.”

 Ends

For further information please contact:

Lucy Ellison

lucy.ellison@sky.uk