CNN Planning Live Broadcasts of Mandela Events

Cable News Network plans live broadcasts of most events during Nelson R. Mandela’s visit to eight U.S. cities beginning this week, but other networks will limit most coverage to regular news programs.

CNN spokesman John Bianchi said CNN will report live on the South African black nationalist leader’s June 20-July 1 visits to New York, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, Los Angeles and Oakland. He said separate scheduled events involving Winnie Mandela will be taped for showing on regular news programs.

Mandela is to be guest at a special “Town Meeting” to be taped Thursday at City College of New York for broadcast that evening on ABC, and will also appear on the network that night as a guest on Ted Koppel’s “Nightline.” ABC was undecided about further live coverage as of Monday noon, spokesman Arnot Walker said.

CBS spokesman Tom Goodman said CBS will cover the Mandela visit “if news warrants” but planned no prior announcement.

NBC plans regular coverage and is undecided whether to cover live the African leader’s scheduled address to a joint session of Congress next week, said network spokeswoman Catherine McQuay. His arrival in New York on Wednesday will be broadcast live on the NBC “Today” show, she said.

Mandela is scheduled for two appearances Friday on PBS, a live 15-minute interview with co-host Robert MacNeil on “The MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour” at 7 p.m. and an interview with Charlayne Hunter-Gault, taped earlier that day for showing at 10 p.m.