Networks to Have Focus on the Pope’s Visit

Although all three major network nightly newscasts will emanate from Denver tonight and Friday in conjunction with Pope John Paul II’s visit there, the only live television coverage will be provided by Cable News Network, the Spanish-language Telemundo and Univision networks and KCBS-TV Channel 2.

CNN, Telemundo (whose programming is carried locally by KVEA-TV Channel 52) and Univision (KMEX-TV Channel 34) will have live coverage of the Pope’s scheduled 1:30 p.m. arrival today at Stapleton International Airport, where he will be greeted by President Clinton.

Telemundo also plans live coverage of all the main events of the Pope’s four-day trip to Denver for World Youth Day ‘93, a biennial four-day gathering of an estimated 160,000 Catholics between the ages of 13 and 39 from 70 nations.

Univision is also planning live coverage of the Pope’s meeting with Clinton, scheduled for 2:45 p.m. today at Regis University.

KCBS-TV Channel 2 plans on airing the Pope’s Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m., station manager Steve Gigliotti said.

ABC, CBS and NBC were not planning any live coverage, officials from all three networks said this week.

ABC is planning a report on the Pope during its “PrimeTime Live” newsmagazine at 10 tonight. “Nightline” will devote its broadcast either tonight or Friday to the Pope. Sunday’s edition of “This Week With David Brinkley” will come from Denver and will examine Catholicism.

CBS will also present coverage in its “CBS Morning News,” “CBS This Morning,” “Up to the Minute” and weekend newscasts.

Channels 2, 4, 7, 9, 13 and 34 have sent reporters to Denver to file on the trip and the Southern Californians worshiping there for their regularly scheduled newscasts.