THE SIMPSON MURDER CASE : TV Crews Prepare for Live Court Coverage : Media: Seven local stations and the national networks plan to clear schedules to broadcast Simpson’s preliminary hearing. Loss of advertising revenue may cost local outlets $100,000 to $200,000 a day.

Television news crews from near and far were gathering around the Criminal Courts Building in Downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, preparing to make today’s preliminary hearing for O.J. Simpson one of the most-watched live news events in history.

At 8:30 a.m., the former football star and actor is scheduled to face charges that he murdered his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Lyle Goldman.

On Wednesday, news crews from around the world and two dozen satellite-feed trucks set up equipment in the parking lot of the Criminal Courts Building. A chorus line of TV news reporters lined up outside the courthouse in the oppressive heat, rehearsing their lines out loud or videotaping remote reports and promotional spots, as a city worker posted temporary no-parking signs around the area.

“This is the most sensational celebrity murder trial in United States history,” said Dana Adams, a reporter from WNBC-TV in New York. “I talked to a reporter from Germany . . . and he said this story typified the shattering of the American dream.”

In air-conditioned offices, meanwhile, local TV station executives were making plans to wipe out most of their scheduled programming today and beyond--while assessing the severe financial consequences--to provide uninterrupted coverage of the proceedings, which may last for several days.

No fewer than seven local TV stations will broadcast the same live signal, provided by Court TV’s pool camera inside the courtroom, even though the resulting loss of advertising revenue may cost each station $100,000 to $200,000 a day.

The rest of the country will receive live coverage from the networks and from cable outlets. The networks are using their top guns--Tom Brokaw, Dan Rather and Peter Jennings--as in-studio hosts from New York. Cable News Network has assigned 40 reporters, producers and crew members to follow today’s events.

“This is the biggest press contingent to cover a news story in this city, probably ever,” said Joel Tator, executive producer of “KTLA Morning News.”

Despite all the preparations, however, none of those providing coverage know what to expect this morning, or how many hours or days they will follow the proceedings inside the courtroom before returning to regular programming with routine news updates. Regular programs are normally preempted only by news that is a public service to viewers, such as that concerning natural disasters.

In this case, however, news directors and station executives say they have cleared out their schedules because the Simpson case is simply good TV.

“I’ve been in the business for a long time, and this is one of the most compelling stories that has ever come along,” said Alan Nesbitt, general manager of KABC-TV Channel 7. “The whole country is carrying this live. It’s of such a compelling nature that it precludes not carrying it.”

The A.C. Nielsen Co. reported that 95 million people nationwide watched police pursue Simpson on Southern California freeways June 17. In addition, prime-time news magazines featuring the subject soared in the ratings last week.

“This station covered the Rodney King trial, and I thought when we did that, that was most definitely a public service,” said Jose Rios, news director for KTTV-TV Channel 11. “There was a very large impact on this entire region, and airing that was a public service in every sense of the word. In this case, I think it’s more an issue of high interest.”

“Hopefully, we can find the truth to whatever the story is now,” said Greg Nathanson, general manager of KTLA-TV Channel 5. “In some ways, you hope to stop the rumor mill and show the actual facts. The camera won’t lie, and for the first time the story won’t be filtered through 50 reporters and writers.”

KCOP-TV Channel 13 is the only major TV station in the Los Angeles market not providing live coverage of the hearings, choosing instead to stick to regular programming with news cut-ins.

“I don’t want to minimize the death of these two people or the fact that this is a big story,” General Manager Rick Feldman said, “but to some extent, I really do believe people have lost perspective on this.

“I don’t understand--why don’t seven stations ever blow out all their programming for (positive news)? I know it’s somewhat self-serving, but there’s no reason for seven stations to carry the same feed. I don’t think any of those stations doing this are offering any kind of service to the public.”

The strategy of most local TV stations will be to stick with courtroom coverage as long as it’s interesting.

“Lord knows what is going to be disclosed for the preliminary hearing. If it makes for compelling television, we will stay with it,” said Bob Jordan, news director at KCBS-TV Channel 2. If it turns into a dry court hearing, we will go back to our regular programming.”

There will be several breaks during the day when stations plan to run commercials to make up for some of the lost revenue. For the anticipated long lunch break at noon, KCBS plans to run soap operas, and KNBC-TV Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of Wimbledon tennis matches, which NBC had scheduled to cover through the afternoon.

All three network affiliates will feature their own local news coverage of the Simpson hearings, instead of the network feeds.

The networks are taking the same wait-and-see approach as local stations.

“We need to take the temperature of it,” said David Bohrman, executive producer of special events for NBC. “Will the hearing be really interesting and compelling? Maybe. Will it be really arcane and overly complicated and obtuse? Maybe. We need to see what it looks and feels like. Then we will determine what the coverage will be.”