TV Coverage of John Paul’s Visit to Cuba

Most network television coverage of Pope John Paul II’s five-day visit to Cuba will be tape-delayed on the West Coast, so local viewers looking for extensive live coverage will have to tune to cable--particularly CNN and MSNBC.

The two, along with cable’s Fox News Channel, will be providing regular news reports each day on the pope’s activities. Other highlights:

CNN plans live coverage of the pontiff’s meeting with Cuban President Fidel Castro today at 3:30 p.m., and correspondent Christiane Amanpour will anchor an hourlong special about the visit at 7 tonight (with a repeat at 10 p.m.).

MSNBC will offer live coverage of parts of the pope’s Masses each morning and will carry Sunday’s service from Havana in its entirety, beginning at 6 a.m. It also will cover the pope’s departure from Cuba on Sunday at 2 p.m.