Hurricane news preempts shows

Two days after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast, the three largest broadcast networks preempted parts of their prime-time programming Wednesday to air special reports about the disaster.

CBS aired a 30-minute special edition of “48 Hours,” anchored by John Roberts in New Orleans, replacing a repeat of the sitcom “Still Standing” at 8 p.m. NBC’s Brian Williams anchored an hourlong “Dateline” special at 9 p.m. from New Orleans, bumping a repeat of “Law & Order.” ABC replaced a repeat of “Lost” at 10 p.m. with an hourlong report anchored by Elizabeth Vargas in Gulfport, Miss.

Since Monday, when the hurricane hit, the networks have extended their morning news programs and offered hourly updates about the devastation but did not devote a substantial amount of prime time to the news coverage until Wednesday.

-- Matea Gold