TV News Blankets Verdict As Conrad Murray Convicted

Television news shifted into Dr. Conrad Murray mode just after 11 this morning after it was announced that a verdict had been reached in the involuntary manslaughter trial over the death of Michael Jackson. With the news that the jury’s verdict will be read at 1 PM PT, the feeding frenzy commenced: Locally in Los Angeles, NBC/4, KTLA/5, ABC/7, KCAL/9and Fox/11 allcut live to the L.A. Criminal Courthouse downtown to cover the breaking story, as did CNN, HLN and truTV with pictures, speculation and interviews with the multitudes gathered in front of the courthouse. The networks all prepped to both stoke the suspense and capture the tensionof the moment. Notably, CBS/2 didn’t break away from The Young And The Restless, nor did KCOP/13 from its regular programming (including reruns of I Love Lucy and Bewitched). And interestingly, FoxNews and MSNBC covered the breaking story as a part of their larger newscasts and not exclusively. Murray is accused of causing Jackson’s death after administering an overdose of the drug propofol, prescribed to treat Jackson’s insomnia. The upcoming verdict culminates a weeks-long trial and two days of jury deliberations. If convicted, Murray could be sentenced to four years in prison. MORE