Jul 4, 2009 7:07 pm US/Eastern
Millions Of Fans Vie For Jackson Memorial Tickets
Networks To Offer Live Jackson Memorial Coverage
NEW YORK (AP) ―
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Michael Jackson is seen with his pet chimp, Bubbles, in this undated file photo.
AP
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The Staples Center which is one of the possible locations for a public memorial service for music legend Michael Jackson, after his recent death, in Los Angeles on July 1, 2009.
Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images
The memorial for Michael Jackson may be a tough ticket live, but it shouldn't be hard to find it on television.
ABC, CNN, MSNBC and E! Entertainment are among the networks that have already announced plans to offer live coverage of the Tuesday memorial, set for 10 a.m. PDT in Los Angeles' Staples Center.
ABC is sending anchor Charles Gibson to Los Angeles for the story, setting aside its typical daytime programming. CBS anchor Katie Couric will also be at the Staples Center, although the network has not yet said whether it was offering live coverage of the memorial.
NBC is not planning live coverage, but will wrap up highlights in a one-hour prime-time special Tuesday night.
CNN has seen its ratings soar with the Jackson story, and it will show the memorial on the main network and HLN (formerly Headline News). CNN International will air the ceremony to the rest of the world. Anderson Cooper, Larry King and Don Lemon are the anchors for CNN coverage. Robin Meade, A.J. Hammer and Jane Velez-Mitchell will anchor at HLN. CNN en Espanol will also cover it.
Chris Jansing will anchor live coverage of the memorial on MSNBC. Fox News Channel hasn't announced its plans.
E! Entertainment will cover the ceremony on its television network and its Web site.
Meanwhile, more than 1.2 million people have now registered to get tickets for Michael Jackson's memorial service next week.
Only 11,000 tickets will be given out for the Tuesday service at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Another 6,500 tickets will be given away for the Nokia Theater overflow section next door.
The only way to get tickets is to register for free at staplescenter.com. After 6 p.m. Saturday, 8,750 names will be randomly selected to receive two tickets each.
Notifications will go out on Sunday.
City officials are preparing for massive crowds. Assistant Police Chief Earl Paysinger says anywhere from a quarter-million to 700,000 people may try to reach the arena, even though a wide area around Staples Center will be sealed off to those without tickets.
City Councilwoman Jan Perry strongly urged people to stay home and watch the memorial on TV. The ceremony will not be shown on Staples' giant outdoor TV screen and there will be no funeral procession through the city.
No details were given about the actual memorial events, which come as the nation's second-largest city struggles with a $530 million budget deficit. Perry said the cost of police protection for "extraordinary" events like the memorial is built into the Police Department's budget, but she still solicited help for "incremental costs."
Last month, donations covered about $850,000 of the city's $1 million cost for the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA championship parade. Critics had blasted the idea of using city money when it is considering layoffs to close its budget gap.
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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