On Bhutto, CNN Gets There First

CNN likes to say that it's the network people turn to when major world news events occur.  And one reason why there may be some truth to that boast was revealed in the wake of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto last week.

CNN was the only American network that had a full-time producer, Mohsin Naqvi, at the site of the rally where Ms. Bhutto was killed Thursday, reports The New York Times.  Mr. Naqvi had spoken to Ms. Bhutto earlier that day, and reported for CNN by phone throughout the day. By contrast, Fox and MSNBC were forced to rely on phone reports from freelance journalists in the country. 

Among the non-cable networks, NBC and CBS led their Thursday evening broadcasts, 12 hours after the attack, with reports from correspondents in Washington and London.  ABC had a full-time producer based in Islamabad, who provided a report.   By Friday, all three networks had at least one correspondent in the country.