Coverage notes: News and sports events to look out for in 2018

4. Midterm Elections

November 6, 2018

Already circled on many U.S. citizens’ calendars, the 2018 midterm elections will be a pivotal night for news coverage.

Many networks and stations are already planning for the night, thinking ahead regarding investments like special correspondents, transmission capabilities, augmented reality graphics, touchscreens and, of course, lots of bunting.

As the year progresses, the midterms will come into better focus, as the final candidates and matchups are finalized through the various primary elections this spring and summer.

Internationally, many overseas networks will also have a close eye on the night, as it will affect U.S. policy and economics moving forward.

5. Sweeps!

Many of the year’s big events are lined right up—all of the ones listed, in fact—with sweeps periods. What perfect timing, eh?

For 2018, the Nielsen sweeps periods will occur on:

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• February 1–28, 2018
• April 26 – May 23, 2018
• June 28 – July 25, 2018
• October 25 – November 21, 2018

The Unknowns

Of course, there are many other events that could occur throughout the year that may become the big story of 2018. However, most of these are hard to predict. From political investigations to the chance of war, 2018 holds a few “trump cards” that could send broadcasters into a breaking news frenzy.

The year will also be an interesting test for many streaming platforms that have struggled in 2017, such as Facebook Watch. With so many special events placing thousands of hours of extended or exclusive coverage online, will viewers follow?

And finally, how will the mega-TV mergers of Sinclair/Tribune, AT&T/Time Warner and Fox/Disney impact the media landscape? 2018 will tell.