With the 2008 presidential election getting a kick-start in Iowa today, the networks have 
a chance to showcase their Iowa coverage through their expanding lineup of mobile news offerings. NBC News 2 GO, the 24/7 mobile channel for NBC News, will simulcast MSNBC live to subscribers through 1am Eastern, according to TVNewser. News 2 Go, which usually simulcasts NBC’s “Today”, “Nightly News”, and taped highlights from MSNBC and CNBC, is available through a variety of major carriers’ subscription plans.
In 2005, NBC became the first mobile network to create video news broadcasts specifically for cell phones, with reports from top correspondents from its bureaus in London, New York, and Washington, D.C. But today’s simulcast coverage is a step back for the network, which had NBC News Correspondent Anne Thompson anchor live, mobile-only coverage during the eve of “Decision 2006″, with reports from NBC correspondents across the country.
Fox News Channel and ABC News Now are also offering live video news coverage from Iowa via cellular, but their mobile channels are only on Sprint and only offer simulcast (as opposed to original) programing. Sprint, as well as AT&T and Alltel users, can listen to live, audio coverage from Fox for $2.99/month.
While Fox, ABC, and NBC’s online partner, MSNBC.com, offer free on-demand video clips of their coverage on various mobile decks, CBS is the only network that offers breaking news photos and video via MMS. And last, and least, is CNN, which has no mobile video offerings. The network’s international channel does offer live simulcast coverage to mobile carriers around the world, but those services are not available in the U.S.
Although all of the TV news networks offer news headlines and breaking news alerts via SMS, only a few of the presidential candidates themselves are taking advantage of text messaging this election cycle. Democratic frontrunners Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards offer mobile updates to their supporters; Republican candidates have yet to offer such services.
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