ABC News Now’s Bob Woodruff introduces viewers to use of video cell phones for news gathering during the inaugural parade in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy ABC News Now.
ABC News Now and Sprint made television history by using video cell phone technology for its coverage of the Presidential Inaugural parade Jan. 20. It was the first use of the technology in the United States specifically for news programming.
Using Sprint’s Video Mail technology, nearly two dozen parade participants equipped with video cell phones transmitted pictures to ABC from aboard parade floats, in marching units and along the 1.7mi route of the parade from the Capitol to the White House. The shots aired during ABC’s live coverage of Inauguration Day.
ABC also became the first commercial television network to offer HD coverage of a presidential inauguration. Noncommercial PBS was the first network to produce HD coverage of an inauguration in 2001.
For more information about ABC News' cell phone coverage of the Presidential Inaugural parade, read "ABC News Now turns to Sprint PCS video phones for inauguration coverage."
