ABC, NBC to Air Live Coronavirus Specials in Prime

ABC will dedicate 20/20 to the coronavirus outbreak March 16. David Muir anchors and Dr. Jennifer Ashton reports.

"The special will provide vital up-to-the-minute information about the global health crisis and an up close look at the Roche Diagnostics lab, which just days ago was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make a faster coronavirus test," said ABC.

NBC News will air a live primetime special focused on the coronavirus March 19. Lester Holt anchors NBC News Special Report: Coronavirus Pandemic, which airs at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, MSNBC, streaming service NBC News NOW and Telemundo Digital. The special is an hour long.

Related: Five TV Sectors Impacted by COVID-19

“As developments and massive global impacts continue to unfold around the pandemic, a team of the network’s correspondents will provide crucial real-time information around what viewers need to know about the coronavirus,” said NBC News.

NBC News/MSNBC correspondent Dr. John Torres and NBC News/MSNBC medical contributor Dr. Joseph Fair will contribute to the special.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.