How can Canadians watch the US election on cable or wireless? -Winnipeg Free Press

Canadians can’t wait to see how the results of the contentious US presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will shape the next four years.

But before they can achieve that, they will need to be ready on Tuesday; It’s not that simple, thanks to an ever more fragmented media landscape.

“A significant portion of Canadians get their news mostly online,” says Philip Mai, co-director of the Social Media Lab at the Ted Rogers School of Management.

Citing a 2023 Canadian Statistical Survey, he said 85 per cent of Canadians aged 15 to 34 get their news primarily from social media or the internet (ranging from news websites to online influencers), while 65 per cent of Canadians aged 35 to 54 do so. He states that he prefers the roads. additionally. Meanwhile, traditional television remains the primary source of news for 65 percent of people ages 65 and older.

Whether you want a reliable news anchor to follow every changing situation on a giant touch screen or just want to see quick, undramatic highlights on your phone, here’s your guide to staying informed on election night from north of the border:

If you turn on the TV

Each of Canada’s major broadcasters will provide comprehensive coverage.

CBC News Network kicks off with a special “America Votes: Morning Live” with Heather Hiscox at 6 a.m. ET and moves to a special edition of “America Votes: Power and Politics” with David Cochrane live from Washington, D.C., at 5 p.m. ET in the afternoon.

Chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault will take over the “America Votes” broadcast at 8 p.m. ET and will be joined by “The National” senior host Ian Hanomansing, senior Washington correspondent Paul Hunter and chief political correspondent Rosemary Barton. They will provide analysis and updates from CBC journalists in swing states and the headquarters of both Harris and Trump.

“Canada Tonight” host Travis Dhanraj will take over the broadcast with “America Votes: After the Vote” at 3 a.m. ET.

CTV News Channel will air hourly US election updates starting at 7pm ET. Chief political correspondent Vassy Kapelos will host a panel of Canadian experts to explain what the race means to Canadians. CTV will also have reporters providing live results at the headquarters of both presidential candidates.

Global News will broadcast a live special, “Global News: America Votes,” from Washington, D.C., hosted by Dawna Friesen, starting at 9 p.m. ET. He will be joined by reporters Jackson Proskow, Reggie Cecchini, Neetu Garcha, Jeff Semple, Mike Armstrong, Sean O’Shea, Eric Sorensen and Mercedes Stephenson to provide analysis throughout the evening.

Meanwhile, major US networks such as CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and ABC News are the mainstay of election night broadcasts, and they can be accessed from Canada through various cable packages.

If you’re a cord cutter

Thanks to a variety of streaming options, it’s pretty easy to navigate US election coverage without traditional cable.

CBC’s “America Votes” broadcast will also air live on CBC Gem. On top of that, the public broadcaster will offer live results and analysis on the CBC News app and website.

You will be able to follow CTV News’ election news on the broadcaster’s website, which will also present live election results and analysis throughout the evening.

“Global News: America Votes” is available to stream on the Global News website, YouTube, the Global TV app, Pluto TV and Prime Video.

Pluto TV will broadcast CBS News 24/7 and Bloomberg Television election coverage throughout the day. The ad-supported free streaming network also carries CNN Fast, Reuters, Global News National and CBC News Explore.

First of all, if you are thinking of following on social media

Mai says platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will likely be flooded with real-time updates and reactions from experts. But this American election, which has been riddled with misinformation throughout the campaign, will differ from the last in terms of how Canadians can view the context of the results online.

Election news from a Canadian perspective will not be available on Facebook, Instagram or Threads, as Meta has banned Canadian news in response to a government bill requiring tech giants to pay news organizations to link to their content. Many mainstream US and UK news organizations, such as CNN and BBC News, are also blocked.

Some news may be filtered depending on a person’s network, but Mai warns people who get their election news primarily from social media that there is “no good vetting system” to detect misinformation on those platforms.

Mai says tech giants are either closing their content moderation departments or reducing their staff.

“So basically, there are less police around. “The people who fact-check the content are no longer there.”

This means you’ll see fewer footnotes flagging misinformation on these platforms.

Moreover, anyone on X can now buy blue checks, turning the platform into a “low trust area”.

Mai recommends being more mindful about sharing what you see on social media over the next few days and weeks.

“If something sensational comes out, I would wait a bit to see if more reliable news sources also share that information. If you see something you’ve never seen before from a random account, I wouldn’t tweet it right away,” he says.