David Muir was on Liberty Island late at night earlier this week, wrapping up an interview with singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile as the production team waited for the surrounding noise to die down. Tourist helicopters and party boats had been circling the island for hours, threatening to disrupt the shoot. Eventually the sounds faded, and Carlile performed "America the Beautiful" in front of the Statue of Liberty, illuminated in red, white, and blue for the country's 250th anniversary.
That performance is the opening centerpiece of what ABC News president Almin Karamehmedovic called "the longest commercial broadcast in history." The 24-hour broadcast began at 10 p.m. on July 3 and runs through 11 p.m. on July 4, when Ryan Seacrest leads Nashville's Star-Spangled Bash.
The opening block includes the Statue of Liberty light show, Carlile's performance, Muir's tour of the statue, and a special message from Walt Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro.
Executive producer John R. Green described the thinking behind the Statue of Liberty opening. "In all of our conversations we kept thinking about these iconic symbols that represent the hope that America has captured over 250 years, and obviously we all kept coming back to the Statue of Liberty," Green said. He added that conversations with the French government, which is producing the light show and a military flyover, helped pull it together. "It clicked as an opportunity to use this iconic symbol of America and freedom and hope as a backdrop to do something really spectacular. And always, when you're doing a marathon broadcast like this, you want to start with spectacle, and that is what it is."
The broadcast draws on nearly every ABC News anchor and correspondent. It includes segments from all 50 states and more than 60 live remotes. A partnership with National Geographic will take viewers inside the seven natural wonders of America, with Muir participating.
Karamehmedovic described the ambition behind the project simply. "We just wanted to make a statement with our storytelling and make it big," he said.
The 24-hour format runs overnight, through the morning and afternoon of July 4, and closes in Nashville that evening.
