Networks calling states for Dems early

[Arbitrage1980]

Looking at prior election night coverages, it's obvious that networks call states early for Dems while waiting as late as possible to call states for Republicans. Why is this the case?

2020: FL being called with like 95% in despite being crystal clear that Trump was going to win earlier on
2020: IN being called after VA, AK being called super late even though Trump won it by 10 (same margin as Biden in VA)
2008: OH being called with just 11% in, even though W Bush won it by 2 in 04 and Obama winning it by 4.5%; Trump won OH by 8% both times but it was called much later
2000: FL, not gonna even talk about how much of a travesty this was
1992: GA and NH being called at poll closing despite Clinton barely winning them

More examples but the pattern is clear.

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

In before "Arizona 2020".


Now that I got the obvious out of the way, the one that comes to mind to me is Georgia 1992. Also, California putting JFK over the top in 1960 even though Nixon would win it due to absentee ballot counts.

[TheTide]

What has become the case in recent elections is that the networks have grasped that election nights/mornings/weeks have become about the only time that a lot of people actually watch them live, hence why they drag things out to the extent they do. It's got little to do with 'cautiousness' or whatever.

Here's what some previous election nights would look like at about 1AM EST if the networks had their present day levels of 'cautiousness'.

[WalterWhite]

What has become the case in recent elections is that the networks have grasped that election nights/mornings/weeks have become about the only time that a lot of people actually watch them live, hence why they drag things out to the extent they do. It's got little to do with 'cautiousness' or whatever.

Here's what some previous election nights would look like at about 1AM EST if the networks had their present day levels of 'cautiousness'.

I think "cautiousness" is actually a big factor; networks do NOT want to have a repeat of Florida 2000.

[Podgy the Bear]

Like anything, election calls have become a media show and a concerted effort to maximize ratings at the designated timepoints. 

The protracted Pennsylvania call in 2020 to Saturday morning was absurd.  Once Biden took the lead on Friday morning with the early vote going massively his way, that should have been it.

[WalterWhite]

Tennessee 1996