White Smoke Alert: ABC News Goes Vatican City for Papal Conclave

ABC News Conclave The Next Pope Key Art

Dust off those cardinal robes. The big news is coming out of Vatican City soon, and ABC News is going all out to bring it to you. Starting Wednesday, May 7th at 10:00 AM ET, ABC News begins special coverage of the papal conclave – that’s the process where the College of Cardinals meets to elect a new Pope. And when we say all out, we mean all out, across just about every ABC platform you can think of.

David Muir will anchor the primary coverage live from the Vatican. He’ll have a team with him in Rome including ABC News Live “Prime” anchor Linsey Davis, chief international correspondent James Longman, and senior national correspondent Terry Moran. Their job? To walk viewers through the ancient traditions and key moments of this rare event.

RELATED:   A&E Books New Episodes of Oceanfront Property Hunt for July 12 Rollout

For those glued to their screens, ABC News says they will broadcast every single smoke release during the voting sessions. That means you’ll see it happen live, whether it’s the black smoke signaling no decision yet, or the white smoke that announces a new leader of the Catholic Church has been chosen.

The coverage won’t just live on the main ABC network. Look for reports and updates on “Good Morning America,” “GMA3,” “The View,” and “Nightline.” ABC News Live will have ongoing coverage, with Linsey Davis anchoring “Prime” from Rome starting Tuesday, May 6th. David Muir anchors “World News Tonight” from the Vatican beginning the same day. Even local ABC Owned Television Stations will have reporters on the ground, with Joe Torres and Liz Nagy reporting from Rome. For audio, ABC News Radio will have it covered, and Brad Mielke’s “Start Here” podcast will offer previews and daily updates. ABC NewsOne reporters Ines de la Cuetara and Patrick Reevell will also be filing reports from Rome. If you’re interested in the goings-on at the Vatican, ABC News plans to have you covered.

RELATED:   BritBox Commissions Contemporary Take on Agatha Christie’s Tommy & Tuppence

Paul Mills is Senior News Editor at MemorableTV.com, covering high-impact TV developments across the US, UK, and Australia. From renewals and cancellations to strategic shifts in programming and platform priorities, Paul’s reporting is fast, factual, and built for industry relevance. He leads with the news—and always writes with the next quarter in mind.