Politics

Inside the NPR Newsroom on Election Night

By Caitlin Sanders

Published November 7, 2012 at 12:35 AM CST

1 of 19 — Getting things rolling in Studio 4A, (l to r) Ron Elving and Pam Fessler discuss the latest poll results on air with Melissa Block and Robert Siegel, who are hosting NPR's special coverage of Election Night 2012 until midnight.

Getting things rolling in Studio 4A, (l to r) Ron Elving and Pam Fessler discuss the latest poll results on air with Melissa Block and Robert Siegel, who are hosting NPR's special coverage of Election Night 2012 until midnight.

2 of 19 — While Executive Producer Chris Turpin and Managing Editor Stu Seidel (standing, l to r) direct coverage as poll results come, Marguerite Nutter (in the background) updates NPR Member Stations with what's coming up in the live broadcast.

While Executive Producer Chris Turpin and Managing Editor Stu Seidel (standing, l to r) direct coverage as poll results come, Marguerite Nutter (in the background) updates NPR Member Stations with what's coming up in the live broadcast.

3 of 19 — Deputy Washington Editor Beth Donovan (center right) briefs pollsters and analysts before they go on-air.

Deputy Washington Editor Beth Donovan (center right) briefs pollsters and analysts before they go on-air.

4 of 19 — Melissa Block is hosting NPR's live election night coverage.

Melissa Block is hosting NPR's live election night coverage.

5 of 19 — Host Robert Siegel and NPR News Senior Vice President Margaret Low Smith.

Host Robert Siegel and NPR News Senior Vice President Margaret Low Smith.

6 of 19 — NPR President and CEO Gary E. Knell talks with NPR Election Editor Neal Carruth in Studio 4A.

NPR President and CEO Gary E. Knell talks with NPR Election Editor Neal Carruth in Studio 4A.

7 of 19 — A handful of the 30 citizen journalists blogging, tweeting and sketching their own coverage of the 2012 general election from NPR HQ in Washington, D.C.

A handful of the 30 citizen journalists blogging, tweeting and sketching their own coverage of the 2012 general election from NPR HQ in Washington, D.C.

Professional illustrator Wendy MacNaughton live sketching outside NPR's election hub, Studio 4A. Follow her real-time <a href="http://bit.ly/SovjOZ">http://bit.ly/SovjOZ</a>.

8 of 19 — Professional illustrator Wendy MacNaughton live sketching outside NPR's election hub, Studio 4A. Follow her real-time http://bit.ly/SovjOZ.

Professional illustrator Wendy MacNaughton live sketching outside NPR's election hub, Studio 4A. Follow her real-time http://bit.ly/SovjOZ.

9 of 19 — Partisan analysts (l to r) Matt Continetti (The Washington Free Beacon, The Weekly Standard) and E.J. Dionne (Washington Post, The Brookings Institution) work alongside NPR journalists to analyze and offer a party perspective on election results.

Partisan analysts (l to r) Matt Continetti (The Washington Free Beacon, The Weekly Standard) and E.J. Dionne (Washington Post, The Brookings Institution) work alongside NPR journalists to analyze and offer a party perspective on election results.

10 of 19 — (front, l-r) Election Editor Neal Carruth and "Reporter Wrangler" Arnie Seipel with the "NPR Big Board" tracking the results overhead in the background: http://bit.ly/YCXwac

(front, l-r) Election Editor Neal Carruth and "Reporter Wrangler" Arnie Seipel with the "NPR Big Board" tracking the results overhead in the background: http://bit.ly/YCXwac

11 of 19 — A view into the NPR Newsroom.

A view into the NPR Newsroom.

12 of 19 — Executive VP Kinsey Wilson and IT Director Oumar Sall in NPR News Control Room.

Executive VP Kinsey Wilson and IT Director Oumar Sall in NPR News Control Room.

13 of 19 — Election Coverage Director Greg Dixon (r) and two engineers in the control room.

Election Coverage Director Greg Dixon (r) and two engineers in the control room.

14 of 19 — NPR 'Political Junkie' Ken Rudin

NPR 'Political Junkie' Ken Rudin

15 of 19 — NPR National Political Correspondent Mara Liasson.

NPR National Political Correspondent Mara Liasson.

16 of 19 — Hosts Melissa Block and Robert Siegel.

Hosts Melissa Block and Robert Siegel.

17 of 19 — NPR News staffers Erica Ryan, Mark Memmott, and Ron Elving.

NPR News staffers Erica Ryan, Mark Memmott, and Ron Elving.

18 of 19 — NPR Host Guy Raz in Studio 4A.

NPR Host Guy Raz in Studio 4A.

19 of 19 — NPR Host Audie Cornish on Election Night 2012.

NPR Host Audie Cornish on Election Night 2012.

Throughout election night 2012, Studio 4A, the heart of NPR's broadcast and online coverage, was bustling with a decidedly calm team of NPR journalists and staff coordinating minute-to-minute coverage with NPR Member Stations from coast to coast and on NPR.org, also relying on nearly two dozen NPR correspondents around the country.

In the midst of this commotion that comes along with reporting on a president election, NPR.org reached an exciting landmark of its own - six times the number of concurrent users visited the site this evening than we typically have during the peak times of an average week. NPR CEO Gary E. Knell and Chief Content Officer Kinsey Wilson delivered the news to the This is NPR blog team themselves in just one of the exciting moments at NPR this evening.

Spread throughout our Washington, D.C. headquarters tonight are dozens of reporters and staff, 30 citizen journalists and four NPR hosts making our coverage possible. Take a look through the slideshow above for some special moments captured along the way.

Inside the NPR Newsroom on Election Night

👋 Looks like you could use more news. Sign up for our newsletters.