Kim Jong-Il Dead: CNN Brings Back Amanpour, Huckabee Has Caroling on Fox

Updated: MSNBC sticks largely to breaking news updates in between breaks of “Caught on Camera”

Christiane Amanpour returned to CNN just in time to offer commentary on the passing of Kim Jong-Il, the North Korean strongman who died on  Saturday at 69.

But the event did not interest Fox News as much which – after reporting the death on "Geraldo at Large" – returned to regular programming featuring Mike Huckabee and Christmas carols with the Marshall Tucker Band.  

MSNBC had little to offer on the breaking story beyond updates between episodes of "Caught on Camera."

Also read: Watch North Koreans Weep Uncontrollably Over Kim Jong-Il's Death (Video)

Only CNN tossed out regularly scheduled programming to flood the zone on news of the dictator's unexpected demise.

After devoting 20 minutes to coverage of Kim's demise, Fox News returned to regularly scheduled programming, which in the case of West Coast viewers, consisted of a repeat of Mike Huckabee's political talk show, "Huckabee."

While CNN weighed in on succession plans and nuclear capabilities, the former Arkansas governor picked up his guitar to accompany the Marshall Tucker Band for a rendition of "Merry Christmas Baby."

The leader's death was an occasion to showcase Amanpour, the network's former foreign affairs correspondent who just left ABC's "This Week," and now reports for both CNN and ABC. Both Amanpour and Wolf Blitzer contributed commentary via phone.

CNN International anchor and correspondent John Vause anchored Sunday’s coverage.

It's been a decidedly rough year for dictators with Kim expiring not long after the bloody death of Libyan dictator Moammar Qaddafi.

Kim died on a train on Saturday while visiting an area outside the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, according to an announcement on state-run television.

Correspondent Lynn Berry anchored MSNBC’s breaking news coverage. Marianne Rafferty did the honors for Fox.

Fox News watchers were able to find out that Kim’s putative successor, third son Kim Jong-un, is a “fan” of Michael Jordan. That nugget of intelligence came via Fox’s Chief Washington Correspondent James Rosen.

Broadcast networks also stuck with regular programming, which was welcome news for “Survivor: South Pacific” fans.  

(Update: An earlier version of this story  neglected to note that Fox had previously reported Kim Jong Il's death during "Geraldo at Large.")

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