Like it or not, Trump officially becomes the 45th president of the United States today.
Whether you’re looking forward to the next four years or completely petrified, we’ve compiled a list of how to the watch the event, as well as some tips on how to hide from it.
First, you need to know when to tune in (or tune out):
- 9:30am EST – Inauguration ceremony begins
- 11:30am EST – Opening remarks
- 12pm EST – Trump takes oath of office
- 12:30pm EST – Ceremony ends
- 3pm EST – Inaugural Parade
Online
In addition to normal channel coverage by NBC, CBS, ABC, MSNBC, and Fox; networks will also be live streaming event.
- NBC coverage starts at 10am EST/7am PST, and will be available on its website and YouTube.
- Fox News is streaming the event via its app and website. Coverage kicks off at 11am EST/8am PST.
- CBS will broadcast with its own live stream beginning at 7am EST/4am PST.
- ABC will broadcast a live stream of the inauguration at 9am EST/6am PST.
- CNN will broadcast a live stream on its home page beginning at 6am EST/3am PST.
- The Washington Post’s live stream of the inauguration begins at 9am EST/6am PST.
- The New York Times joins the fun with a live stream of the inauguration.
- Politico will also broadcast a live stream of the event.
- Bloomberg will have its own live stream coverage on its YouTube channel. As will C-SPAN and Telemundo.
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And naturally, The White House’s own live stream begins at 11am EST/8am PST.
Get social
Given the President-elect’s love affair with the social site, it’s only fitting to watch via Twitter.
The Public Broadcast Service’s @NewsHour is partnering with the site to globally live stream the inauguration. Live coverage begins at 11am ET/8am PT.
Outside the US?
As a current expat, I know people around the world are interested in watching the event. As such, there are a few dedicated foreign channels covering the inauguration.
In the UK, BBC1 is airing live coverage from Capitol Hill from 4pm to 6pm GMT. You can also tune in online.
In Australia, ABC News 24 will cover the event beginning at 3am AEDT on Saturday, January 21.
In another country not covering the inauguration? No problem. Grab yourself a VPN and happily watch to your heart’s content.
How to avoid the mess
If boycotting if more your game, and you can’t attend one of the (many) protests around the nation, a mass refusal to watch Trump will deprive him of big ratings he so desperately craves.
People are pouring into Washington in record numbers. Bikers for Trump are on their way. It will be a great Thursday, Friday and Saturday!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2017
Lest we forget, when Playboy asked why he surrounds himself with “the yacht, the bronze tower, the casinos,” he responded, “Props for the show. … The show is ‘Trump.’…”
Here’s how to not let The White House be just another prop:
Don’t watch
The simplest way to avoid today is not to tune into any of the channels showing the event.
If you don’t have cable and solely rely on local channels for your midday entertainment, this would be the perfect time to find yourself a good book to read, do a puzzle, go outside and play with your children or your dog.
You could also head to your nearest art museum and look at something besides the television.
Watch this instead
If you just gotta turn on the tube, there are a plethora of other things to fill your day.
Watch Concert for America – celebrating diversity with proceeds going to Planned Parenthood, NAACP, Sierra Club Foundation, Southern Poverty Law Center and National Immigration Law Center.
The event will be broadcast on Facebook Live at 3pm EST. Then tune in tomorrow for The Women’s March, which Democracy Now! will be live streaming Saturday at 10am EST.
Watch some of the greatest political dramas of all time: All the King’s Men, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Manchurian Candidate, Good Night and Good Luck, Scandal, and House of Cards.
Give Adam Curtis’ HyperNormalisation a watch. This documentary tells the extraordinary story of how we got to this strange time of uncertainty and confusion. From Donald Trump to Brexit, the war in Syria and the endless migrant crisis – it explains why these chaotic events are happening.
Stay way from social media
It can’t be helped that Facebook and Twitter will be rife with posts from both sides of the fence. So if you truly want to avoid all the hubbub from today, I suggest staying far, far away from any social networks.
If you’re just too much of a social butterfly – we can help!
Though I cannot keep you off a particular website, if you find your finger habitually gravitating towards your Facebook app, perhaps you should download our Faceblock webapp. Looks just like the real thing, but keeps you away from the chaos.
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