KEY POINTS:
CNN used holograms to beam its reporters into the studio as American television networks embraced new technology in their coverage of the US election.
The network carried interviews in its New York studio with holograms of its reporter Dana Bash in McCain's home state of Arizona and Jessica Yellin from Obama's home base in Chicago.
According to CNN, the process involves dozens of cameras and infra-red technology.
Viewers were also kept up to date with results by an interactive map of the US dubbed the "Magic Wall". States were coloured red, blue or brown according to whether a win for Obama or McCain was known or the vote was too close to call.
Using touch-screen technology, CNN presenter John King was able to zoom in and see voting statistics for every precinct in every state in the country and could even focus on voters' homes. He was also able to make state-by-state comparisons with previous elections.
Detailed demographic information was also immediately available for presenters to analyse. As the polls started to close and projections poured in, viewers were able to see that the candidates' ethnicity had not played a part in people's decision but a voter's age had.
Erika Pearson, a lecturer at the department of media, film and communications at the University of Otago, said television companies were trying to compete with increasingly popular internet coverage and had the money to do so.
"This is one of the closest-fought elections, so newsrooms could justify their budgets," she said.
Dr Pearson said the internet had changed the way people accessed information on the election. Websites such as www.msnbc.com's election dashboard allowed readers to see statistics on election advertising, funding, polling and previous elections on an interactive map similar to CNN's.
According to Dr Pearson, this competition had prompted the TV companies' modern coverage. "The information on the internet is very visual. People want more dynamic information."
Dr Pearson said the internet played a large part in this campaign, especially for President-elect Barack Obama.
"Barack Obama has fought this election on Facebook, from the grassroots, whereas John McCain's campaign has been top down. Use of the internet has changed how people access information.
"It will be interesting to see if these internet ties are maintained [now that the election is over]."
Sky News also employed touch-screen technology but not to the same extent as CNN.
Other networks such as the BBC and Fox News favoured more traditional coverage, focusing on discussion between panellists and live reports from polling stations.
