Senator Ted Kennedy passed away late last night after being diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2008. Unfortunately, it was well known that the senator’s health had been failing for some time. He had not been to the Senate in nearly a year and was hospitalized in January after collapsing at an Inauguration lunch in Washington D.C.

Because his grave medical condition was well known, the press was ready for his passing with tributes, commentators and archival footage already in the can. This gave them a head start when reporting the news, which the networks wasted little time in doing. ABC News reported Kennedy’s death t 1:18 a.m. EDT and had a new West Coast edition of the Tuesday’s “Nightline” ready for airing at 2:35 a.m. EDT.

All thee morning news programs on ABC, NBC and CBS cleared their schedules to air special tributes to Kennedy. On CBS’ “Early Show,” Bob Schieffer compared Kennedy to “a fictional character: in fiction the hero is not someone who’s perfect. He is someone who overcomes his own flaws and then goes on to do noble things.”

Tonight, most of the 24 hour news channels and major networks will air special programs devoted to Kennedy’s life and career, here’s a look at a few of them:

“Ted Kennedy, the Last Brother”, CBS at 8 p.m. EDT.

“American Experience: The Kennedys, PBS at 8 p.m. EDT.

“Remembering Ted Kennedy”, ABC at 10 p.m. EDT.

“Teddy: In His Own Words”, previously aired by HBO, airing on CNN at 7 p.m. EDT.

“The Kennedy Brothers: A Hardball Documentary”, previously announced by MSNBC, airing 9 p.m. EDT as well as Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT.

Bio Channel announced “Bio Remembers: Ted Kennedy”, to air Thursday at 9 p.m. EDT.