Michael Jackson’s memorial service at Staples Center

On Critical Condition

Here’s a brief rundown of the coverage:

* MSNBC will begin its coverage at 8 a.m., with Chris Jansing anchoring. Fox News’ Shepard Smith will anchor the day, beginning at 9 a.m. Meanwhile, CNN will start at 9 a.m. with Anderson Cooper, Larry King and Don Lemon as anchors. (CNN will carry the service on sister networks HLN, CNN International and CNN en Espanol as well.)

* On ABC, “Good Morning America” will air a special edition from Los Angeles and Charlie Gibson will anchor “Remembering Michael Jackson” with “Nightline” anchor Martin Bashir when the service begins. At 9 p.m., Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters will co-anchor a special edition of ” 20/20,” reporting on the highlights of the service. ” Primetime: Family Secrets” at 10 p.m. will focus on Jackson’s children.

* CBS’ “The Early Show” will broadcast live from Staples, with Maggie Rodriguez and Harry Smith anchoring. Katie Couric will anchor the “CBS Evening News” at 6:30 p.m. and “48 Hours” at 10 p.m., both from Staples.

* NBC’s “Today” will air a “split edition,” with host Meredith Vieira in Los Angeles. Live coverage of the services, anchored by Brian Williams, will begin at 10 a.m. Williams also will anchor “Nightly News” from Staples Center. At 10 p.m., Lester Holt will anchor a special edition of “Dateline.”

The event’s ratings are expected to be record-breaking, according to television analysts. More than 1.6 million people registered over the weekend for a chance at one of 17,500 free tickets to the service and Jackson’s death has dominated social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

For those without access to television, there are still options. KCRW-FM (89.9) will broadcast the event live and it will also be streamed online on several news sites, including latimes.com and www.hulu.com.

The service will also be seen in 88 movie theaters across 31 states, including Grauman’s Chinese in Hollywood.

maria.elena.fernandez @latimes.com

Happy Michael Jackson

In Jacko's Party

Jay-Z’s opening day party Sunday night at his 40/40 club in Las Vegas went off without a hitch. The hall was packed with great musical guests, including Mary J. Blige, Alan Thicke, his R&B singer son Robin Thicke, Robin’s wife, Paula Patton and Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson.

Michael Jackson Moonwalker

‘I still can’t believe I’m going to the Michael Jackson memorial’

By. Brady MacDonald

I’m wearing the golden wristband and feeling a bit like Charlie on the way to the chocolate factory.

I found out last night around 10 p.m. via e-mail that I’d gotten tickets to Michael Jackson‘s public memorial at the Staples Center on Tuesday. Shocked barely begins to describe how I felt. Stunned and dumbfounded would be a better description.

I immediately told my friends on Facebook and contemplated the odds of being chosen from the 1.6 million fans who registered online.

Picking up the tickets this morning at Dodgers Stadium was a model of Southern California drive-through efficiency. I never left my car and barely slowed down as I navigated a ticket distribution queue that reminded me of a supermarket checkout.

The stadium ticket distribution scene also foreshadowed the police state that will almost certainly surround the memorial tomorrow. Threading through the concentric rings of security felt like entering the Green Zone in Baghdad. I saw only one “need tickets” sign and no scalpers or souvenir hawkers during my 3-minute journey from entrance to exit.

My wife and I will be sitting in the upper concourse of Staples Center. I never gave any thought to selling the tickets, although I did check the going rates on eBay. Holding the tickets, which some were trying to sell for upwards of $100,000 online, made me feel nervous and lucky — two emotions I’ve never felt about a funeral

Michael Jackson Concerts

.I’m not a huge Michael Jackson fan, which I know will drive the faithful crazy. I grew up with his music in the ’80s, marveled in later years at his eccentric personality and downloaded his greatest hits to my iPod when he died. But mostly I feel a mix of excitement and sadness about attending the celebrity wake of the most famous person in the world .