It's possible that you may have noticed there's an election on tonight. If you are wavering on whether to stay up and possibly watch history being made live on television, perhaps a perusal of previous election-night moments - as covered by US television networks - will whet your appetite. On YouTube there is an abundance of such clips dating back to 1960, featuring red-eyed NBC news anchors and jubilant acceptance speeches by president-elects (just tap in “election night” along with the year). Watched chronologically, the clips offer historical time capsules and wonderful, atmospheric snapshots of changing broadcast styles.

NBC's coverage of the 1960 election is comprehensively covered in nine parts, for example. At tinyurl.com/62fj5e we see footage of John F.Kennedy being greeted by adoring crowds and even a standing ovation from journalists before giving a formal acceptance statement, surprisingly one of the least rousing victory speeches you'll witness.

Compare with Ronald Reagan making the most of his crowning moment in 1980 (tap in tinyurl.com/66pr6n). Addressing a whooping crowd in a hotel in Los Angeles, Reagan radiates full-beam charisma as he enjoys the pinnacle of his landslide victory over Jimmy Carter. At one point, he declares: “Abe Lincoln, the day after his victory, gathered in his office the newsmen who had been covering his campaign, and he said ‘your troubles are over now, mine have just begun'... Lincoln may have been concerned but he was not afraid... I am not frightened by what lies ahead, and I don't believe the American people are frightened by what lies ahead.” The congregated faithful enter a collective state of delirium.

By contrast the British approach to our own election night can seem positively parochial. To demonstrate this, the clip at tinyurl.com/59v2xe shows Monty Python's take on our election night of swingometers and “live” updates from small constituencies around the country. The Silly Party is in ascendence, with “Sensible” political hopefuls being trounced by “Very Silly” candidates with ludicrous names such as Jethro Q. Walrus Titty and other, far more long-winded monikers.

Finally, a more cautionary clip. The damning opening scenes from Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 (available at tinyurl.com/6j7vxu), provide a grimly fascinating sequence showing how the major news networks announced Gore as the winner in Florida and the new president-elect. Senator Obama - it's not over till the last count's in, and even then you never know...

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