• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, January 14, 2009

In a first for political coverage and out-of-home media, MSNBC has partnered with Screenvision to bring its coverage of Barack Obama's presidential inauguration on Jan. 20 to 27 movie theaters in 21 top markets across the nation, the companies said earlier this week.

Audiences will get the full MSNBC program, including the inauguration ceremony and the parade, the motorcades and honor guards--and of course, the breathless coverage of MSNBC pundits, including Chris Matthews, Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann.

Political junkies and Obama fans can get free tickets to see Screenvision's live digital broadcast of MSNBC coverage by visiting MSNBC.com. About four and a half hours in duration, the program is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20. Various pre-inauguration festivities starting at 8 a.m. will not be covered.

Nor will the coverage include the inaugural balls, scheduled for after the parade--meaning no celebrity performances. However, MSNBC will probably review some highlights of the festivities leading up to the inauguration. Scheduled performances include Beyonce, U2, Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, Usher, Shakira, Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban and James Taylor on Sunday, Jan. 18, and on Monday, Jan. 19, a Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball featuring Russell Simmons and LL Cool J, and a concert honoring military service members featuring Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers, hosted by Michelle Obama.

In recent years, theaters, entertainment franchises and broadcasters have moved to expand in-theater digital broadcasts of live events, such as sports and concerts.

In December, Turner Sports, the NBA and Cinedigm Digital Cinema said they were teaming up to bring the February 2009 NBA All-Star Saturday Night to 160 screens in 80 theaters across America live in 3D HD.