Sometimes the precinct count is known at the precinct immediately. A news stringer gets it and calls it in. The election offials have to wrap it up neatly, send or drive or call it to the country, which loads it into its total and then uploads to the state. That’s why usually the media will be ahead of the official site. At the end of the night, it works the otehr weay — the news media can’t sweep up the final dregs as well as the official site.
Mitt is staying ahead on the official count, which would not be possible if the TV numbers were any good.