Thursday, September 29, 2011

Behind The Scenes Look As Erin Burnett OutFront Approaches Launch

Just days before it launches on television, CNN.com has posted a 2 minute 30 second sizzle reel for Erin Burnett OutFront.

The video features what looks to be concept animations and actual shots of the OutFront set, as well as a time-lapse of the set being dressed. We also get a tiny preview of the theme music which has been composed by Stephen Arnold Music.

You can watch the full video under the caps of the set below, or simply click here to watch the video on CNN.com.










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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

CNN / HLN Q3, 2011 Numbers

CNN has sent out releases noting the figures for CNN Domestic and HLN for Q3, 2011. Both press releases follow below.

CNN Press Release: CNN POSTS SIGNIFICANT RATINGS GROWTH IN ALL CATEGORIES AND DAYPARTS DURING THIRD QUARTER 2011

Primetime Grows +47%, Total Day +32% and Dayside +26%

Primetime:

For the third quarter 2011, CNN posted significant ratings gains and grew more than MSNBC and FNC during M-F primetime – increasing an impressive +47% in the key demo (232k vs. 158k) and by +28% in total viewers (710k vs. 553k) compared to third quarter a year ago. MSNBC increased far less, growing 7% in the demo (254k vs. 238k) and 9% in total viewers (879k vs. 808k); while FNC was down -2% in the demo and was up 2% in total viewers vs. Q3 2010.

Total Day & Dayside:

CNN topped MSNBC in total day (6a-6a) in both the key demo (158k vs. 150k) and total viewers (475k vs. 431k) during the third quarter. CNN also grew the most in total day, increasing +32% in the demo (158k vs. 120k) and +21% in total viewers (475k vs. 392k) compared to a year ago. MSNBC was up only 5% in the demo (150k vs. 143k) and 11% in total viewers (431k vs. 387k) and FNC was up 4% in the demo and 6% in total viewers.

During dayside programming (9a-5p), CNN had a 52% advantage over MSNBC in the key demo 25-54 (154k vs. 101k) and a 48% lead among total viewers (532k vs. 360k) during the quarter. CNN also had strong dayside ratings growth compared to Q3 2010, increasing +26% in the demo (154k vs. 122k) and +17% in total viewers (532k vs. 455k).


Program Highlights:

CNN’s 8 pm programming grew significantly compared to a year ago -- increasing +39% in the demo (188k vs. 135k) and +28% in total viewers (612k vs. 477k). MSNBC was down -25% in the demo (201k vs. 268k) and was off -15% among total viewers (845k vs. 994k) and FNC was down -6% (demo) and up just 1% among total viewers.

CNN also had strong gains at 9 pm vs. CNN programming a year ago – with Piers Morgan Tonight growing +36% in the demo (213k vs. 157k) and increasing +18% in total viewers (701k vs. 593k). MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show grew by far less, increasing 13% in the demo and only 3% among total viewers this quarter; while FNC was down -6% (demo) and off -3% in total viewers.

At 10 pm, Anderson Cooper 360 topped MSNBC’s The Ed Show for the third quarter in the demo (274k vs. 232k) and among total viewers (750k vs. 736k). AC 360 also had big gains compared to last year – growing an impressive +52% in the demo (274k vs. 180k) and +29% in total viewers (750k vs. 582k). MSNBC increased 18%/34% and FNC was down -2%/0% respectively.

The Situation Room with Blitzer (6pm) topped MSNBC Live/Politics Nation with Al Sharpton in the demo (169k vs. 158k) during the Q3 2011. The Sit Room also grew more than MSNBC and FNC, increasing +27% in the key demo (169k vs. 133k) and +24% in total viewers (592k vs. 477k). MSNBC was down -9% in the demo (158k vs. 173k) and off -5% in total viewers (621k vs. 655k); FNC was up 2% in the demo and down 2% in total viewers.



HLN Press Release: HLN POSTS STRONG DOUBLE-DIGIT GAINS IN Q3 11

Q3 Marks Network Milestones and Firsts; Beats MSNBC in Dayside

Prime Programs Including ‘Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell,’ ‘Nancy Grace,’ ‘Dr. Drew’ and ‘The Joy Behar Show’ Surge

HLN experienced significant double-digit gains in Prime (Mon-Sun) and Total Day Q3 11 vs. Q3 10:

In Prime, HLN increased +67% (674k vs. 404k) in P2+ and +49% (192k vs. 129k) in P25-54; In Total Day, the network surged +71% (451k vs. 264k) in P2+ and +32% (150k vs. 114k) in P25-54.

In addition, Q3 is HLN’s best quarter ever in total day among total viewers, and its best since Q1 09 among P24-54. Moreover, HLN handily outperformed MSNBC in daytime (9 a.m.–5 p.m.) by 33% in P2+ (480k vs. 360k) and 46% in P25-54 (147k vs. 101k) and HLN topped MSNBC in daytime in Q2 as well.

Led by HLN’s deep bench of talent, network programming also experienced notable gains, including:

Morning Express with Robin Meade (6 a.m. – 10 a.m.) increased +23% in P2+ (380k vs. 310k), edging out MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” among P25-54 (154k vs. 152k);

HLN Special Report, hosted by Vinnie Politan (5 p.m. ET) posted triple-digit gains, +182% in P2+ (575k vs. 204k) and +106% in P25-54 (169k vs. 82k);

Prime News, hosted by Vinnie Politan (6 p.m. ET) up +133% in P2+ (561k vs. 241k) and +73% in P25-54 (166k vs. 96k);

Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell (7 p.m. ET) increased +61% in P2+ (658k vs. 408k) and +28% in P25-54 (188k vs. 147k), besting MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” by +3% in P25-54;

Nancy Grace (8 p.m.) up +48% in P2+ (929k vs. 628k) and +36% in P25-54 (261k vs. 192k), outperforming MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” by 10% in P2+ and 30% in P25-54;

Dr. Drew (9 p.m.) increased +63% in P2+ (751k vs. 460k) and +66% in P25-54 (213k vs. 128k);
The Joy Behar Show (10 p.m.) up +38% in P2+ (522k vs. 377k), maintaining last year’s demo audience levels;

Showbiz Tonight (11 p.m.) increased +21% in P2+ (401k vs. 331k).

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CNN's September Numbers

CNN is noting its ratings highlights for television and the performance of its digital network during September. Details from CNN below.

CNN Press Release: CNN TOPS MSNBC WITH ANDERSON COOPER 360 AT 8P AND 10P. CNN PRIMETIME GROWS 46% WITH NEW LINEUP.

September Ratings Highlights

CNN M-F primetime grows +46% (demo) and +34% (total viewers) compared to a year ago.
At 8 pm, Anderson Cooper 360 tops MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell (demo); grows +36% while MSNBC drops -35%.

At 9 pm, Piers Morgan Tonight grows +18% (demo) while MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show is down -15% (demo).

At 10 pm, AC 360 tops MSNBC’s The Ed Show (demo and total viewers).

The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (6pm) tops MSNBC’s Politics Nation with Al Sharpton (demo); CNN grows while MSNBC loses viewers vs. year ago.

CNN tops MSNBC in total day (6a-6a) and dayside (9a-5p).

CNN.com users consumed nearly 40 million pages of content and more than 2.5 million videos per day.

In September, CNN grew more than any cable news network -- increasing +46% in M-F primetime in the key demo adults 25-54 (253k vs. 173k) and +34% among total viewers (769k vs. 574k) vs. last September (2010).

CNN outperformed MSNBC in total day (6a-6a) among both total viewers (450k vs. 412k) and in the key demo 25-54 (148k vs. 143k). CNN also topped MSNBC during dayside (M-F 9a-5p) in total viewers (511k vs. 323k) and in 25-54 (147k vs. 85k).

At 8pm, CNN’s AC 360 topped MSNBC’s The Last Word in the key demo (212k vs. 185k) in September. The CNN program was the only 8 pm show (among MSNBC and FNC) to post growth, increasing +36% among 25-54 vs. CNN programming a year ago (212k vs. 156k). MSNBC decreased a staggering -35% (185k vs. 286k) and FNC’s O’Reilly Factor was down -14% (611k vs. 712k). In total viewers, AC 360 was up +37% (674k vs. 491k); MSNBC was down -22% (834k vs. 1.068m) and FNC was flat compared to last year.

Compared to its cable competitors (MSNBC and FNC), Piers Morgan Tonight was the only 9 pm program to grow vs. a year ago - increasing +18% in the key demo (193k vs. 164k), while Rachel Maddow Show was down -15% (246k vs. 289k) and Hannity was off -13%. Among total viewers Piers Morgan Tonight increased +6% (626k vs. 588k), MSNBC was down -17% (875k vs. 1.057m) and FNC was down -5%.

At 10 pm, AC 360 topped MSNBC’s The Ed Show/Docs in both total viewers (739k vs. 677k) and in the demo 25-54 (269k vs. 199k). CNN had strong ratings gains at 10pm compared to the other cable news networks – increasing +42% among 25-54 (269k vs. 190k) and +20% in total viewers (739k vs. 617k) vs. a year ago. MSNBC’s The Ed Show/Docs was up only +3% in the demo (199k vs. 194k), while FNC remained relatively flat, +1%. In total viewers, MSNBC grew 17% (677k vs. 578k) and FNC increased just 6%.

The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer at 6 pm topped MSNBC’s Politics Nation with Al Sharpton in the key demo 25-54 (163k vs. 141k) in September. In addition, the Blitzer-led program grew +19% in the demo (163k vs. 137k) and +22% among total viewers (590k vs. 483k) vs. last year. Sharpton was down -24% in the demo (141k vs. 185k) and -15% in total viewers (599k vs. 708k) compared to MSNBC’s programming a year ago.

CNN Newsroom easily topped MSNBC during the dayside (9a-5p) in both total viewers and in the key demo 25-54. Among total viewers, CNN averaged 511k, a 58% advantage over MSNBC’s 323k, and in 25-54, posted 147k, 73% more than MSNBC’s 85k.

In total day (6a-6a), CNN topped MSNBC in total viewers (450k vs. 412k) and in the demo 25-54 (148k vs. 143k) in September. CNN also grew the most in total day vs. a year ago – increasing +16% among total viewers (450k vs. 389k) and +25% in the demo (148k vs. 118k). MSNBC grew only 4% in total viewers (412k vs. 395k) and 2% in the demo (143k vs. 140k). FNC was up 2% in total day/total viewers and was down -3% in total day/demo compared to a year ago.

CNN reached a cumulative audience of 96.6 million viewers in September. MSNBC followed with 79.3 million and FNC dropped to third with 77.3 million.

CNN’s Third Quarter 2011 ratings will be released separately.


CNN DIGITAL

CNN.com users consumed nearly 40 million pages of content and more than 2.5 million videos per day so far in September.

Specifically, CNN.com saw big gains in the U.S. Section, with a 61% increase in daily average page views in large part because of CNN’s 9/11 anniversary coverage. Three of the top five articles in the section were about the 10th anniversary of 9/11, generating over 14.5 million page views. Some of the top stories of the month include:

9/11 Ripple with 7.3 million page views, a visual interactive using artists illustrations of the ripple effect of Sept. 11, ranging from a global to a personal scale.

Terror in a Small Town with 3.8 million page views, an enterprise piece about a small-town murder

CNN.com’s top three blogs were This Just In, The Marquee Blog and The Political Ticker, contributing to traffic in September. (Source: Omniture, through Sept. 25, 2011).

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Sunday, September 25, 2011

New Soledad O'Brien "In America" Special Debuts Tonight

CNN Domestic tonight debuts the latest installment of its "In America" series, with Soledad O'Brien reporting the story of female flyweight fighter Marlen Esparza, after the International Olympic Committee allowed the last female sport excluded from the games, women’s boxing, to be added to the 2012 London games. Details from CNN below.

CNN Press Release: CNN Takes on Female Boxing – the Last Frontier of the Olympics – in New Latino in America Documentary

CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien traces the U.S. Olympic dreams of female flyweight fighter Marlen Esparza. The International Olympic Committee has finally allowed women’s boxing for the 2012 games, the last female sport excluded from the world’s most prestigious sporting competition. The one-hour documentary reflects the lives of girls who typically box in this country – generally young women from ‘blue collar’ backgrounds, often women of color who must focus and train against a backdrop of challenging family struggles. Frequently, they must also fight for acceptance in their communities for their competition in traditionally a man’s sport, as a pathway to success for themselves and their families, and positive recognition for their communities.



For In Her Corner: Latino in America, O’Brien profiles Houston-based, Mexican-American fighter Esparza. Esparza aims to push aside negative stereotypes of her community, while pursuing her dream to represent America for Olympic Gold. In Her Corner debuts on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 8:00pm ET and PT, and replays Saturday, Oct. 1 at 8:00pm ET and PT.

Mentally and physically strong, tough, beautiful and smart, at age 11, Esparza fell in love with a sport traditional Latino communities frequently don’t approve of for girls: she loves to box. She is fully focused on being a part of her sport’s historic entry into the 2012 Olympics – and coming back to the U.S. with Olympic Gold. At age 21, Esparza has focused on boxing for a decade – winning her first national championship at age 16, she has shunned friends, boyfriends, and even deferred college for boxing. There are just five phone numbers programmed into her mobile phone: her mother, father, two siblings and her coach. Esparza is known as a ‘pressure fighter’ – a boxer who aggressively pursues her opponents in the ring for unqualified victories. Now, a five-time national champion, Esparza hits so quickly and so hard that she has to spar with men – even at only 112 pounds.

“I want to put a stamp on it – ‘this is Marlen’s’,” she says in the documentary. “When they raise my hand, that’s definitely my favorite part.”

At the age of 12, Esparza asked Rudy Silva to be her coach. A cop by day and boxing trainer at night, Silva patrols a mostly-Latino high school known for high rates drop-outs and gang members. He insists the kids at his gym be strong students, and at night trains several dozen kids, including his own 10-year-old son. The goal is to graduate – and boxing seems to encourage winning in the classroom and in the ring. Although initially Silva was reluctant to train a female boxer, he eventually grew to appreciate her persistence and natural talent.

Silva says, “I actually tried for about two weeks to break her...I was pushing her so hard...In a few weeks, I was making some of the guys quit!” He continued, “This girl is going to make it ... she has the heart of a champion.”

David and Carmen Esparza, Esparza’s parents, are her biggest fans. By her side and cheering her on at every match, her father is surprised to see their daughter do something he always wanted for his sons. Reluctant at first to get behind his daughter’s ambitions, he now thinks she is the next Julio Cesar Chavez, making great sacrifices to pay for a sport with little financial backing.

Carmen Esparza and her daughter work side-by-side at a dental office to support her family and help fund her boxing efforts. Though her mother wanted her to want to be a doctor, she supports Esparza’s dreams.

Standing in Esparza’s way though are her fellow competitors who share her Olympic aspirations. Chief among them is Cristina Cruz, a brassy, easy-going, 23-year-old Puerto Rican Latina from Hell’s Kitchen raised by her grandparents with a formerly-incarcerated mother who is in and out of her life.

Cruz says, “I wake up every day thinking about it...This is a sport: someone has to lose,” as she and Esparza separately begin their paths towards the 2012 Olympic games in qualifying competitions in Colorado Springs, home of the U.S. Olympic team.

O’Brien tracks their training, their competitions, watching them inspire each other – and the families, communities, and fans that are following them along the way.

Additional reporting and video excerpts from In Her Corner: Latino in America can be found at www.cnn.com/inamerica. CNN Student News is producing an Educator and Parent Guide for the documentary, which will include discussion questions and a learning activity.

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Friday, September 23, 2011

CNN Reveals Top 10 CNN Heroes For 2011

CNN has revealed the Top 10 finalists of CNN Heroes 2011. Online voting is open now until December 7. The Top 10 finalists will be honored in a live special to be broadcast across CNN's networks on December 11. CNN's press release below.

CNN Press Release: World News Leader Honors Everyday People Changing the World

CNN, the worldwide leader in news, today announced the Top 10 CNN Heroes for 2011, recognizing everyday people who are changing the world. The network also announced that online voting for the “CNN Hero of the Year” opened Thursday, September 22, 2011, at 8:00 AM ET, and will run through Wednesday, December 7, 2011, at Midnight PT.



CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute will air LIVE on CNN at 8:00 PM ET, on Sunday, December 11, 2011. Hosted by Anderson Cooper at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute will honor individuals who are making extraordinary contributions to help improve the lives of others. Since its inception, “CNN Heroes” has received over 40,000 submissions from more than 100 countries and profiled over 150 heroes.

Each of the Top 10 CNN Heroes will receive a $50,000 grant and one of the honorees, as voted by fans across the globe, will be named the “CNN Hero of the Year”, receiving an additional $250,000 grant to further aid their cause. During the live broadcast, the Top 10 CNN Heroes will each have their story told by a celebrity.

The honorees for 2011, whose profiles are available to view at www.cnnheroes.com, are:

- Amy Stokes (Yonkers, NY) In sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 15 million children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. New York resident Amy Stokes decided to bring the effect of caring adults living elsewhere into the lives of South African children. She started Infinite Family in 2006, using the internet to connect hundreds of teen ‘Net Buddies’ with adult mentor volunteers from around the world. Pairs meet face-to-face via the internet, and the children learn survival, language and computer skills that help prepare them for their future in a global marketplace.

- Bruno Serato (Anaheim, CA) For two decades, Bruno Serato has been doing what he loves: feeding customers at his restaurant in Anaheim, California. But six years ago, he realized that many of the children at his local Boys and Girls Club often go to bed hungry. They are “motel kids” – children whose families stay one step ahead of homelessness by living week-to-week in cheap motels. Serato’s “Caterina’s Club” started serving them pasta dinners, and now he feeds nearly 200 children seven nights a week.

- Derreck Kayongo (Atlanta, GA (birthplace: Uganda)) Millions of bars of soap left behind at hotels are simply thrown away. Since 2009, Kayongo and his Global Soap Project have collected 100 tons of partially used hotel soap and reprocessed it into more than 100,000 bars for communities in nine countries, including Haiti, Kenya and Uganda – for free. The Atlanta-area resident and Ugandan war refugee considers the soap he provides for poverty-stricken children as “a first line of defense” to help fight disease. The need is real: an estimated 2 million children die annually due to sanitation issues.

- Diane Latiker (Roseland (Chicago), IL) Youth gun violence runs especially rampant on Chicago’s South Side. Instead of hiding from it, Diane Latiker opened her doors to area kids in 2003 and started a community center in her living room. Today, the mother of eight has turned the building next door into a haven for youngsters. Latiker’s “Kids Off the Block” program offers tutoring, mentoring, job training and other activities to keep young people off the streets, out of gangs and focused on their futures.

- Eddie Canales (Schertz, TX) In 2001, Canales watched as his son Chris, a high school senior, made a tackle during a football game that left him paralyzed. Just over a year later, he and Chris watched from the stands as another high school player went down with a spinal cord injury. That moment pushed Eddie Canales to start “Gridiron Heroes”, which provides emotional and financial support to high school football athletes who’ve sustained spinal cord injuries. It’s a fraternity that includes 19 injured players in the state of Texas.

- Elena Durón Miranda (Bariloche, Argentina) Elena Durón Miranda traveled to Argentina in 2001 to research impoverished communities. She witnessed children collecting food and other items in the Bariloche trash dump to eat and sell. She decided to stay in the country and in 2002, she founded “P.E.T.I.S.O.S.” (Prevention and Eradication of Child Labor) to get children out of the garbage dump and into school. Today P.E.T.I.S.O.S. provides free after school programs and access to education, counseling and medical care to about 200 children.

- Patrice Millet (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) After Patrice Millet was diagnosed with cancer, he dedicated his life to helping needy kids in his native Haiti. In 2007, he sold his business and started the “FONDAPS” youth soccer program, which has provided free equipment, coaching and food to hundreds of children from the slums of Port-au-Prince. But Millet’s program mainly aims to help teach participants to become responsible citizens. Many children in the program lost relatives in the 2010 earthquake and now live in tent cities. Millet believes his work is even more important now to give “his kids” a shot at a better life.

- Robin Lim (Ubud, Bali, Indonesia (Birthplace: Arizona)) In Indonesia, women are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy-related complications than women in developed countries. After her youngest sister died from pregnancy complications, Lim became a professional midwife and dedicated her life to offering free prenatal and birthing services to low-income Indonesian women. Since 2003, Lim’s “Yayasan Bumi Sehat” (Healthy Mother Earth Clinic) has provided medical assistance to thousands of women in Bali and Aceh, Indonesia.

- Sal Dimicelli (Lake Geneva, WI) Raised in poverty, Sal Dimicelli vowed when he was 12 years old that he’d always help people in need, and he’s spent nearly all of his adult life making good on that promise. Through a local newspaper column, Sal invites people who’ve fallen on hard times to write him letters, describing their situation. His nonprofit, “The Time Is Now To Help”, assists about 500 people a year with food, rent, utilities and other necessities.

- Taryn Davis (Buda, TX) Taryn Davis’ husband died in Iraq when she was 21. She felt alone with her pain while others moved on with their lives and encouraged her to do the same. Unable to find a community that could honor her husband’s memory and spirit in a way she could relate to, Taryn created one. Since 2007, her American Widow Project has connected 900 young military widows in a sisterhood that helps them honor their husbands while celebrating life.

Previous CNN Heroes have gained global recognition and earned increased support, allowing them to make an even greater difference. For example, last year’s “Hero of the Year”, Anuradha Koirala, was honored by actress Demi Moore. Moore’s organization, the DNA Foundation, later partnered with the CNN Freedom Project for a documentary on Koirala’s project “Maiti Nepal”, which details her efforts to end human trafficking. The DNA Foundation will also fund future Maiti Nepal prevention efforts. CNN’s 2009 “Hero of the Year”, Efren Peñaflorida, saw his pushcart classroom model replicated more than 50 times by different organizations and institutions across the Philippines. He can also be seen hosting his own search for heroes on the Philippine television show "Ako Mismo" ("I Myself"), which features people working in the Philippines to better the lives of others.

“Over the past five years, the CNN Heroes Initiative has profiled more than 150 heroes and honored 50 everyday men and women from around the world for their tireless efforts to improve the lives of others,” said Jim Walton, President of CNN Worldwide. “We hope to empower these selfless individuals to persevere in their humanitarian efforts to create progress, and are proud to share the stories of this year’s Top 10 Heroes.”

Those interested in learning more about the 2011 honorees and casting their vote for “Hero of the Year” can visit www.cnnheroes.com online or on their mobile device. For the latest updates, fans can follow CNN Heroes on Facebook and Twitter.

Kelly Flynn is the Senior Executive Producer for the “CNN Heroes” initiative and CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. This year’s show will be produced by Ian Stewart and Hamish Hamilton.

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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

HLN PROVIDES COMPLETE, EXPERT COVERAGE OF THE TRIAL OF DR. CONRAD MURRAY

CNN Press Release - HLN is America’s television destination for coverage of the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, the man accused of causing the death of Michael Jackson. Beginning today, HLN’s deep bench of talent provides a complete view of events in and around the Los Angeles Superior Court, as well as a comprehensive exploration into the lives of the Jackson family and Murray. Network hosts and reporters including Nancy Grace, Jane Velez-Mitchell, AJ Hammer, Ryan Smith and Vinnie Politan deliver up to the minute reports on the latest trial action, and hosts Dr. Drew Pinsky, Joy Behar and Robin Meade feature special programming daily on their respective shows.

“HLN’s team is fully committed to presenting all aspects of the trial. Our programming will shed light on an incredibly complex man, his family and what led to his untimely death,” said Scot Safon, GM and EVP, HLN. “HLN will feature a variety of voices and an array of expertise that will thoughtfully analyze the motivations of the people involved in this story.”

As opening arguments begin on Tue, Sep 27, HLN will air gavel-to-gavel coverage each day beginning at 11 a.m. ET, providing pre and post trial analysis from inside and outside the Los Angeles County Courthouse.

Each hour of HLN’s signature programs throughout the day will provide a distinct look at this gripping drama as it unfolds: (all times eastern)

Morning Express with Robin Meade 6 a.m. – 11am
One of the top-rated morning shows in the country, Morning Express with Robin Meade gives viewers their daily courtroom developments while also exploring the human connection.

Special Report at 11 a.m.
Host Vinnie Politan, a lawyer and former prosecutor, will take viewers through the daily events in the courtroom and get to the two characters at the center of this story: Dr. Conrad Murray and Michael Jackson.

News Now at 3 p.m.
Live from Los Angeles, Hosts Ryan Smith and Jane Velez-Mitchell bring viewers up the minute developments in the courtroom as they happen while analyzing what the viewers have seen. Smith, a former entertainment attorney and host of InSession, gets to the heart of the story with his curiosity and connects the dots to find the truth behind what people are saying.

Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell at 7 p.m.
Utilizing Velez-Mitchell's years of experience covering Jackson during his previous legal battles, Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell pursues the truth by following the details of the trial and the characters at the center of the headlines.

Nancy Grace at 8 p.m.
Grace, the most prominent legal expert in media, uses her expertise to seek justice and serves up daily legal developments, delivering up-to-the-minute details of the trial's twists and turns.

Dr Drew at 9 p.m.
As a doctor and addiction specialist, Dr. Drew Pinsky takes center stage and tackles the celebrity culture, demystifying why players at the heart of this story do what they do. Pinsky explores the behaviors of celebrity addicts as well as the doctors who treat them and how Jackson’s story ended in tragedy.

The Joy Behar Show at 10 p.m.
Behar explores Michael’s life and the Jackson family dynamic, adding color and context to the discussion from her celebrity guests and panelists. Behar gets the answers to the questions her viewers are asking and connects them to the story.

Showbiz Tonight at 11 p.m.
Showcasing Hammer’s years of reporting on Hollywood and the music industry, Showbiz Tonight highlights why Jackson’s music still matters, his legacy and how this trial impacts millions of fans globally.

In addition, HLN chronicles the mysterious life and death of Jackson in a two-part documentary, The Death of Michael Jackson: Dr. Conrad Murray on Trial airing on Sat, Sep 24, at 9 p.m. (ET). Hosted by Grace, the documentary features expert commentary by HLN’s Dr. Drew Pinsky, Jane Velez-Mitchell, Joy Behar, Vinnie Politan, Robin Meade, AJ Hammer and Ryan Smith who dissect the question: “how did it come to this?” Part one, airing Sep 24, examines the mysterious live and death of Michael Jackson and ultimately how it led to Conrad Murray being on trial. Part two, will feature details from inside the trial and the dramatic developments that led to the verdict with expert analysis from HLN’s team and reaction from around the world.

HLN is a CNN Worldwide network offered in more than 90 million households in the U.S. CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the U.S.; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

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Hala Gorani Hosting Live World Bank Webcast Today

CNN International's Hala Gorani is scheduled to host a World Bank live webcast debate on gender equality later this morning. (via: Linking to Hala)

The brief from the World Bank Open Forum website says:

It’s 2011, and inequality is still a lifelong experience for girls and women. Women make up the majority of unpaid workers worldwide. Only 15% of landowners and one in five lawmakers globally are women. More girls are out of school than boys. Violence against women is still widespread.

It’s time to increase women’s economic opportunity and their voice in decision making. But how do we get to equal?

Join the conversation at the Open Forum: Gender – Getting to Equal in 3 ways:

1) SUBMIT IDEAS about ways “to get to equal” and overcome gender inequality in your community. Tell your friends to agree with your idea - the most popular ones will be debated during the Open Forum.

2) PARTICIPATE IN THE CHAT FORUM beginning Tuesday, September 20 at 12 pm Washington, DC, time. Gender activists, entrepreneurs, and academics will rotate as hosts for the 24-hour chat forum. Sign up for an email reminder on the right.

3) WATCH THE LIVE DEBATE hosted by CNN International's Hala Gorani, a distinguished panel of experts will continue the discussion about your ideas in a live webcast debate.

The webcast begins at 10:00am (eastern) and can be viewed by following the links on this website.

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Back|Story Teases New Set Launching Next Week

Back in late May, the Back|Story team tweeted about efforts to secure a new set for the show.

"Testing the new set for Back|Story. We're really impressed, hope you are too" @BackStory - May 25, 2011.



"Another set location idea, what do you think?" @BackStory - May 25, 2011


Since those two tweets, nothing more was really mentioned about any new set. That is, nothing was mentioned until the close of Tuesday's show.

Watch the short video below of Michael Holmes teasing the new set, scheduled to debut next week when Isha Sesay takes over hosting duties fulltime, as well as a sneak peek of where the show will call home from next Monday.

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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Ari Fleischer Joins CNN As Political Contributor

Former White House Secretary Ari Fleischer has joined CNN as political contributor. Details from CNN below.

CNN Press Release: As the nation looks to the 2012 election season, CNN continues to expand its team of political contributors with the addition of former White House Secretary Ari Fleischer, it was announced today by Sam Feist, CNN senior vice president and Washington bureau chief. Fleischer will serve as contributor to programs across the network as well as special political programming.

“Ari’s extraordinary experience in the political arena and in the White House make him an invaluable contributor to the network,” said Feist. “We’re thrilled to have Ari on board and our viewers will appreciate his keen insight as we head into this election cycle.”

“Having worked on a successful presidential campaign and having spent 21 years in Washington, I’m looking forward to joining CNN as a regular contributor,” said Fleischer. “It’s shaping up as a red hot political year and I’m eager to lend my perspective to it.”

Prior to starting his own company, Ari Fleischer Sports Communications Inc., Fleischer was the primary spokesperson for President Bush and delivered the daily White House briefings from 2001 to 2003. He previously served as the senior communications advisor and spokesman for the Bush-Cheney presidential campaign. While working for George W. Bush, Fleischer served as spokesman during the historic 2000 presidential recount, 9/11 attacks, and the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Fleischer was also the national spokesman and communications director for Elizabeth Dole’s run for the presidency, and he also served as the communications director for the House Committee on Ways and Means from 1994 to 1999. From 1989 to 1994, Fleischer served as press secretary to New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici, and from 1983 to 1989, he served as press secretary to two members of Congress from New York, and he also worked on several political campaigns. Fleischer is the author of a New York Times best seller, Taking Heat, which details his years in the White House.

Fleischer joins a deep bench of political contributors at CNN which includes John Avalon, Paul Begala, Donna Brazile, James Carville, Alex Castellanos, Erick Erickson, Roland Martin, Mary Matalin, and Hilary Rosen, among others.

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Martin Savidge Filling In On CNN International's Prism

Martin Savidge anchored CNN International's Prism on Monday, whilst regular host Errol Barnett is away on holiday. According to his facebook profile, Savidge will continue to fill in at 12:00pm (eastern) for the rest of this week. He has previously filled in on weekend editions of World Report.

Here's a short video from Monday's Prism.

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[Video]: Connect The World Relaunch

As we mentioned last Friday, CNN International's Connect The World has relaunched with fresh graphics, new studio set-up and a remixed theme.

A video showing off the new design elements is below.

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Monday, September 19, 2011

Michael Holmes Leaving Back|Story

Michael Holmes is leaving CNN International's Back|Story, effective this Friday.

Holmes will swap roles with fellow CNN International anchor Isha Sesay and move to hosting duties of the 10:00am (eastern) edition of International Desk. Sesay, a regular fill-in host on Back|Story, assumes the Back|Story role fulltime from next Monday.

Holmes made the announcement on Back|Story's facebook page earlier today:

"I shall very much miss working with our amazing team (although I'll probably keep my desk, so I'll be all of three feet away from them!) and enjoying the routine of putting this terrific show together. It's really been an honour to work on this show, with these people and I'm going to miss it. But the new challenge awaits and I'm looking forward to anchoring an hour of hard news every day.

I shall also very much miss you - our incredibly loyal, enthusiastic and "involved" viewers. You guys have been amazing from day one, offering your thoughts, story ideas and even questions for our interviews with guests and correspondents.

From Africa to Europe to Asia to North and South America, you have been fantastic - and have made the BackStory FB page by far the most popular of all CNNi's shows!

I'll be here for the rest of the week and my last show will be this Friday. I do hope you can be with me this week, give Isha a great welcome, and tune in to Idesk as well as BackStory!! :)"

Michael Holmes has hosted the popular daily program since its launch in 2008. Each day, Back|Story provides a behind-the-scenes look at CNN's worldwide newsgathering efforts, giving viewers extra insight into the day's top stories.

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CNN Crew Comes Under Fire In Libya

A CNN crew, including correspondent Phil Black and producer Ian Lee, was caught up in an attack in Sitre, Libya over the weekend.

The CNN team was traveling with other journalists and Libyan revolutionary fighters when the convoy came under attack on Saturday.

CNN says the convoy started taking small arms fire, followed by two rocket-propelled grenades, after a Libyan revolutionary fighter started firing towards suspicious movement he spotted in the distance.

Ian Lee received a shrapnel wound to his ankle, but CNN reports the producer was in good spirits and had spoken to his family following treatment. A paramedic traveling with the convoy died during the attack.

Watch Phil Black's dramatic report below.

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Sunday, September 18, 2011

Fareed Zakaria Jobs Crisis Special Debuts Tonight

CNN Domestic will tonight premiere a new primetime special from Fareed Zakaria. Details from CNN below.

CNN Press Release: There’s lot of talk in Washington about creating jobs - and there’s lot of angst in America about the lack of jobs. CNN’s Fareed Zakaria says the plans out there won’t create jobs quickly enough. So what will? Zakaria sits down with Jeffrey Immelt, CEO and Chairman of GE and “jobs czar” for the Obama Administration to talk about his proposals for how government can encourage job growth, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) about infrastructure, Andrew Liveris president, chairman, CEO of the Dow Chemical Company and author of Make It In America: The Case for Re-Inventing the Economy about how to save manufacturing in America. Zakaria also interviews Starwood president / CEO Frits van Paasschen about the ultimate outsource-proof industry: tourism and how to strengthen it, and Dan Ackerson chairman / CEO of General Motors about the health of auto industry.



CNN’s Fareed Zakaria's special on solutions for America’s jobs crisis, RESTORING THE AMERICAN DREAM: GETTING BACK TO WORK – A FAREED ZAKARIA GPS Special airs Sunday at 8:00pm ET & PT on CNN.

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Friday, September 16, 2011

First Look At 'Connect The World' Relaunch

CNN International's 'Connect The World' is set to unveil a brand new look this coming Monday.

Along with new graphics, viewers can expect to see new titles, a new studio set-up and new lighting design.

Earlier today, the 'Connect The World' team uploaded a bunch of pictures to their facebook page, showing a sneak peek at the new look during rehearsals.


View the rest of the gallery here and be sure to let the team know what you think of the new look.

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Changes at American Morning?


TVNewser has details of possible changes at CNN's American Morning, with Soledad O'Brien coming back to anchor the last 2 hours of AM and former Court TV and current ABC News freelancer Ashleigh Banfield joining to anchor 2 hours before Soledad. If this happens, where does this leave Ali Velshi? Will he had back to Atlanta to his spot on CNN Newsroom? Remember, CNN Newsroom is losing an hour when the new fall schedule debuts.

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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Anil Kapoor fronts new CNN Freedom Project documentary

CNN Press Release - Half-hour documentary reveals tradition of trafficking in Bharatpur, India; finds hope in younger generation

Watch the trailer here.

Actor, producer and Indian film luminary Anil Kapoor has partnered with the CNN Freedom Project to expose one region’s secret tradition of trafficking in 'Trapped by Tradition: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary.' This is the year’s second major documentary produced by the CNN Freedom Project, the network’s multi-platform initiative which aims to expose the horrors of modern-day slavery and to push for change. 'Trapped by Tradition: A CNN Freedom Project Documentary' premieres Saturday, September 24 at 0900ET on CNN International.

As a special contributor to the CNN Freedom Project, Kapoor visits Bharatpur, a district in his native India where many young girls and women are sold into the sex trade often by members of their own family. This is the second trip to Bharatpur in two years for the film star, who is internationally recognized for his work in the award-winning film ‘Slumdog Millionaire.’ Kapoor has been involved in the fight against human trafficking for the past several years through his involvement with Plan India, an organization working on the frontlines to protect children against abuse and exploitation.

“Human slavery in today’s modern world is unacceptable and unpardonable. We should do whatever we can to eradicate it completely,” says Kapoor. “It was clear we must change the mindset of the people in [Bharatpur] – they had to understand there are other options."
'Trapped by Tradition' follows Kapoor to Bharatpur, where he spends time with many young girls and women who followed the socially-accepted tradition of joining the sex trade. One of the women he meets says her brother convinced her to join the business more than 20 years ago and every penny she’s earned is used to support her family. While her story is not an unfamiliar one in Bharatpur, it becomes clear the district’s poverty, illiteracy, family pressures and geographical location all contribute to the perpetuation of trafficking females for family honor and commercial gain.

However, Kapoor notices a growing awareness among the families during this visit – something he did not witness two years ago. Despite having a mother working in the sex trade, one young girl tells Kapoor she wants to continue her education in Mumbai as she dreams of becoming an actress. It is through this increased education that Kapoor believes young girls and women are learning about lifestyle choices they have outside Bharatpur and India’s sex trade.

The Freedom Project blog will be the online home for special coverage of 'Trapped by Tradition.' Leading up to the premiere of the documentary, users will be encouraged to submit questions to Kapoor related to the documentary through the blog, Twitter and the Freedom Project Facebook page.

'Trapped by Tradition' replays Saturday, Sept. 24 at 1500; Sunday, Sept.25 at 0700 and 2100; and Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 0530 and 1330 on CNN International. All times Eastern.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

CNN’S REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES DEBATE WAS #1 LAST NIGHT IN BOTH TOTAL VIEWERS AND DEMO 25-54; DRAWS 3.6 MILLION VIEWERS

CNN Press Release - CNN Digital Live Video of the Debate Triples New Hampshire

According to Nielsen Fast National data (8-10pm), CNN’s Tea Party Republican debate moderated by Wolf Blitzer delivered 3.6 million total viewers and 1.1 million among adults 25-54 last night, Monday, September 12. CNN ranked first in both total viewers and among the P25-54, topping second place FNC by +88% in total viewers (3.6m vs. 1.9m) and by +204% in the key demo (1.1m vs. 370k). CNN also out-rated third place MSNBC by +455% among total viewers (3.6m vs. 643k) and by +599% among 25-54 (1.1m vs. 161k).

Compared to CNN’s recent New Hampshire GOP debate (June 13, 2011), this debate increased 13% in total viewers (3.6m vs. 3.2m) and grew +23% in the key demo 25-54 (1.1m vs. 918k) despite other big events last night including the season debut of Monday Night Football and the U.S. Open Men’s Finals.

CNN.com – Global – 8-10 p.m.

· CNN.com recorded 4.0 million global page views during the 8 – 10 p.m. hours when the Tampa debate was live, up 9% over the prior 4-Monday average and up 17% from New Hampshire debate levels.

· With 609 thousand total video starts, levels were more than twice as high as the prior 4 Monday benchmark and 75% higher than the New Hampshire performance

· Live video hit 444.2 thousand streams, nearly 150 times as high as the prior 4 Monday benchmark and more than three times as high the New Hampshire debate.

The #cnnteaparty hashtag was the #1 trending topic globally and in the U.S. from 8:15 – 9:59 pm.

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Monday, September 12, 2011

CNN / Tea Party Express GOP Debate Tonight

CNN and the Tea Party Express will present a two-hour debate with GOP Presidential candidates from 8:00pm (eastern) tonight. The debate will also simulcast on CNN International, and stream live online and via CNN's mobile apps.



CNN Press Release: CNN and the Tea Party Express, along with more than 100 local tea party groups from every state across the country, will team up Monday, September 12 to present a first-of-its-kind debate from the site of the 2012 Republican National Convention: Tampa, Florida. Eight Republican presidential contenders will face questions from moderator and lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer during the two-hour event, which will air live on CNN from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. from the Florida State Fairgrounds. The debate will focus on a wide-range of topics, including the role, size and scope of government, with a specific emphasis on issue number one to tea party members and all Americans: the economy.

In addition to questions from Blitzer, audience members inside the debate hall, made up in part by members from tea party groups in 31 states and the District of Columbia, will be invited to ask questions directly to the candidates. Questions will also be taken live from tea party members at debate watch parties in Phoenix, Ariz.; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Portsmouth, Virginia. Online, CNN will solicit questions via comments on CNNPolitics.com, the CNN Politics Facebook page, and by using the #CNNTeaParty hashtag on Twitter.

The following Republican candidates will participate in the debate: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, businessman Herman Cain, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

The debate will be broadcast live on CNN, CNN International, CNN.com, and CNN Radio. The debate will be available via live stream in the CNN Apps for iPhone, iPad and Android.


CNN.com

CNNPolitics.com will provide a series of stories for all things related to the CNN-Tea Party Republican Debate: the evolution of the tea party movement, its influence on the Republican Party, what’s at stake for the GOP hopefuls participating in the debate and more. On debate day, Monday, Sept. 12, CNNPolitics.com will dedicate its site to coverage of the debate, featuring profiles of the candidates and a behind-the-scenes look at event preparations.

On the day of the debate, the CNN Political Ticker will host a live, up-to-the-minute blog, including real-time comments from CNN’s political team. The page will also incorporate a social media live stream, integrating the conversation happening across CNN.com, Twitter and Facebook directly onto the Political Ticker.

Additionally, a new page for debate coverage, CNN.com/TeaPartyDebate, will be live on Friday, Sept. 9 and will feature a live video stream of the debate, plus related video.


PROGRAMMING:

The following programs will originate live from the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa, Florida:

Monday, September 12

6:00am – 9:00 am: American Morning – with Ali Velshi
5:00 pm: – 7:00pm: The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer
7:00pm – 8:00 pm: John King, USA
8:00pm – 10:00pm: CNN-Tea Party Republican Debate


Tuesday, September 13

6:00am – 9:00am: American Morning – with Ali Velshi


All times Eastern.

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Saturday, September 10, 2011

CNN's 9/11 Anniversary Coverage Schedule

CNN will broadcast live coverage of September 11 remembrance events from New York, Washington, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania on Sunday. Coverage will also simulcast worldwide on CNN International.

>> Earlier on CNN Observations: CNN To Provide Global, Multi-Platform Live Coverage of the 10th Anniversary of Sept. 11th

Below is the planned schedule of special coverage from CNN on Sunday. All times eastern.

6:00am – 8:00am: CNN Newsroom
8:00am – 1:00pm: CNN 9/11 Ten Years Later Live Coverage
1:00pm – 2:00pm: Fareed Zakaria GPS
8:00pm – 9:00pm: CNN Newsroom (to include President Obama’s remarks live at 8:45pm E)
9:00pm – 10:00pm: CNN Presents: Footnotes of 9/11
10:00pm – 11:00pm: Beyond Bravery: The Women of 9/11


Below is a list of guests that will appear during CNN special live coverage on Sunday, September 11.

- Geneive Abdo, Author, “Mecca and Main Street”
- Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst; Author, “The Osama bin Laden I Know” and “The Longest War”
- Vice President Joe Biden
- Debbie Borza, Mother of Flight 93 victim
- Andy Card, Former White House Chief of Staff
- New York Governor Andrew Cuomo
- Former Vice President Dick Cheney
- Rep. Keith Ellison, Congressman, Minnesota’s 5th District
- Ari Fleischer, Former White House Press Secretary
- Michael Hayden, Former Director, CIA
- Michael Hingson, 9/11 Survivor; Author, Thunder Dog
- Monica Iken, Founder, “September’s Mission”
- Denis Leary, “Rescue Me” and the Leary Firefighters Foundation
- Mary Matalin, CNN Political Contributor
- John Miller, Associate Deputy Director, National Intelligence Analysis; Former Assistant Director of Public Affairs, FBI
- Jeff Parness, The NY Say Thank You Foundation
- Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld
- Mark Tillman, Former Air Force One Pilot, US Air Force Retired
- Frances Townsend, CNN National Security Contributor

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Thursday, September 08, 2011

Jeanne Meserve Leaves CNN

CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve is leaving CNN to become a Senior Fellow at George Washington University's Homeland Security Policy Institute.

The New York Post broke the story and TVNewser has more details, including a memo from Jeanne.

Before joining CNN as an award-winning anchor and correspondent, she spent sometime at ABC News as a State Department Correspondent. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Middlebury College in Vermont.

We wish her all the best, she will be missed.

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First Look At New CNN Freedom Project Special

The first full promotional spot for the next CNN Freedom Project special has been released by CNN.




Hosted by Anil Kapoor, 'Trapped By Tradition' follows the Bollywood actor's journey to a remote village in North India where nearly all of the women have been sent into prostitution or sex slavery.

The special debuts on September 24.

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CNN International's Living Golf Notches Up 100 Episodes

Living Golf, CNN International's monthly feature program, marks 100 episodes on air this month.

Launching in 2003, the show was originally hosted by Becky Anderson. Don Riddell, former CNN sport anchor Justin Armsden and Alex Thomas have all fronted the program over the years. Current host Shane O'Donoghue picked up hosting and reporting duties earlier this year.

On Wednesday, World Sport celebrated the 100 episode milestone with the short highlights package below.




CNN International viewers can watch the 100th episode during September at the following times (all times GMT):

September 8: 1030 and 1730
September 10: 0630, 1500 and 2230
September 12: 0330

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Wednesday, September 07, 2011

CNN Coverage Notes For President Obama’s Address

CNN is noting its special coverage of President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress on Thursday. Coverage begins 5:00pm (eastern) on The Situation Room. CNN will stream the President's address online and CNN's mobile apps.

CNN Press Release: Special Programming of President Obama’s Address to a Joint Session of Congress; coverage begins at 5 p.m. on CNN. AC 360° and Piers Morgan Tonight to follow the Presidential Address.

On Thursday, Sept. 8, CNN will broadcast special coverage of President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress with coverage beginning at 5 p.m. with a special edition of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. The President’s address on job creation is scheduled to air at 7 p.m. CNN lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer, along with chief national correspondent John King from Capitol Hill, will anchor the network’s coverage. CNN International will simulcast the President’s speech.

AC 360° at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Piers Morgan Tonight will follow at 9 p.m. and will feature special coverage and analysis of the presidential address. CNN will replay the president’s address at 11 p.m.

CNN.com will live stream the address in the new CNN video experience and the address will be available live on the CNN Apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. CNNPolitics.com will feature in-depth reporting and The Political Ticker will incorporate live blogging during the speech.

All Times Eastern.

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Opinion: "Live"? From CNN Center...




UPDATE #2 - 1:30am September 9, 2011: Another email tipster says to expect Quest Means Business to re-air at 10:00pm (eastern) on ALL CNN International feeds. If true, then the network has well and truly lost the plot. A topical business news program, tracking (in part) the latest market movements on Wall Street, airing 8 hours after it first runs. You read that correct. An 8 hour old program running instead of a live program during Asia's late morning.

UPDATE #1 - 2:00am September 8, 2011:
CNN Observations is still awaiting confirmation from CNN International on whether the network will go ahead and air the 10:00pm (eastern) replay of Anderson Cooper 360º from next week, but two emails from Atlanta suggest that the northern feeds may take the replay, while feeds in Asia Pacific will replay Quest Means Business in the 10:00pm (eastern) time slot. Again, CNN Observations is still awaiting official confirmation from CNN.

Whilst I was politely reminded in one of the emails I received that
Quest Means Business is a CNN International production, the ratio of International Vs. Domestic-produced programs on CNN International wasn't really the point I was trying to highlight during the first part of the post below. The point I was trying to make is that CNN International is down an hour of LIVE news during the Asia morning dayside hours. In that context, whether it's the repeat of Anderson Cooper 360º or Quest Means Business that goes to air is pretty much redundant as both will be on tape.

----------

Anderson Cooper 360º
has been simulcast on CNN International for a number of years at the same time it went to air live at 10:00pm (eastern) in the U.S. Once the program moved to 8:00pm (eastern) early in August, CNN International decided to stick with airing the taped replay at 10:00pm (eastern). As of this week, that’s all changed. Sort of.

Read more »

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Sunday, September 04, 2011

CNN en Español celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

CNN Release - Join CNN en Español in celebrating Hispanic Heritage month (September 15 – October 15) with five specials and rotating vignettes of prominent hispanics. A dream is much more than an idea: it is the pursuit, achievement and its sustainability. CNN en Español will take viewers behind the personal journeys to success of Hispanics and their dedication in guiding others as they pursue their American dream.

Patricia Janiot Presenta: Tributo al Exito
September 17th at 7PM
6 Replays September 18th – October 15th
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage month, Patricia Janiot takes this opportunity to tell the stories of three Latinos in distinct stages in pursuit of their American dream. A dream is much more than an idea: it is the pursuit, achievement and its sustainability. Patricia takes you behind their personal journey to success plus their dedication in guiding others as they pursuit their American dream.

Ser Latino en U.S.A presented by Soledad O’Brien
September 25th at 7PM
6 Replays September 26th – October 15th
Boxer Marlen Esparza weighs 106 pounds, all muscle, and hits so quickly and so hard that she has to spar with guys. She was smart enough to get full scholarships to top colleges, even though she comes from a blue-collar neighborhood with a below average school. But she postponed college because Marlen dreams she will one day represent the US in the Olympics. Now the 2012 games will include female boxing for the first time. Standing in Marlen’s way are the competitors who share her Olympic aspirations. Marlen is in top form, a 5-time national champion who is just 21 and she has an opportunity to give her community something they crave – a hero.

Encuentro con Isabel Allende
October 2nd at 7PM
4 Replays October 2 – October 15

Isabel Allende is considered today the best known and most prolific female writer in Latin America. To read her works is to enter a universe of history and fiction, where her personal life and her family serve as the foundations to exceptional research on issues ranging from migration and the conquest of Chile, dictatorships, human trafficking, sexuality and above all, the innermost complexity of the human soul. This documentary, inspired by her most recent book, EL CUADERNO DE MAYA, will explore the childhood and youth of Isabel Allende, marked by a dictatorship and exile; her life as a mother, deeply affected by the death of her daughter Paula; her heart, which led her to become another immigrant to the United States where she almost became an illegal alien, and the world that she built in her own house of the spirits in San Francisco

Exito Latino
October 8th at 7PM
4 Replays October 8 – October 15
A sequel to this year’s segments of Exito on Directo USA, Exito Hispano will be a special, presented by Juan Carlos Lopez, on success stories of prominent Latinos and how they are influencing the world and making an impact on our daily lives and communities. Exito Latino will focus on the names and key players that have and will make a different in the US representing the best of our proudest Latinos.

Additional Features: (September 15 – October 15)
Weekly Hispanic Success Stories on: Café CNN, Notimujer, Nuestro Mundo, Directo USA,
Panorama Mundial, CNN Dinero, Mirador Mundial & Deportes.
Vignette rotation during commercial time of Prominent Hispanic Profiles
Replays of all five specials weekend of October 15th

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New CNN en Español Health Correspondent

[Editor's Note: Due to the lack of CNN en Español online assets, we have trouble sometimes finding press releases and new information about CNN en Español programming and correspondents. Here is a release from earlier this year about a new Health Correspondent at CNN en Español.]

CNN Press Release - The appointment of Doctor of Psychology, Marisa Azaret, as medical contributor, continues with the expansion of the network’s professional team whose commitment is to provide precise and comprehensive programming for Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic community. Azaret joins the network and will be able to capitalize on the vast array of medical information provided by our prestigious CNN Worldwide medical team.

Dr. Azaret will contribute with regular reports, analysis and knowledge on health issues across CNN en Español programming. In addition, she will host special programs related to health and wellness.

Dr. Azaret is the current chief psychologist of the Behavioral Psychology Program and member of the Miami Children's Hospital medical faculty. She has devoted her life to the practice of pediatric psychology during the past 23 years and is a frequent participant in symposiums in Latin America on prevention and psychological intervention in children, adolescents and families.

Azaret has served for many years as a producer and host of mental health programs and segments for major Hispanic U.S networks. She also hosted her own TV show titled “Crecer” on Casa Club TV Channel in Latin America. She received an EMMY award for her outstanding work on camera as well as a nomination for her role as producer.

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Friday, September 02, 2011

Debut Of Soledad O'Brien's 9/11 Special Brought Forward

CNN Domestic has moved forward the premiere of Soledad O'Brien's next "In America" special. Originally scheduled to debut next Thursday, 'Beyond Bravery: The Women of 9/11' will now first air at 11:00pm (eastern) this Monday, September 5.

The details - including a preview of the special - from CNN below.



CNN Press Release: Among the heroes of September 11th were female rescue workers who raced to the Twin Towers in the wake of the attack. Anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien tells the stories of female law enforcement officers, fire fighters, EMS workers and others who spent their lives defying macho stereotypes as they fought for access to jobs that require them to risk their lives for others. Among the heroines is an African-American probationary firefighter whose company lost 7 of the 343 that died that day, and a young mother and decorated police officer last seen directing others to safety just before the WTC collapsed. O’Brien profiles these unsung heroes and, of the survivors, reports their present-day health struggles, their continuing mourning, and their determination to be prepared for the next attack.

This documentary now debuts MONDAY, Sept. 5 at 11:00 pm ET & PT and replays on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 9:00pm ET.

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Thursday, September 01, 2011

CNN To Provide Global, Multi-Platform Live Coverage of the 10th Anniversary of Sept. 11th

CNN Press Release - On the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11th, CNN will broadcast live from New York, Washington, D.C., Shanksville, Penn., Afghanistan and Pakistan. CNN’s special live coverage will air across CNN/U.S., CNN International, and CNN en Español; and CNN.com and CNN Apps will live stream events throughout the day. In addition, and throughout the week, HLN will air HLN: Your Neighborhood Remembers 9/11, a series of specials and reports showcasing how communities across the country have triumphed over tragedy.

On Sunday, Sept. 11, beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET, CNN’s global broadcast will be anchored by Anderson Cooper and Candy Crowley from New York City’s Ground Zero, joined by CNN International anchor Becky Anderson, chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien. Wolf Blitzer will anchor from the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., joined by Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. John King will anchor from the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Penn. Correspondent Nick Paton Walsh will contribute from Pakistan, and anchor Suzanne Malveaux and senior international correspondent Nic Robertson will contribute to CNN’s coverage from Afghanistan. On Sept. 11th, 2001, Robertson was one of the only Western television journalists in Taliban-held Afghanistan, and reported on the Taliban response and the attacks by the Northern Alliance on Kabul live via satellite videophone. Senior anchor Patricia Janiot and anchor Juan Carlos López will lead CNN en Español’s coverage from Ground Zero with regular reports by Adriana Hauser in New York and Ione Molinares from the Pentagon.

At 1 p.m. ET, a special broadcast of Fareed Zakaria GPS will feature an interview with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and anchor Fareed Zakaria.

Before the global simulcast, T.J. Holmes will anchor CNN Newsroom from Ground Zero beginning at 6 a.m. ET on CNN/U.S.

On HLN, “Weekend Express with Natasha Curry” will broadcast coverage of commemorations from across the country with reports from Jane Velez-Mitchell at Trinity Church talking to Americans about how they are remembering this day.

Leading up to Sept. 11, CNN will broadcast special programming:

Beyond Bravery: The Women of 9/11 will air on Monday, Sept. 5 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT (replay on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 9:00 p.m. ET), and profiles the sometimes overlooked female rescue workers who raced to the Twin Towers in the wake of the attack. Anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien looks at the work of these rescue workers over the decade following their life-altering experiences. Among the stories of these heroic women of New York’s Ground Zero is an African-American firefighter whose company lost seven of the 343 fire fighters who died that day. She is pushing to recruit more women to this dangerous job, even as the number of female firefighters has dropped to less than one percent of the NYFD. O’Brien also speaks with the family of decorated police officer and mother who was photographed rescuing survivors just moments before the collapse of the towers. O’Brien reports the present-day health and emotional struggles of these unsung heroines and hears about their determination to be prepared for the next attack –and to restore hope.

On Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT (replay on Sunday, Sept. 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET), CNN will debut Footnotes of 9/11. CNN investigative correspondent Drew Griffin reports on the people who went to work on 9/11 – and unexpectedly became part of history. Each of the eight people profiled by investigative correspondent Griffin for this documentary is mentioned in The 9/11 Commission Report – their unique experiences are drawn from the 1,742 footnotes of that report and offer critical detail to the tragic events of that day – they are literal and figurative footnotes to one of America’s darkest days. They include ticket agents who checked in some of the terrorists, a maintenance technician who answered a call from one of the planes under attack, and the Lt. Col. in the Massachusetts Air National Guard – also a United Airlines pilot – who scrambled to provide defense to New York, and faced possibly having to shoot down a passenger plane.

On Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT (replay on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET), Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Terror in the Dust, will examine how responders who breathed in the toxic dust and noxious fumes at New York City’s Ground Zero are coping with the health effects of the attacks. The environmental hazards at the World Trade Center disaster site – mercury from fluorescent light bulbs, dioxin and benzene emitted as the jets burned, asbestos from the building materials, and more – have caused severe respiratory ailments, immune problems and, some suspect, a greatly increased cancer risk. Ten years after the attacks chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta speaks to first responders who continue to experience emotional trauma Dr. Gupta’s investigation includes never before broadcast footage of the collapse of the Twin Towers, the medical consequences of the killer dust, and safety recommendations for future crisis responses.

On Friday, Sept. 9 at 11:00 p.m. ET (with replays on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 8:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. ET/PT), CNN will broadcast from TIME in association with HBO, Beyond 9/11: Portraits of Resilience, featuring untold stories from 40 women and men who led and sacrificed for America in the hours, days, and months that followed the attacks.

Kathleen Johnston, Brian Rokus, and Bud Bultman produced FOOTNOTES of 9/11, Stephanie Smith and Roni Selig produced TERROR IN THE DUST, and Rose Arce and Geraldine Moriba produced BEYOND BRAVERY.

CNN.com’s coverage of the anniversary will reflect on what has changed since Sept. 11th and where the country is going next through a series of original editorial and opinion pieces throughout the site. On Sept. 11, CNN also will live-stream the first few hours of coverage from ten years earlier on CNN.com/live and on the CNN Apps, as well as coverage of live events throughout the day beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET.

For the first time, CNN.com has also commissioned digital and visual artists to interpret the ripple effect of Sept. 11th, from a global scale to a personal level. Using artist photography and video, CNN.com will tell the story of the effects Sept. 11th had across the world in a unique, visual way.

CNN iReport is exploring how the events of Sept. 11th united the country by pairing up several iReporters who shared similar stories from that day. iReport, the network’s global participatory news community, is connecting these iReporters (who have never met), but nonetheless have strong connections and they will talk about their experiences over the past 10 years. Through the September 11th assignment, iReport will showcase their conversations, along with many other 9/11 stories in a special interactive on CNN.com.

HLN: Your Neighborhood Remembers 9/11 will showcase how communities across the country have triumphed over tragedy. From small towns to big cities, HLN will share stories of reflection and resilience throughout the week and weekend of Sept. 11, including celebrity and family interviews, tributes, troop celebrations and community rallies, culminating in a prime special hosted by Jane Velez-Mitchell, “Your Neighborhood Remembers” on Monday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m. ET.

HLN will also air special “Salute to Troops” tributes from Afghanistan and Iraq focusing on how soldiers are remembering Sept. 11th, and “Welcome Home” segments will feature troops as they reunite with their families. Additional HLN special programming includes:

Special Report: America Then and Now (Friday, Sept. 9, at 5 p.m. ET) takes an in-depth look at how Americans’ lives changed on Sept. 11th, examining how we live our lives now versus then.

“Dr. Drew” (Friday, Sept. 9, at 9 p.m. ET) will look at how families have re-built since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11th, sharing stories of people whose lives were directly impacted that day, including victims families and children of Sept. 11th who lost parents.

“Joy Behar” (Friday, Sept. 9, at 10 p.m. ET) Joy, at the center of it all in New York, will talk to celebrities and newsmakers on the effects of Sept. 11th, 10 years later, including how this day is remembered and lessons learned over the past 10 years.

“Morning Express with Robin Meade” (Monday, Sept. 12, 6 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET) will broadcast a positive and triumphant show that will recap remembrances, and showcase local stories and i-Reports.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

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