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Tag: CNN

  • CNN opens new production centre in the Middle East

    CNN opens new production centre in the Middle East

    MUMBAI: A pivotal part of CNN’s content ownership strategy has come on stream with the launch of a new state-of-the-art production center and newsgathering hub in the heart of the Middle East. This was announced today in Abu Dhabi by CNN International MD, executive VP managing director Tony Maddox.

    He was joined for the announcement by Turner Broadcasting System chairman and CEO Phil Kent and by CNN Chief International correspondent Christiane Amanpour.

    Maddox says, “The Middle East has played a significant role in CNN’s heritage and is part of our DNA, two of our earliest bureaus were in Cairo and Jerusalem. This region unquestionably plays an integral part in world affairs, and the new hub in Abu Dhabi gives us the opportunity to get to the heart of the rich and diverse stories across the political, business, social and cultural spectrums.

    “The establishment of a permanent broadcast and production center in the Middle East by CNN is a significant and unique move by a Western news broadcaster. It gives CNN a powerful base from which to coordinate seven regional bureaus and showcase a new daily news show from the Middle East.”

    The new online and TV production facility sits alongside CNN’s existing 32 international newsgathering operations which also includes digital production centers in Hong Kong, London, Mexico City and Atlanta.

    Overseen by CNN’s managing editor for the Middle East Tom Fenton, CNN Abu Dhabi will also coordinate newsgathering for the seven CNN operations in the region: Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Dubai, Jerusalem, Kabul and Islamabad.

    With more than two dozen staff, CNN Abu Dhabi not only consolidates CNN Worldwide’s investment in global newsgathering, but it also underlines CNN’s growth strategy that includes the commercial launch of the CNN Wire, the unveiling of the new CNN.com and the addition of new prime-time shows across HLN and CNN International.

    Built as a fully high definition and online production facility, CNN Abu Dhabi houses a four-camera digital studio with 24/7 live capability, edit suites and fully integrated newsroom.

    First Daily News Show From the Region: For the first time in its history, CNN will broadcast a daily live news show from the Middle East. ‘Prism’, presented by Stan Grant, will air Sunday to Thursday at 12p ET/9p GST. CNN Abu Dhabi will also be the home to CNN’s perennially popular feature shows Inside the Middle East, now in its sixth year, and Marketplace Middle East which launched two years ago.

    Prism is the 10th new show to be launched on CNN International in the past 12 months. It joins the network’s new primetime line-up, uniting Stan Grant, Christiane Amanpour, Richard Quest, Becky Anderson, Fionnuala Sweeney, Michael Holmes and Hala Gorani in a schedule that between them covers off business and current affairs programming, breaking news and behind-the-scenes reportage in distinctive formats.

    Content Ownership : CNN’s content ownership strategy has provided a wealth of new material for all of CNN’s platforms across TV, online, mobile and CNN’s commercial wire service, while also allowing that content to be aggregated to affiliates.

    Since early 2008 CNN has opened seven new editorial operations across Africa, Asia, Latin America and now the Middle East, as well as placing additional correspondents in many existing operations.

  • CNN Intl’s Task Group, UNWTO strike global partnership

    CNN Intl’s Task Group, UNWTO strike global partnership

    MUMBAI: CNN International today announced the formation of a global strategic partnership between the CNN Tourism, Advertising Solutions and Knowledge (Task) Group and the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

    The partnership sees Task and the UNWTO collaborate on industry events to ensure the best breed of knowledge and latest data is imparted to sector professionals. The Task Group and the UNWTO will share content, join forces on industry newsletters and cross promote services across each other’s respective platforms.

    The Task Group, a fully complimentary, bespoke client service comprising a team of external experts in tourism and economic development, works closely with CNN to support clients to create impactful tourism communications solutions. Now in its third year of global operations, the Task Group celebrates assisting more than 65 Ministries of Tourism and tourism industry leaders across the world with strategic advice to enhance their nation and brand building efforts and navigate crisis issues.

    The announcement of Task’s partnership with the UNWTO comes as the world’s travel and tourism industry leaders prepare to gather at the annual World Travel Market (WTM) in London to discuss the role of the sector as a driver of economic growth, since the market collapse.

    CNN Intl VP, news ad sales, Asia Pacific William Hsu says, “CNN is proud to join with the UNWTO to demonstrate our commitment to the development and growth of the travel and tourism sector. We work closely with country tourism ministries and are acutely aware of the importance of the industry as the global economy looks to repair itself. This partnership gives both organisations the opportunity to offer unique expertise at a critical time.”

    UNWTO secretary general Dr Taleb Rifai says, “The partnership between UNWTO and CNN International is a significant step towards highlighting the economic, cultural, social, environmental and political potentials of travel and tourism. The travel and tourism industry continues to grow, employing hundreds of millions of people, contributing to the socio-economic development of the world’s poorest countries. Yet, its future depends on the realisation of its potential and its integration into the global economic and political agenda. Through this partnership between CNN and UNWTO, have the opportunity to maximise their benefits in a highly competitive market through the Task Group’s destination marketing.”

    The alliance will specifically include Task support at key UNWTO member and general tourism sector initiatives such as the UNWTO World Tourism Day, UNWTO Roadmap for Recovery’ and the United Nations Copenhagen Climate Change Summit (COP15).

  • Amanpour looks to set the agenda with new show on CNN

    Amanpour looks to set the agenda with new show on CNN

    MUMBAI: CNN’s chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour will launch a new global interview programme on 21 September that will air live on weekdays on CNN International from New York.

    Says Amanpour, “I want this show to stir the global conscience. I have witnessed so much that it is time to start making real sense of it all. I learned to seek facts and to tell the truth no matter how difficult or unpopular and to not accept a false moral equivalence when none exists. I want to provide a forum for others to do the same.”

    After spending nearly 26 years of reporting around the globe for the CNN, Amanpour will take on a new role as host of this half-hour weekday programme. The new programme will set the agenda for a new global conversation about the dramatic issues gripping the world.

    Each show will primarily focus on one topic – newsworthy and often provocative – and will feature guests who challenge and deconstruct conventional wisdom. Amanpour will mobilise conversation, encourage debate and facilitate change through these interviews and analysis.

    CNN International executive VP, MD Tony Maddox says, “Now, in this fragmented media world, Christiane’s powerful brand will serve as the hub for a global community of inquiring minds – people who are hungry for a more daring perspective and a fresh, thoughtful take on international stories.”

    Kathy O’Hearn, who has more than 30 years of experience producing for both broadcast and cable networks, will be at the helm as the show’s executive producer.

    The repositioning of CNN International includes an ambitious programming schedule that is being bolstered by the launch of six new prime-time programmes this year including the Amanpour launch in September and culminating with the opening of the network’s new production center in Abu Dhabi in November.

  • CNN to air doc ‘Witness To War’

    CNN to air doc ‘Witness To War’

    MUMBAI: News broadcaster CNN International will air Witness to War on 1 August, 2 August and 3 August.

    While the documentary will be telecast at 12.30 pm and 10.30 pm on 1 August, it will be aired at 7.30 pm on 2 August and 7.30 am on 3 August.

    Witness to War sees a team of six CNN correspondents provide a first-hand account of the horrors of conflict – from civil war, to the war on terror and the recent offensive in the Swat valley – in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    The one-hour documentary allows them to draw on their years of experience living and working in the region.

    They also investigate the human cost of conflict, discussing the stories they covered and the people they met that most profoundly affected them. They look at the reality of life in refugee camps, examine how children are impacted by the instability and discuss whether there’s any hope for the future.

  • CNN to air special series on green movement

    CNN to air special series on green movement

    MUMBAI: CNN International (CNNI) will roll out Going Green: Green Light for Business, a special series that concentrates on how the green movement is affecting the business sector across the globe.

    The coverage will be aired on 9 July at 6 pm and 11pm. Additionally, viewers can catch it on 11 July at 12.30 pm and 11 pm and on 12 July at 8.30 am, 1 pm and 8.30 pm.

    CNNI SVP Katherine Green says, “We want to know how the world’s most forward-thinking companies are achieving their environmental and economic goals, and bring the conversation to our international audience that cares about the impact of green initiatives in business.”

    CNNI will offer a full-week of coverage from the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. The channel will talk to brands like Google and Warner Brothers to discover how serious their claims are and how is it working for them.

  • Advertising sets heart racing: CNN Study

    Advertising sets heart racing: CNN Study

    MUMBAI: Brands who choose multimedia campaigns to communicate their advertising messages are more memorable to consumers and are likely to enhance perception of their brands, reveals a case study conducted by CNN International.

    The results carry weight for brands that place their advertising in an engaging environment, prompting an emotional response from the audience.

    The case study (Cross-platform Advertising Study on Effectiveness and Engagement) consisted of a two-stage approach. Stage one involved a multinational online study of cross-platform effectiveness in which consumers were exposed to diverse media experiences. Stage two measured attention and engagement through a variety of techniques including biometrics, eye tracking and in-depth interviews.

    Turner International Asia Pacific VP reserach Duncan Morris says, “We wanted to show that by complementing advertising on CNN TV with ads on CNN.com and CNN mobile, an advertiser can markedly increase campaign recall leading to positive shifts in brand attitudes. The fact that these respondents were not primed for an advertising study makes these results even more poignant.”

    Engagement and Biometrics : Body responses such as heart rate, motion, respiratory rate and galvanic skin response (sweating) were translated into measures of “attention” and “engagement” – the Holy Grail for advertisers. These were collected by using a lightweight ‘smart vest’ which respondents wore while watching CNN programming and advertising.

    Contrary to popular belief that viewers disengage once scheduled programming ends, the study results showed that engagement actually can increase during ad breaks, as much as 10 per cent.

    CNN International VP ad sales Asia Pacific William Hsu says, “This study shows it is content that provides the springboard for advertisers to secure meaningful connections with audiences. In conjunction with our recent PWC study, it provides valuable industry insight to help brands market smarter.”

    The level of attention an advertisement receives impacts the ability of respondents to remember the brand. When respondents viewed advertising online and on mobile, they were more attentive, increasing the likelihood of advertising being noticed and adding to the re-call of the overall campaign.

    The research also showed that despite the high cross-over between the audiences of all the CNN properties, the audience is in a different state of mind when online or using a mobile phone versus watching television. Generally audiences were more attentive (though not necessarily more engaged) when online or mobile than when watching television.

  • CNN expands to Afghanistan, China, UAE with new appointments

    CNN expands to Afghanistan, China, UAE with new appointments

    MUMBAI: In a bid to expand its coverage and reach across Asia and the Middle East, CNN Worldwide is adding three new international correspondents in Afghanistan, China and the United Arab Emirates.

     

    The announcement was made by CNN senior VP president international newsgathering Parisa Khosravi.

     

    Over the past 12 months, CNN has appointed more than a dozen correspondents in seven new locations as part of an aggressive content ownership strategy. These latest hires boost CNN’s international newsgathering locations to 33.

     

    Khosravi says, “The resources available to CNN’s international newsgathering team have never been more robust. By adding correspondents in these three strategic areas, CNN underscores its international newsgathering heritage.”

     

    In Kabul, Afghanistan, Atia Abawi will serve as correspondent. He will be responsible for covering the country and the on-going war there. Abawi, a former assignment editor and producer for CNN’s international desk in Atlanta, joined CNN in 2004 and has worked on a number of stories including the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the Afghanistan-Korean hostage situation and Youssif, the young Iraqi boy burned by insurgents in Iraq.

     

    Meanwhile, Stan Grant has returned to CNN after spending two years in Australia and will take up the new post of UAE-based correspondent. He will serve to cover both the UAE and the surrounding region from his base in CNN’s new Abu Dhabi newsgathering and production center slated to open later this year. Previously, Grant served as a Hong Kong-based anchor for CNN International and later as the network’s Beijing-based correspondent, where he gained recognition for his exclusive coverage of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the South Asian tsunami.

     

    Emily Chang, who joins John Vause as the second correspondent in Beijing, boosts CNN’s presence in China at a time when many media outlets are reducing their coverage in the post-Olympic climate. Chang has already reported on a variety of stories including the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the tainted milk scandal and the effects of the global financial crisis on China.

     

    Over the past year, CNN has also announced the opening of newsgathering operations in Chennai, India; Lagos, Nigeria; Mumbai, India; Nairobi, Kenya; and Santiago, Chile, where CNN Chile launched late last year. In addition, CNN has placed correspondents in Istanbul, Turkey; Islamabad, Pakistan; Johannesburg, South Africa; London, Great Britain and Tokyo, Japan.

  • CNN unveils coverage plans for Obama’s inauguration

    CNN unveils coverage plans for Obama’s inauguration

    MUMBAI: CNN will screen the inauguration of US President-elect Barack Obama. Airing on 20 January 2009 from 3.30 pm, the coverage includes the swearing-in ceremony at 10.30 pm and the inauguration parade.

     

    The Inauguration of Barack Obama will kick off with live programming from Capitol Hill from 3.30 pm. Beginning at 8.30 pm, CNN’s coverage location will move to the Newseum where Blitzer and Cooper will be joined by senior political analysts Gloria Borger and David Gergen. Chief national correspondent John King will transport the network’s Magic Wall to a balcony inside the Newseum in order to illustrate traffic and hotspots around Washington. Also reporting from the Newseum, Campbell Brown will cover the day’s events and will moderate a panel with members of CNN’s Best Political Team on Television.

     

    The Inauguration of Barack Obama will continue with a special edition of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer on 21 January from 2.30 am to 5.30 am, which will include live coverage of the parade, as well as a recap of the day’s events. From 5.30 am to 10.30 am Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper will continue live from Washington DC, with a special edition of Anderson Cooper 360? which will include live reporting from the 10 official inaugural balls. Larry King will then host a special edition of Larry King Live from the Washington, D.C. bureau from 10.30 am to 11.30 am.

  • CNN documents 5-year old Iraqi boy’s medical journey

    MUMBAI:CNN documents the story of a 5-year old Iraqi boy’s journey to recovery from a horrific attack in Impact Your World: Rescuing Youssif.

    This has been made possible by the compassion of CNN viewers, says an official release.

    Youssif was grabbed on a January day outside his central Baghdad home. He was doused in gasoline by masked assailants and set on fire, resulting in terrible burns to his face and hands. CNN’s Baghdad-based correspondent Arwa Damon met Youssif’s father and heard the story, which she reported on CNN International. Youssif’s story drew the biggest response to a non-breaking news story in the history of CNN.com.

    Through CNN’s online Impact Your World initiative, viewers from around the world made contributions to the Children’s Burn Foundation, allowing Youssif and his family to fly to the United States for treatment. Plastic surgeon Peter Grossman offered to donate his services for the half dozen or more surgeries Youssif will need.

    Along with Damon, CNN’s Dr Sanjoy Gupta is also there in Southern California to monitor Youssif’s medical progress at the Grossman Burn Center. Impact Your World: Rescuing Youssif documents and watches the family as it experiences a series of “firsts” during their new life in America: from learning how to use a toaster to seeing the ocean for the first time.

  • Anna Coren joins CNN’s Hong Kong news centre

    Anna Coren joins CNN’s Hong Kong news centre

    MUMBAI: News broadcaster CNN International has announced the appointment of Anna Coren to the network’s Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Hong Kong.

    Coren takes up her post following more than 10 years at broadcasters in Australia where she held a variety of positions, most recently as a presenter on The Seven Network’s ‘Today Tonight’ national current affairs program. In 2006, she served as the network’s bureau chief in Los Angeles from where she covered stories including the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Prior to joining The Seven Network, she spent four years as a reporter and presenter for The Nine Network based in Sydney.

    CNN International senior VP programming Katherine Green says, “Anna has played an integral role in coverage of some of the most significant global news stories in recent years. We’re delighted to add a journalist of her experience, depth and passion to our Hong Kong news centre and we look forward to her working as part of our award-winning team”.