ITV

Tag: Ellana Lee

  • Ellana Lee takes charge of CNN’s new global productions unit in expanded APAC leadership role

    Ellana Lee takes charge of CNN’s new global productions unit in expanded APAC leadership role

    MUMBAI: CNN has handed a major new brief to Ellana Lee, elevating her to group senior vice president, general manager APAC, and global head of productions. The expanded role places her at the helm of a newly created global productions team, which will spearhead all multi-platform sponsored content across CNN’s global network.

    The move, effective immediately, builds on Lee’s 25-year tenure at CNN, where she most recently served as SVP, managing editor for Asia Pacific, and global head of features content. She led the launch of award-winning editorial properties like Call to Earth and steered CNN’s features division into a global storytelling powerhouse.

    As global head of productions, Lee will now guide the creation and distribution of sponsored content across digital, television and other platforms. The remit also includes building out new roles in the U.S. to expand CNN’s existing features team, which currently operates from hubs in Atlanta, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and London.

    “Under Ellana’s leadership, our Features team has consistently innovated, delivering award-winning, multi-platform, editorially robust and engaging feature content that has attracted commercial partnerships with some of the world’s most dynamic and successful brands,” said CNN Worldwide managing editor Mike McCarthy. “She will now bring that experience, creativity and skill to bear across the network.”

    Lee will remain based in Hong Kong, continuing as CNN’s most senior executive outside the United States. In her ongoing role as APAC head, she will retain oversight of CNN’s editorial strategy across the region, including programming, correspondent deployment and eight editorial operations.

    The appointment signals CNN’s intent to integrate editorial innovation with brand-driven storytelling at scale, tapping Lee’s track record in building meaningful global content ecosystems.

  • CNN International announces key editorial hires in Asia-Pacific

    CNN International announces key editorial hires in Asia-Pacific

    Mumbai: CNN International has announced four new editorial hires at its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong, with the appointment of two new directors of coverage and two new senior news editors.

    Sarita Harilela has been appointed director of coverage, responsible for news coverage from the Asia-Pacific region, as well as leading the network’s global coverage for key parts of the day. She has been with CNN International for 17 years, most recently as an executive producer based in Hong Kong, responsible for feature shows and programming. Harilela has been involved in all major news stories from the APAC region over the last decade including the pandemic, the Hong Kong protests, Typhoon Haiyan and the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami.

    Nicola Careem has also been appointed director of coverage. She joins CNN after 19 years with the BBC covering conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan. She was most recently the South Asia bureau chief based in New Delhi overseeing a team of journalists working across digital, television and radio.

    Irene Nasser joins the APAC team as a senior news editor. She has spent the last five years with Al Jazeera English in Doha handling breaking news, planning coverage and overseeing teams in the field. Prior to that she worked as a field producer based in Jerusalem working on both news and documentaries.

    Alex Stambaugh has accepted a new role as a senior news editor.  She has been with CNN for five years, most recently as a senior content producer for CNN’s International Newsource which serves more than 1300 affiliates in the U.S. and around the world. She has also produced stories from the field including the Hong Kong protests, the Trump-Kim summits in Vietnam and Singapore and the Thai cave rescue.

    “These key roles reinforce our commitment to the region and further strengthen our newsgathering capabilities,” said CNN Asia Pacific vice president and managing editor Ellana Lee. “These are unprecedented and uncertain times, so bolstering our Asia Pacific coverage for our global audience, across all of CNN’s platforms, is more important than ever.”

  • CNN International’s Ellana Lee promoted to international role

    CNN International’s Ellana Lee promoted to international role

    MUMBAI: CNN International Asia Pacific vice president and managing editor Ellana Lee has been promoted to senior vice president of CNN International, adding international oversight of the network’s expansive roster of feature programs while continuing to manage CNN’s editorial operation across Asia Pacific. Working in close partnership with colleagues at Turner International, Lee will also be charged with developing CNN International’s business operations worldwide from the Asia headquarters in Hong Kong.                            

     

    Making the announcement, CNN International executive vice president and managing editor Tony Maddox said, “In this new role, Ellana becomes our most senior executive outside of the US. Ellana is the perfect fit for this new role. She already has an important job on her hands looking after the network’s editorial output in Asia Pacific but we’re thrilled she will now undertake an international role overseeing the network’s feature programming and spearheading business operations internationally.” 

     

    Lee has had a longstanding and accomplished career at CNN, having initially worked in New York as a producer. She was named a ‘Young Global Leader’ by the World Economic Forum, is an Asia 21 fellow as awarded by the Asia Society and is a graduate of Harvard’s ‘Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century’ Executive Program.  

     

    CNN International today also announced further key staff appointments in Asia Pacific, strengthening the network’s newsgathering and editorial capabilities in the region. 

     

    Other new roles to be based in the CNN International Hong Kong bureau include: supervising producer Mitra Mobasherat; assignment editor Chieu Luu; news field producer Pamela Boykoff; business field producer Felicia Wong; planning editor Bex Wright; business planning editor Jonathan Stayton; features producer Michala Sabnani; and associate features producer Alisha Haridasani. In addition, senior international correspondent Ivan Watson moved to Hong Kong last week and will now be permanently based in Asia. 

     

    “This new structure helps us to continue delivering the outstanding editorial output across all platforms that has seen us serve audiences worldwide with award-winning newsgathering and programming. I couldn’t be happier with the team we now have in place,” added Maddox. 

     

    These appointments come after a string of recent awards and accolades for the network including the Royal Television Society’s ‘News Channel of the Year’ for the second straight year and the ‘Cable and Satellite Channel of the Year’ at 2013 Asian Television Awards. In addition, the latest IPSOS survey results show CNN is the leading international news brand in the Asia Pacific region across television, online and mobile.

  • CNN International Appoints Ravi Agrawal as New Delhi Bureau Chief

    CNN International Appoints Ravi Agrawal as New Delhi Bureau Chief

    MUMBAI: CNN International today announced Ravi Agrawal as the New Delhi Bureau Chief. Agrawal will commence in this role with effect from April 1, 2014.Based in the country’s capital,Agrawal will manage and oversee CNN’s multi-platform newsgathering operations from India.

     
    Agrawal is an award-winning CNN producer and has worked with the network across its London and US offices for eight years. He assumes this new role from being the senior producer of CNN’s flagship Sunday program on world affairs ‘Fareed Zakaria GPS’.

    “India has the world’s interest and CNN has had a long standing presence and robust operations in the countryfor well over two decades now. Ravi’s appointment is very timely as we prepare to coverthe world’s largest democracy going to the polls in the coming months,” said Ellana Lee, Vice President and Managing Editor, CNN International Asia Pacific. “The wealth of talent and experience at CNN has enabled us to recruit the strongest candidate from inside the company for this vital role.With a combination of Ravi’s deep knowledge, understanding of India and his in-depth experience with the network’s global shows and operations, we will continue our comprehensive coverage from this country,” she added.
     

    Before GPS, Agrawal was the senior producer for ‘Connect the World’, CNN International’s daily primetime show.Previously, he produced key news programs from the London bureau including Business International, CNN Today and World Business Today. Having joined the network in 2006, Agrawal rose to become a producer in a very short span gaining extensive “live” and in-field production experience from around the world including, Davos, Delhi, London, Mumbai, New York and Washington.

    While Agrawal was its senior producer, ‘Fareed Zakaria GPS’ won a Peabody Award and garnered three Emmy nominations. In 2013, Agrawal was named a “Young Global Shaper” by the World Economic Forum. He received his Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Harvard College where he was elected to the editorial board of The Harvard Crimson in his freshman year.

     

  • CNN appoints Sumnima Udas as India correspondent

    CNN appoints Sumnima Udas as India correspondent

    MUMBAI: CNN International has elevated Sumnima Udas as the Delhi-based correspondent. She will be covering key developments in the country relating to politics, economics, social & environmental and general interest stories.

    She has been associated with CNN since 2001. She joined as a news assistant in New York and then moved to Hong Kong in 2006 as a show producer. Since 2010, she has been producer from Delhi. “The eyes of the world will be trained on India as the world’s largest democracy and emerging economic powerhouse goes to the polls in 2014,” said CNN International Asia Pacific VP and managing editor Ellana Lee.

    CNN is looking at strengthening its presence in this diverse and dynamic region with the inclusion of Sumnima Udas

    Recently, Udas has worked on several assignments such as the Delhi gang-rape, the Bangladesh garment factory collapse as well as the Commonwealth Games corruption scam. She is also the recipient of the Asian Television Awards as show producer for the show CNN Talk Asia, a weekly show that explores personalities of newsmakers.

    She has studied her bachelors at Washington and Lee University in Virginia, USA and masters from Oxford University in UK. She knows several languages such as English, Hindi, Urdu, Nepali and French and has grown up in over ten countries.

    “With her new appointment as Delhi correspondent we look forward to strengthening our presence in this diverse and dynamic region,” added Lee.

  • CNN Asia Pacific promotes Ellana Lee to VP

    CNN Asia Pacific promotes Ellana Lee to VP

    MUMBAI: News broadcaster CNN announced today that Ellana Lee is moving into a new position at the network’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong.

    Currently managing editor, her role as VP of Asia will expand her responsibilities to encompass all of CNN’s operations and award-winning on-air and online news and feature programming from across the Asia Pacific region.

    “I’m thrilled and honored to be taking on this new position as Vice President. Asia Pacific is a remarkable and dynamic region and I look forward to working alongside our fantastic team of talented producers and correspondents to further strengthen our Asian editorial coverage for millions of viewers worldwide,” she said.

    Through her managerial responsibility for CNN’s correspondents and newsgathering teams across nine Asia Pacific editorial operations, she has overseen a remarkable six months of coverage since the turn of the year, from the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami in March, ongoing unrest in the Middle East to the death of Osama bin Laden.

    Lee has also been instrumental in the launch of a new Asia Primetime programming line-up, a new Hong Kong-based show called News Stream and four weeks of extended regional coverage in Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.

    Further programming initiatives under her tenure have included taking Hong Kong-based programmes to Beijing, Delhi, Mumbai and Seoul while from the world of business she managed the launch of a new weekday business program from Hong Kong, ‘World Business Today’.

  • ‘CNN-IBN is a win-win partnership’ – CNN International Managing Editor – Asia Pacific Ellana Lee

    ‘CNN-IBN is a win-win partnership’ – CNN International Managing Editor – Asia Pacific Ellana Lee

    Based at the network‘s regional headquarters in Hong Kong, Ellena Lee is one of the most dynamic and successful young executives working in Asian television. She manages the on air and online news and feature programming produced in Hong Kong, in addition to CNN‘s correspondents and newsgathering teams across ten bureaus in the Asia Pacific region that stretch from Islamabad to Tokyo.

    Some of the programming initiatives under her tenure include taking CNN‘s Asia-produced programming to Beijing, Delhi, Mumbai and Seoul for dedicated weeks of coverage. She has overseen the launch of a new weekday business program from Hong Kong, World Business Today and also managed the network‘s Talk Asia program as it has travelled across the Asia Pacific.

    Named as a Young Global Leader in 2008 by the World Economic Forum, Lee has steered CNN in the Asia Pacific to received a variety of awards, including a 2008 Peabody for the network‘s global coverage of the US presidential primary campaigns and debates and two Asian Television Awards for best news program for ‘CNN Today‘ (now renamed ‘World Report‘) and best talk show for ‘Talk Asia‘.

    In an email interview with Indiantelevision.com, Lee shared her views on the state of journalism in India, CNN‘s viewpoint and the changes she has brought in her three year tenure as managing editor.

    Excerpts:

    How do you see India as a news market? How different is it from other Asian countries? When it comes to news gathering, how different do you see India among other countries around world? Your take on the exploding media scene in India what so many news channels that have launched?

    India is a fascinating television news market thanks to the number and diversity of channels and the press freedom that the media enjoys. The Indian media is a powerful force to be reckoned with, which makes the need for responsible journalism even more necessary. Indeed, there are clearly some quality control issues regarding journalistic output while the lines between journalism and advertising have too often been blurred. From a domestic Indian perspective, the concept of news has undergone a transformation over the past five years due to key factors including the entry of private (non-governmental) players in the news space and the speed of technological innovations, so there will doubtless be many more changes ahead.

    How is CNN‘s coverage different than other international players like BBC? What is your DNA?

    Production and ownership of our content is our cornerstone and it has allowed us to expand the depth and breadth of coverage. It is very important for us that CNN provide original news to its audiences and not aggregate third party material which people can get from elsewhere. In 2009, we embarked on the biggest newsgathering expansion in our history, a multi-million dollar investment in staff and resources to bolster our world-class, award-winning journalism as well as give us the power to move swiftly into developing new business models.

    CNN also continues to evolve to meet the needs of our international audience through platforms including online, broadband, mobile and interactive television. Our strategy is to make use of most of the growing digital technologies and platforms to enhance our reach and be in continuous touch with our audience. That‘s why we offer multiple touch points for the consumer to access CNN content anytime, anywhere.

    The issue of paid news and plagiarism have been raised in the Indian media repeatedly and quite often in the recent past. Your comment?

    Journalism should always be responsible, impartial and unimpeded by any external factors, be they financial or otherwise. There have been examples of plagiarism and paid media within India which raise serious questions about the independence and objectivity of some reports.

    What is CNN‘s policy on paid news and journalistic ethics?

    We adhere to the highest standards of journalism and never compromise on journalistic ethics. We have never and will never accept any payment for any news coverage, period.

    CNN has adopted a broader perspective on global matters. Can you throw some light on the same?

    In 2009, we embarked on the biggest newsgathering expansion in our history, a multi-million dollar investment in staff and resources to bolster our award-winning journalism and give us the power to move swiftly into developing new business models. This also reflects our philosophy of “Go beyond borders”, our commitment to delivering intelligent news in a connected world where stories and people are not defined or limited by geography.
    ‘Journalism should always be responsible, impartial and unimpeded by any external factors‘

    You were promoted as managing editor of the APAC region in 2007. In the last three years, what changes have you brought in the editorial during this time?

    Rigorous editorial discussion and accountability, clarity of thought and speed of action from all our journalists. As Asia itself grows in influence, we strive to reflect its rise through smart story telling. In my short time as managing editor, we have seen explosive growth in the digital and social media sphere and so we make sure our journalists are comfortable on all platforms and work across divisions to maximize a story‘s impact.

    What about CNN‘s ambitions to go regional and local? You have CNNj in Japan, then Turkish and Korean CNN, why not in India? And if you say partnership with CNN-IBN, the editorial content is all under IBN18?

    CNN-IBN and CNN International have enjoyed a very fruitful newsgathering relationship. For our CNN-IBN audience, we are able to offer a window into key international stories such as the Chilean miners story. And in turn, CNN-IBN offers our international viewers key stories making headlines in India. It really is a win-win partnership.

    How has the tie-up with IBN18 helped CNN in India?

    CNN-IBN and CNN International have enjoyed a very fruitful relationship with respect to content sharing, helping us provide even more complete and rounded journalism from India for our global audiences.

    How will you position CNN in Indian context vis-a-vis other APAC countries?

    We don‘t ‘position‘ India or other countries. We report the stories that matter for our hundreds of millions of viewers around the world. We have bureaus in Delhi and Mumbai and are proud of our coverage from India.

    How many people you have in your Indian editorial team?

    The CNN Editorial team in India is led by New Delhi Bureau Chief, Phillip Turner. CNN boosted its presence in India with the appointment of Sara Sidner as the New Delhi-based international correspondent. Then, in 2008, as part of CNN‘s international newsgathering expansion and content ownership strategy, the network announced the opening of its editorial operation in Mumbai as well as the appointment of Mallika Kapur as the network‘s Mumbai-based international correspondent. We have dedicated newsgathering teams to support these bureaus.

    What are the plans for India, how are you going to consolidate your position?

    CNN International has a long and special relationship with India spanning more than two decades. We were the first International broadcaster to interview Dr. Manmohan Singh. Our programming in India runs the gamut from political and business news to stories that bring out the human dimension of India. For example, our coverage of the Commonwealth Games highlighted some of the problems in the preparation, while also focussing on stories which bought out a different and uniquely Indian flavour of the games for our viewers. For instance we covered how authorities were using langurs to deal with the macaque monkeys of Delhi in the run-up to the games.

    In the past, we‘ve focussed in-depth on India through special theme weeks like ‘Eye on India‘ (2004, 2005 & 2007) and ‘India Means Business‘ (2008). India is a nation with one of the youngest populations globally and we examined its youthful essence by giving a voice to ‘Generation Next.‘ In October 2010, ‘CNNGo‘ the monthly travel show on CNN International featuring a unique take on global destinations, visited Mumbai and took viewers beyond Bollywood and the bulls and bears of Dalal Street to explore some unique aspects of this vivacious city.

    Going forward we are looking at further expanding our coverage from India and continuing with our investments in technological innovations. We are also keen to work alongside the remarkable talent pool that is India‘s youth.

  • CNN International announces slew senior editorial appointments

    MUMBAI: CNN International has announced several senior international editorial and operational appointments, starting with Ellana Lee who has promoted to managing editor Asia Pacific.

    In this role she will oversee all of the programming and newsgathering resources in the region including the studio operations in Hong Kong. Lee has been at CNN for over 10 years and has extensive news and feature programming experience as well as having for worked for CNN in New York covering business and finance news. 

    Phil O’Sullivan has been named executive producer to be based in Hong Kong. He will be responsible for the daily programming and newsgathering production and planning from CNN’s Hong Kong bureau, which also acts as the network’s Asia-Pacific headquarters. O’Sullivan joined CNN from Television New Zealand in 2000, states an official release.

    Parisa Khosravi will step into the role of senior VP international newsgathering, responsible for CNN’s entire international newsgathering operation that includes more than 60 correspondents, 26 bureaus and the Atlanta-based international desk. A 20-year veteran of CNN, Khosravi has played a central and lead role in the planning and coverage of the most significant international stories of the past two decades: the death of Pope John Paul II, the Asian Tsunami, both Gulf Wars, the fall of the Berlin Wall, genocide in Rwanda, the Israeli and Palestinian conflict, Tiananmen Square, the war in the Balkans, the end of apartheid and the international reaction to the 11 September 2001 attacks.

    Will King becomes CNN International senior operations director overseeing all of the strategic, non-editorial operations across CNN’s international newsgathering and production centers. Prior to this appointment, King was director of operations for international newsgathering. Based in CNN’s world headquarters in Atlanta, King has been with CNN since its launch in 1980, when he began as an associate editor.

  • CNN Intl announces changes in news gathering operations

    CNN Intl announces changes in news gathering operations

    MUMBAI: News broadcaster CNN International has announced a number of appointments within its international newsgathering operations in Asia-Pacific and Europe, Midlle East and Africa.

    CNN International MD Chris Cramer says, “I am particularly delighted to have been able to make such a large number of strategically important changes from within the CNN family. This is a testament to the depth and expertise of the staff we have working at CNN”.

    CNN Asia-Pacific managing editor, Jill Dougherty, will now be based in Washington D.C. and will be the US affairs editor, reporting for CNN International. She brings with her a unique global perspective having served as CNN’s Bureau Chief in Moscow for many years and previously, was a CNN White House correspondent travelling widely with former U.S. presidents.

    Taking Dougherty’s place is CNN International’s executive producer in Asia-Pacific, Ellana Lee. As acting managing editor for CNN Asia-Pacific, Ellana will oversee both the newsgathering and programming output from CNN’s Hong Kong production base as well as work closely with advertising sales and distribution.

    Aneesh Raman has been appointed as CNN’s Middle East correspondent and will be based in Cairo. This new title reflects his role in reporting from across the Middle East. Previously based in Baghdad, Aneesh has reported from numerous places in the past few months including Iran, Syria and Lebanon.

    CNN’s Jerusalem correspondent, John Vause will now cover China. He is based in Bejing. He has been CNN’s Jerusalem’s correspondent since October 2003, reporting from the frontlines on Israel’s war with Hezbollah, the Israeli pullout from Gaza and extensively covered the war in Iraq, being the only international TV reporter to visit the destroyed safe house of Al Qaeda leader, Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

    Atika Shubert, currently CNN’s correspondent in Tokyo responsible for the global news network’s coverage of Japan, moves to Jerusalem and joins the team led by Bureau Chief, Kevin Flower and correspondent, Ben Wedeman. Atika has covered several major news stories in Japan, including the recent election of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the birth of the new prince, the controversial deployment of Japan’s Self Defense Forces to Iraq, among other significant stories.

    Joining CNN is Frederik Pleitgen who takes up the position as CNN’s Berlin correspondent. Frederik comes to CNN from German network broadcaster ZDF where he was the political editor.