Saturday, December 18, 2004
CNN-I's "Media Moment" and "I Wish We Had That" Story of the Year
Source: UK Independent As 2004 draws to a close, The Independent asks leading journalists for their media moment of the year - and to pick out a rival's story that they wish they'd had.
Chris Cramer, Director, CNN International
Moment: The school siege at Beslan. It took TV news and the viewer into a new and frightening reality. No longer do terrorists just check their bombs and guns before they attack. They now review the media plan, check the camera equipment and their cell phones. It was a sickening and tragic event for those involved and a sobering moment for the media.
Story: The Abu Ghraib prison pictures. A monumental story that will haunt not just the United States military but the coalition in the years to come. It was the classic journalism scoop [for The New Yorker]; good research, impeccable contacts, hard evidence, compelling pictures and a topical story.
# posted by ATN @ 9:14 PM 
Fox News Channel and Emmy Awards (or the lack there of)
Source: Broadcasting and Cable Poor Fox News, it seems it got treated like Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and wasn't allowed to participate in any news organization games a few years back. And now they take it upon themselves to not participate at all. FNC CEO Roger Ailes says don't look for FNC to participate until the process of voting for the winners change. FNC would win for being the biggest pile of CRAP on TV. Anyway if you're interested, posted below is what he had to say about the awards. Heck you almost feel sorry for FNC. NOT!
Ailes said not to look for Fox to participate in the news Emmy awards competition anytime soon. Ailes resigned from the National Academy of Arts & Sciences after Fox went five years without even a nomination.
"Now, what the public doesn't know about these Emmy Awards," Ailes told Lamb, "is you get to vote for yourself, and you can pack the panels to vote, which I didn't realize.... [W]e had some fine journalists here doing fine work. And because we were the upstarts, and the other guys had been in the club for a long time, they decided to block us."
When Lamb asked if Ailes saw Fox reentering the news Emmy race, Ailes said he didn’t think so.
"The internal processes have to clean up," Ailes said. "There has to be a real blue-ribbon panel, not a bunch of interns running around hotels eating the bagels and chasing each other.
"There have to be serious people watching serious work..... I’m not denigrating everybody who’s won awards. There’s some fine work there. But they didn’t want us to play. So we decided we won’t play.
"We’ll just get the audience. The award we win every day is the ratings. You know, they can say all they want, but we don’t tell the American people who to watch. They make that decision.
"If the American people voted on these awards, what you see in the ballroom would be totally different. We’d have 100 percent of the awards and the other guys would have none."
# posted by ATN @ 5:03 PM
Time magazine "Person Of the Year" To Be Announced Sunday AM on CNN
Who will be Time's person of the year? A president, a terrorist or someone you never expected? CNN reveals the choice Sunday Morning at 8:30am Eastern.
# posted by ATN @ 12:00 PM
Friday, December 17, 2004
CNNfn's Demise Means More Business Updates on Sister Channels
It seems with the closure of CNNfn on Wednesday,CNN-US and CNN-HLN have increased the frequency of business news updates during the day. On "Live From..." Kyra Phillips welcomed former CNNfn anchor David Haffenreffer. Phillips made mention how Haffenreffer is now the official business reporter for "Live From..." Something I am frowning on, it seems the "regular" business anchors have been replaced with other business reporters for the defunct channel. Hopefully CNN will be rotating them around.
# posted by ATN @ 6:45 PM
Where Are They Now
Former CNN-International Correspondent Riz Khan is in the "Where Are They Now" spotlight today. Before joining CNNI in May 1993, he was a presenter and reporter with the BBC, anchoring World Service Newscasts since October 1991. At CNN Khan hosted "Q&A with Riz Khan" and "Q&A Asia with Riz Khan" on CNN International, as well as anchoring news shows and news events for the network. What's Khan doing now? Kahn seems to be traveling the world speaking to groups about his knowledge of the events going on in the world today.
# posted by ATN @ 12:02 AM
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Rupert’s Revenge
CNN co-founder Reese Schonfeld see's the disappearance of CNN-International from DirecTV the same way I do, revenge on the part of Rupert Murdoch, the head hancho at NewsCorp, who owns DirecTV and who owns Fox News Channel. Here's is the latest "Bits and Pieces" entry from Schonfeld.
# posted by ATN @ 5:30 PM
HLN Launches in Latin America
Source: World Screen News Turner Broadcast System Latin America has begun offering the CNN Headline News service across Latin America and the Caribbean.
"The introduction of CNN Headline News to this region is an important step in the continued growth of CNN, the world's leading news brand," noted Rolando H. Santos, the executive VP and general manager of CNN Headline News. "CNN Headline News offers U.S.-focused news in a fast-paced format and is the perfect complement to CNN en Español and CNN International, which are already widely distributed in Latin America."
# posted by ATN @ 4:35 PM
CNNfn’s Out, But What’s In?
Source: Multichannel News It doesn’t look like the two direct-broadcast satellite providers are replacing CNNfn, which went dark Wednesday night, with anything at this juncture.
DirecTV Inc. had been carrying CNNfn and CNN International on channel 358. But Thursday, the DBS provider was just running a blue screen on that channel with a message about the demise of the financial-news network.
The text message said, “CNNfn and CNN International programming ceased broadcasting on this channel. Turner Networks thanks you for your support and invites you to continue to enjoy CNN [202] and CNN Headline News [204].”
In terms of what DirecTV will eventually put in CNNfn’s old slot, spokesman Bob Marsocci said, “We’re still looking at our options."
Similarly, EchoStar Communications Corp.’s Dish Network was running a text message on CNNfn’s old channel slot, 206. That message informed subscribers that CNNfn was ceasing operations.
# posted by ATN @ 3:07 PM
CNN.com Tops List For November
Source: PR Newswire In a news release from Nielsen//NetRatings CNN.com is ranked at the top of the list of news sites on the web. According to the numbers, CNN.com averaged 26,587 million in unique users. CNN.com also ranked 10th on the list of Top 10 Brands.
# posted by ATN @ 10:22 AM
Where Are They Now
Today we feature former CNN International correspondent Steve Harrigan. Harrigan spent 10 years as a CNN correspondent based in Moscow where he reported from inside the Kremlin when then Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev resigned in 1991, and covered the Chechen War extensively for the network. During his tenure with the network, the Moscow bureau received the Peabody, DuPont, and Kaplan Awards for excellence in reporting. A graduate of Duke University, Harrigan holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature and is fluent in Russian. So what's Steve doing now? Well you may remember before the war in Afganistan got underway he reported for CNN, BUT at the time Harrigan was working for CNN without a contract and Fox News needed someone in Afganistan SO FNC signed Harrigan on and that's where he remains today. CNN should have it's butt whooped for letting Harrigan get grabbed up.
# posted by ATN @ 12:04 AM
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Demonstrator Ordered To Stay 1,000 Feet From Zahn's Home
Source: NY Newsday An outspoken advocate of two red-tailed hawks whose nest was destroyed by an Upper East Side co-op board was ordered Wednesday to stay 1,000 feet away from the home of CNN anchor Paula Zahn after he allegedly harassed the television star and her family.
Lincoln Karim, 43, of Manhattan, signed a copy of the order of protection before he was released on his own recognizance by Criminal Court Judge Larry R.C. Stephen. Karim left the Manhattan courthouse without speaking to reporters.
According to a criminal complaint, Karim reduced Zahn's 7-year-old son, Austin, to tears by screaming at the boy, "House of shame! Bring back the nest!" The incident occurred on the evening of Dec. 9, two days after the nest was torn down.
Just four hours before his arrest Tuesday, Karim allegedly chased Zahn down East 75th Street shouting essentially the same thing, according to a witness. Zahn and her family became "alarmed, seriously annoyed" and afraid for their safety, the complaint said.
# posted by ATN @ 4:57 PM
CNNfn Signs Off
Source: Digital Spy CNN's financial news channel, CNNfn, signed off after an hour long finale on Wednesday afternoon.
"Sad doesn't even begin to describe how we feel about it," said CNN/Money's managing editor Allen Wastler today.
The channel is currently simulcasting CNN International programming before closing down entirely at 23:59:59 on Wednesday night. It appears that American viewers will no longer have access to CNN International via service providers that carried CNNfn.
Some programmes from CNNfn will move to the main CNN/US channel and also CNN Headline News.
In October, CNN News Group chief Jim Walton said that the decision to shut down the nine-year-old channel had been taken because CNN "came to the conclusion that we would have more potential for growth going in a different way."
# posted by ATN @ 3:38 PM
Stewart's "Crossfire'' Transcript Most Blogged News Item of 2004
Source: Intelliseek The transcript of comedian Jon Stewart's not-so-funny October debate with CNN "Crossfire" hosts Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala was the No. 1 "blogged" news item of 2004 at BlogPulse.com, according to marketing intelligence firm Intelliseek.
Bloggers linked to the "Crossfire" transcript in their online commentaries 1,880 times in 2004, followed by 1,415 references to Slate.com's "Unfairenheit 9/11: The Lies of Michael Moore" and 1,174 citations for the BBC's obituary of radio DJ John Peel.
"Blogs are proving to be powerful resources for sharing news and keeping issues alive in the public's mind," says Pete Blackshaw, Intelliseek's chief marketing officer. "CNN reaped a tremendous amount of awareness by making the Stewart transcript available on its web site." Comedian Stewart hosts Comedy Central's "The Daily Show." During his Crossfire appearance, Stewart lambasted his hosts for reducing the level of public discourse on serious political issues to shouting matches and sound bites.
# posted by ATN @ 1:12 PM
CNN's "On the Story" Profiled
Source: Chicago Sun Times "On the Story" celebrates its second anniversary in January. What makes this live 60-minute insider look at the big news stories of the week different is that the rotating ensemble of CNN anchors, correspondents and producers is all female, all the time.
"On the Story" (which airs at 9 a.m. Chicago time) operates on a set designed to look like a living room; there is a couch and comfortable chairs. The attire is professional, but casual; lots of black pants and dressy tops. But it is not "The View" with news (though as does the ABC talk show, each woman takes a turn anchoring a segment). There is no girlfriend chitchat, no dwelling on personal stuff and certainly no Star Jones chatter about weddings. MORE
# posted by ATN @ 8:09 AM
Goodbye CNNfn
CNNfn signs off the air at 2pm Eastern today. BUT don't worry some of programs are moving to CNN-US including Open House.
Update: Allen Wastler Managing Editor of CNN/Money and a commentator on CNN writes a farewell piece. Wastler writes:
Today is the end of CNNfn, CNN's television business channel.
Sad doesn't even begin to describe how we feel about it. Here at the network's headquarters in New York, where the decision to close the network was announced in late October, the work has continued, somberly, in anticipation of the end.
And it is here.
To be clear the Web site, CNN/Money, will continue. While we trace our roots back to our simultaneous launch with CNNfn in 1996, we evolved into a different corporate animal over the years. What was CNNfn.com merged with Money Magazine's Web site three years ago to become CNNMoney.com. The union has proven to be highly successful. We rank up there with the top Internet players in personal finance and business news. And we plan to stay there.
But the Internet provides instant universal distribution. TV does not. Getting networks into cable and satellite systems takes money. And, as in every business calculation, you have to look at what you pay versus what you get. For CNNfn the equation for stretching beyond its current 30 million homes didn't add up.
After the initial announcement, many of you wrote in to express dismay, incredulity, and encouragement. Some of you even engaged in a little "I told you so" (everyone thinks they're a media critic). Our colleagues in the TV operation appreciate your interest and concern.
To answer some of the general questions raised ... yes, the decision to close the network is final ... although some of you had some pretty interesting business models to consider.
Also, you will see some of the CNNfn stalwarts, like "The Dolans Unscripted" and "CNNfn's Open House," on CNN and Headline News. And shows that played on both CNN and CNNfn, like "Lou Dobbs Tonight" and "In the Money," will remain. And some of the other bits and pieces that made up CNNfn's broadcasting day will likely resurface on its sister channels as well.
If there is a lesson at large for the public to take away from CNNfn, it's that synergy isn't the threat media-phobes make it out to be. Time Warner, a content and pipes operator, could have used its corporate clout and cable operations to force feed CNNfn to even more American homes. That didn't happen.
Perhaps that's what made CNNfn so scrappy. It had the underdog's sense of optimism and purpose, which ultimately produced some great TV. And the network provided some of the best hurry-up offense coverage of major business events ... from Asia meltdowns to hedge fund panics to corporate bankruptcies.
If you weren't some of the lucky few to get CNNfn in your home, we're putting up a video retrospective of the network -- great moments, major events, and bloopers -- on the Web site later today. Yeah, yeah, you got to pay a few bucks to do the video ... look, this whole thing is about making money to stay in business, right?
In the meantime we here at the Web site, and apparently many of you out there, will miss the network and the people who made it happen. Let's hope we can do it again sometime.
# posted by ATN @ 7:56 AM
Supporter of Central Park Hawk Accused of Stalking CNN Anchor Paula Zahn
Source: WABC There is a strange twist in the case of that Central Park hawk that had his nest removed from a 5th Avenue building last week. It involves news anchor Paula Zahn and her family. A protester upset over the eviction of Pale Male from the nest where he'd lived for a decade is behind bars for allegedly stalking Paula Zahn, her husband and their two young sons. And now that protester is facing a slew of charges.
He was actually standing on the sidewalk talking to a reporter when the police came and took him away for allegedly making repeated threats against Paula Zahn and her family. Paula Zahn's husband who, as president of the co-op board, gave the instructions to have the famous nest removed last week. MORE
# posted by ATN @ 7:53 AM
Where Are They Now
Today we feature former CNN anchor/correspondent Lori Hernandez. She entered the television industry in 1992 starting her career with CNN enEspanol then CNN and CNN Headline News. Prior to CNN she field produced,worked the assignment desk, handled bookings for interviews and handledvarious technical aspects in the field. What's Lori doing now? Well, she has just joined NBC 5/KXAS-TV, Dallas/Fort Worth as a weekend anchor.
# posted by ATN @ 7:51 AM
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
CNN-I's Design 360 Visits Beirut
Source: AME Info Design 360, CNN's popular programme focusing on the world of design, visits Beirut, to find out about the architectural and cultural renaissance which has been taking place there since the civil war ended fifteen years ago.
Fionnuala Sweeney, host of the programme explores the many buildings, commercial and residential, which still bear the scars of that protracted conflict, but discovers that preserving these buildings as such is indeed the intention of those who've been rebuilding the Lebanese capital.
Sweeney talks to architect Bernard Khouri, the man behind the famous bunker concept nightclub B018, amongst other things. Like so many professionals of his generation, Khouri returned to Beirut from the United States when peace finally prevailed. Khouri initially wanted to help rebuild the shattered capital and imagined creating public buildings like schools and libraries, however, he is most famous for his uniquely designed restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
Join Design 360 each Sunday as it lifts the lid on the complex world of design. Seeking out experts in every field from architecture to appliances, from fashion to football, the show travels across the world to investigate the creative process, the social context and ultimately the business of design.
# posted by ATN @ 8:46 PM
CORRECTION:Fox News "Pro-America" not Pro-GOP
Source: Multichannel News Get the liquid paper out and make the corrections, in an interview set to air on C-span Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. FNC's Roger Ailes claims FNC is "Pro-America" NOT Pro-Right Wing. Yeah Right, he must go around wearing knee high boots all the time cuz the BS sounded like it could have reached waist high while doing that interview. Here are a few quotes from the interview.
“They suspect that we like America,” Ailes said.
Not that his media foes hate America: “They are just telling you what’s wrong. There’s never a good story about this country,” Ailes said.
“Everything is negative,” Ailes said, partly blaming the training that journalists receive in graduate schools for the absence of news balance. “I always tell journalists: Reach out to a point of view you don’t agree with and make sure it’s in that story. It’s simple stuff, but you have to do it.”
And here is the BIGGEST BS quote of them all:
“What they are trying to do is say that Fox News is mixing opinion and fact. That’s simply not true,” Ailes said.
# posted by ATN @ 7:09 PM
Headline News Continues to Beat MSNBC During the Day
From TV Newser Headline News continues to beat MSNBC during the daytime, according to Nielsen ratings information. In the month-to-date, between 9am and 6pm, HLN has earned a 46% lead in P2+ and a 48% lead in P25-54 over MSNBC. In the coveted 25-54 demographic, Headlines has also outdelivered MSNBC by 30% in total day ratings.MSNBC beats Headline News in primetime, where CNN's headline service has been traditionally weak. In the 25-54 demo, MSNBC has beat HLN by only 17% between 6pm and 12am, and by 13% between 8 and 11pm.
# posted by ATN @ 4:06 PM
CNN refuses To Air Arad Campaign
Source: Maariv International Three major international networks – The BBC, CNN and Eurosport – are refusing to air adds of the “Born to be Free” foundation for the release of missing IAF navigator Ron Arad.
Last week, the state and the foundation formally issued a 10 million dollar reward leading to either the return of Arad, or confirmation as to his ultimate fate. The state took this step after having concluded that it has exhausted all other means at its disposal.
Uri Hen, the foundation director, told NRG Maariv, “We turned to CNN, BBC and Eurosport in a request to air fully-paid adds but they refused”.
According to Hen, the BBC did not explain its decision. CNN, however, sent a letter to the foundation stating that the network does not air adds about political issues. Eurosport, says Hen, said it was a religious and political issue.
# posted by ATN @ 10:50 AM
The New CNN Headline News Primetime Schedule
From TV Newser Ronaldo Santos updated CNN Headline News employees on the network's new primetime schedule at a staff meeting Monday afternoon, two sources tell TVNewser. Beginning early next year, here's how it looks: A legal show at 7, an entertainment show at 8, and an hour of news from Atlanta at 9. The legal and entertainment shows will re-air from 10pm to midnight.
Single-anchor news cut-ins will air at the top and bottom of the legal and entertainment shows. Mike Galanos and Erica Hill will anchor the 9 to 10pm newscast, an insider said. "Other talent assignments, including for new shows, are to be announced," one of the e-mailers said.
One CNNer speculated that the two new shows would air from CNNfn's soon-to-be-defunct studios overlooking Columbus Circle in NYC. (The newsroom and view are both spectacular.)
"One anchor shift was eliminated and all non-editorial operations were placed under CNN/US-HLN umbrellla," another source said. "Looks like there won't be any big layoffs, per se, as Rolando told us that all the people that will be let go, already know, and it's just a 'handful.'" The layoffs are not new -- the staffers involved (mostly on the technical side) had already been informed. A CNN representative stressed that no new layoffs were announced -- Monday's meeting was merely an update for staff.
Some CNNers aren't so sure about the new plan for primetime. "Legal and entertainment shows?," one staffer questioned. "Can't we leave that to CNNCNBCMSNBCFOXCOURT and whatever else network covers that stuff?" Apparently not. It sounds like an effective way to avoid stealing CNN's audience, though. The question of whether or not "Blue Sky" will snag young viewers is up in the air for now.
# posted by ATN @ 10:33 AM
Where Are They Now
Today we feature former CNN-International Correspondent Sheila MacVicar. MacVicar had been an international correspondent based in London for CNN May 2001-2004. Before that, she was a London-based correspondent for ABC News (1990-2001). SO what is Shelia doing now? She is now a CBS News correspondent based in London.
# posted by ATN @ 10:30 AM
Monday, December 13, 2004
CNN Picks Up Grand Prix Japan Prize
Source: World Screen News NHK has announced the winners of its 31st Japan Prize, which honors achievements in educational programming, with CNN and the U.K.'s Insight News Television picking up the Grand Prix for CNN Presents: Surviving Hunger.
CNN Presents: Surviving Hunger was selected from 175 program entries from 106 organizations this year. The documentary featured journalist Sorious Samura going without food for five weeks in Ethiopia, in order to understand the reality of the famine crisis in that country.
# posted by ATN @ 6:48 PM
CNN Anchor in the Middle of the "Pale Male Controversy"
It seems one of CNN's "star" anchors has been put in the spotlight of the Pale Male Controversy. Over the weekend protesters gathered outside the building in which Paula Zahn lives along with husband Richard Cohen, who just so happens to head up the building's co-op board, chanting, "Fire Paula Zahn" and "Boycott CNN." In an article in the New York Post protesters say they will not back down.
# posted by ATN @ 12:37 PM
CNN-International Anti-American?
Well at least that's what Fox News CEO Roger Ailes thinks. Ailes will be featured in an interview on C-Span this weekend and Howard Kurtz has a preview in today's Washington Post. Here's the part of the interview that deals with CNN-International.
Ailes rips the overseas network CNN International, "or, as we call it, the anti-American channel." He likens it to the BBC and al-Jazeera in that "you can't find a whole lot good about America." CNN spokesman Matthew Furman says the international network "works hard to provide its global audience with a range of news without any political or national perspective."
Does Ailes not understand CNN-International is just that AN INTERNATIONAL network. Maybe Ailes is the stupid one here.
# posted by ATN @ 10:11 AM
Where Are They Now
Today we feature a former Soap Opera star turn tv news correspondent. Brooke Alexander originated the role of con-artist Samantha Markham on As The World Turns in 1994 and played the role until 1996. She studied broadcast journalisim at UCLA after leaving ATWT. She went on to host CNN's WorldBeat. SO what is Brooke doing now? Well's she's moved on over to the Fox News Channel.
# posted by ATN @ 10:05 AM
Sunday, December 12, 2004
HLN Anchors Getting Time on CNN-US This Weekend
A number of Headline News anchors have filled for some of the regular weekend anchors on CNN-US. Collins Spencer was in for Carol Lin Saturday and Erica Hill filled in Sunday afternoon/evening. Maybe the anchors who get canned at CNN-HLN will be picked up by CNN-US. We'll have to wait and see!
# posted by ATN @ 5:37 PM
Coming Soon....It Was on CNN
Coming January 1st, 2005 CNN Blog will begin at new feature called "It Was on CNN." We will look back at the MANY programs that were once apart of CNN-US and CNN-International. I would like to thank a CNN Blog reader for the idea. To submit your ideas please post them in the comments section of this post OR e-mail your ideas to cnnblog@yahoo.com . If you would please include a little about the program.(channel it aired on, hosts, and the time it aired, and the when program was taken off the air)
# posted by ATN @ 1:17 PM
