Friday, April 13, 2007
AM With Chetry and Roberts Preview...So to Speak
Well CNN viewers are getting a preview RIGHT NOW of the anchor team of John Roberts and Kiran Chetry. Roberts and Chetry are co-anchoring Anderson Cooper 360 tonight. Roberts is in DC and Chetry in NYC. The duo take over the reigns of American Morning on Monday.
# posted by ATN @ 10:00 PM 
Reliable Sources to Examine Post-Imus Media Fallout for Sunday, April 15
Source: CNN Press Release CNN’s Reliable Sources will air a special edition titled, “After Imus: The Media Fallout,” this Sunday, April 15, in which host Howard Kurtz and guests turn a critical lens on radio host Don Imus’ controversial remarks and the subsequent media firestorm.For the special edition, guests will include Ana Marie Cox, Washington editor for TIME.com; Callie Crossley, media commentator on WGBH; and Clarence Page, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune. The panel will discuss what led up to Imus’s firing and what to expect next in the media. Tony Kornheiser, ESPN commentator, columnist for The Washington Post and frequent Imus guest, questions whether Imus has been treated fairly. Stephanie Miller, a nationally syndicated talk show host, and Roland Martin, a nationally syndicated columnist and CNN contributor, will discuss new parameters for shock talk on the radio.
CNN’s Reliable Sources airs Sundays 10 a.m.-11a.m. (ET).
# posted by ATN @ 8:14 PM
Chetry, Roberts to Debut on American Morning with Heavy Slate of News
Source: CNN Press Release Kiran Chetry and John Roberts mark their debut as the new co-anchors of CNN's flagship morning program American Morning on Monday, April 16. The program, which offers the most news in the morning on political, domestic and international stories, airs on CNN/U.S. each weekday from 6 a.m. to 9 am (ET).With Chetry based in New York and Roberts anchoring from both New York and Washington , D.C. , the new anchor team will offer a heavy dose of political news each morning. On Monday, American Morning will launch with an extensive interview with John and Elizabeth Edwards from the presidential candidates childhood home in Seneca , S.C. On Tuesday, April 17, American Morning will focus on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee with live interviews with newsmakers prior to the hearings.
As part of American Morning’s ongoing coverage of the war in Iraq , Chetry will kick off a new series, “Children of War,” featuring an in-depth look at the lives of children with parents serving in Iraq . This look at the impact of war at home will continue throughout the week.
Roberts joined CNN in February 2006 after 14 years with CBS News as chief White House correspondent, chief medical correspondent and anchor of the Sunday edition of the CBS Evening News. Roberts had been serving as CNN's senior national correspondent, reporting extensively for CNN on politics and from the front lines in Iraq and last summer’s Middle East conflict, and as anchor of This Week at War.
Chetry joined CNN in February and immediately began anchoring various CNN programs including American Morning, Anderson Cooper 360º and CNN Newsroom. Previously, Chetry was the anchor of Fox & Friends First and Fox & Friends Weekend for the Fox News Channel. She has covered major breaking news stories including reports from the field during the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster, the invasion of Baghdad and Hurricane Katrina.
# posted by ATN @ 3:32 PM
Soledad's and Miles' AM Goodbye
Below is a transcript of Soledad's and Miles' goodbye to American Morning viewers on Friday:M. O'BRIEN: Welcome back. I've been thinking about numbers on this Friday the 13th. I've been on the show 95 weeks now. Take out vacations, factor in the year-long stint doing the four-hour show -- remember? -- and that comes to about 1,500 hours on the air.
Now to put that in perspective, if we were doing a half hour show each day, how long do you think it would take to do...
S. O'BRIEN: My math was never that good. M. O'BRIEN: Fourteen years, it would take 14 years. No wonder I'm so tired! But at least we're not alone. There are 75 people who work tirelessly and sleeplessly usually to make the people who sit in these chairs look good. And I want to thank all of you for propping me up every morning.
(APPLAUSE)
M. O'BRIEN: Really. And thanks to you, you out there wherever you are, for letting me into your homes. It really has been a privilege. And thanks to my TV wife.
S. O'BRIEN: We're not really married.
M. O'BRIEN: She'S my seventh TV wife, and the only one people think I'm really married to.
S. O'BRIEN: The last name thing.
M. O'BRIEN: It has been a privilege working with you, really.
This business is about number, of course, and it is also about passion. And my passion lies outside the confines of these walls. So I'm looking forward to being out there to telling stories that interest me, and hopefully you.
S. O'BRIEN: Well, I'd would like to add to that, all of what Miles said, but a couple quick notes to our crew. Phil, I know you wanted me to mention you by name. So there, Phil. Hey, Phil. Big thank you of course to our crew, because, we really appreciate all the hard work you have done for us. It's a grueling schedule, and we love you and appreciate you. To our producers, to our staff, absolute pros, each and every one of you. We're grateful for everything you've done for us on the show.
To our viewers, most of all, really thank you so much for watching. You are in very good hands come Monday morning with a new team that steps in. And besides that, there's not much else to say. We'll see you still on CNN. Thank you for watching. Thank you for everything. Thanks for your support.
All that's left to say now...
M. O'BRIEN: "CNN NEWSROOM" with T.J. Holmes and Heidi Collins begins right now.
# posted by ATN @ 3:15 PM
O'brien's Last Day on AM
Soledad and Miles say goodbye to American Morning in just a few minutes. The pair will be replaced with Kiran Chetry and John Roberts come Monday. This should be interesting to see what kind of numbers the new pair gets since it looks like MSNBC will be airing some sort of news in the AM and not Imus. Wonder if we can expect changes to the American Morning set, graphics and music.At the end of the program Miles said goodbye to the AM audience....Soledad did as well. Will have a transcript later in the day!
# posted by ATN @ 8:49 AM
Former CNN'er Signed for Game Show Pilot
Source: TV Week CBS has tapped conservative MSNBC pundit and famed bow-tie aficionado Tucker Carlson to host its game show pilot "Who Do You Trust?"In the project, strangers wager how much they trust each other as they develop a relationship via gameplay. The concept is loosely based on the classic game-theory experiment "prisoner's dilemma," where players weigh cooperation vs. betrayal for differing levels of reward and punishment.
The project, executive produced by Phil Gurin ("Weakest Link"), is shooting this month.
# posted by ATN @ 12:23 AM
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Blitzer to Speak at GWU Commencement
Source: GW Hatchet CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer will speak at Commmencement in addition to keynote speaker University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, the University announced Thursday evening.Blitzer is one of five honorary degree recipients who will address graduates and families at the University-wide event May 20, according to a University news release. Other recipients include Ralph Cicerone, president of the National Academy of Sciences, Harvey Fineberg, president of the Institute of Medicine and Lowell Weicker, Jr., president of the Trust for America's Health and former U. S. Senator and Connecticut governor.
# posted by ATN @ 11:13 PM
King Says He Shall Not Be Moved
The retire question has once again popped up in a Q and A conducted with Larry King by TV Guide. King is celebrating 50 years in broadcasting. When asked about retiring, King says he won't:TVGuide.com: What's your average prep time for an interview?
King: It depends. I read, watch and listen to the news all day, so that I'm generally aware of everything going on. I review with my staff before the interview, but it's hard to put a time frame on it.
TVGuide.com: What has been your most embarrassing moment on the air?
King: I was on the job only two weeks, and I was interviewing a Catholic priest. I asked him how many children he had.
TVGuide.com: What TV show besides your own do you try not to miss?
King: It's tough in this business to catch shows, but I try to catch Law & Order, Boston Legal and most sporting events.
TVGuide.com: Who should be your successor on CNN?
King: I am not retiring. I can't imagine retiring or doing anything else. Retire to what? But there are a lot of young people in the business whom I like and think could be ready in 10 to 15 years to have their own interview program.
You'll find the entire Q and A HERE.
# posted by ATN @ 8:09 AM
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
CNN Hit With NLRB Complaint
Source: Hollywood Reporter CNN, which like much of cable television remains unorganized, has been hit with a federal labor complaint for refusing to honor a union contract for field camera crews after taking over certain newsgathering operations in New York and Washington.The dispute between the cable news pioneer and the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-CWA -- affecting 350 technical workers in two bureaus -- dates to 2003. That's when CNN assumed newsgathering operations previously contracted to Team Video Services, whose employees were represented by NABET-CWA.
The union filed unfair labor practice charges against the network, contending it illegally voided the workers' union contract. The charges accused the network of improperly dismissing a number of former TVS employees, while rehiring the balance at reduced wages and benefits. MORE
# posted by ATN @ 11:19 PM
Page Six: Coop Gets Salary Bump
Source: Page Six CNN must love to reward underachievers. Not only did the sagging news network throw tens of millions of bucks into an ad campaign that failed to boost Anderson Cooper's ratings, now an insider says it's set to pay the man Fox News dubbed the "Paris Hilton of anchors" a deal worth $50 million over five years. Cooper "just got an incremental amount added on to his original contract to keep him happy for the next two years and then will make a much larger amount for the following three years - all of which will be worth $50 million," a Cooper spy told us. A rep for CNN declined to comment.# posted by ATN @ 8:51 AM
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Anderson Cooper 360º Daily’ Video Podcast Launches on CNN.com
Source: CNN Press Release Extending its reach to millions of on-the-go news junkies and portable video player enthusiasts, “ Anderson Cooper 360º Daily” launched today on CNN.com. The daily video podcast, available by 5 a.m. (ET) on the morning following the broadcast, highlights the top segments from the prior evening’s program.
The 20-minute “Anderson Cooper 360º Daily” includes an introduction from anchor Anderson Cooper original to the podcast, in-depth reports from multiple angles on the top news stories of the day and a selection of the program’s top segments such as “Keeping Them Honest,” investigative pieces focused on challenging authority, acknowledging whistleblowers and exposing corruption, “The Shot,” highlighting amazing video or a fantastic picture and the story behind it; and “Raw Politics,” off-the-beaten path political headlines that fuel watercooler chatter.
The “ Anderson Cooper 360º Daily” is available for free at www.CNN.com/AC360podcast and in CNN’s dedicated space on iTunes.
The 20-minute “Anderson Cooper 360º Daily” includes an introduction from anchor Anderson Cooper original to the podcast, in-depth reports from multiple angles on the top news stories of the day and a selection of the program’s top segments such as “Keeping Them Honest,” investigative pieces focused on challenging authority, acknowledging whistleblowers and exposing corruption, “The Shot,” highlighting amazing video or a fantastic picture and the story behind it; and “Raw Politics,” off-the-beaten path political headlines that fuel watercooler chatter.
The “ Anderson Cooper 360º Daily” is available for free at www.CNN.com/AC360podcast and in CNN’s dedicated space on iTunes.
# posted by ATN @ 1:06 PM
Klein: Zahn Divorce Non-issue to Contract Renewal Later This Year
According to an article in the New York Daily News, Paula Zahn's contract will be up in December at CNN. Zahn has been going through a messy divorce as of late, and CNN President Jon Klein told NYDN the situation will be a non-issue in considering her renewal:He used to be a family friend who joined them on ski trips.
But now business mogul Paul Fribourg is the other man in the Paula Zahn-Richard Cohen breakup - and something for the warring spouses to argue about.
"[Cohen] and Paula disagree over how long her thing with Paul has been going on," a friend of the couple said.
As the marriage of the CNN anchorwoman and the wealthy developer publicly implodes, Fribourg is said to be on vacation with his Moroccan-born wife, Josabeth, with whom he has four kids and an upper East Side brownstone.
Fribourg, 53, is a philanthropist and chairman of ContiGroup Companies, a sixth-generation family business that is one of the largest privately held corporations in the U.S.
His romance with Zahn, 51, could be bad news for the newscaster, whose contract to host "Paula Zahn Now" expires in December. Even before this, it wasn't clear whether they would renew it," said the friend of the couple. "Will they use this as an excuse to get rid of her?"
But CNN President Jon Klein said the divorce is a nonissue.
"That stuff is her personal life, and we don't really comment on it or let that factor into our professional decisions," he said.
# posted by ATN @ 11:55 AM
Tony Maddox Named EVP, Managing Director of CNN International
Source: CNN Press Release Journalist and news executive Tony Maddox has been named to head CNN International, it was announced today by Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide. As executive vice president and managing director of CNN International, Maddox assumes oversight responsibility for a news and information portfolio that includes five CNN services in English; CNN en Español; CNNj; CNN.com International; CNNArabic.com; the joint ventures CNN+, CNN-IBN and CNN Turk, as well as international newsgathering and editorial and programming oversight. Maddox is based in Atlanta at CNN world headquarters and reports to Walton.“Tony brings to his new role a combination of professional skills and personal qualities that is increasingly rare in our industry,” said Walton. “He is a veteran journalist with broad and direct knowledge of the complexities of the world CNN covers. He is a businessman who understands the unique value of CNN’s brand and capabilities, and how to leverage them. And he is a leader who inspires teamwork, loyalty and individual excellence. Tony will guide a news business of extraordinary importance to extraordinary growth and influence.”
“CNN International is better placed than ever to deliver industry-leading standards of service to audiences around the world,” said Maddox. “The opportunity to lead the great CNNI team is a privilege.”
Formerly senior vice president of news operations for CNN International, Maddox was responsible for operational and administrative oversight of CNN’s 26 international bureaus and integrating international newsgathering activity into the larger CNN Worldwide organization. In addition, he managed the international news desk in Atlanta and supervised recruiting, training and development of newsgathering staff.
Maddox joined CNN in 1998 as managing editor for the organization’s Europe, Middle East and Africa coverage, based in London. While posted there, he directed wide-ranging reporting of world news events; developed CNN-branded shows for the international marketplace including Biz News, International Correspondents, Design 360 and CNN Business Traveller; was instrumental in executing the successful regionalization strategy of CNN’s newsgathering process that has resulted in coverage that is more local and in-depth; and oversaw the build-out of state-of-the-art studio facilities.
Previously, Maddox spent 13 years with the BBC as a reporter, producer, editor and news executive, posted in Belfast, Plymouth and Leeds.
# posted by ATN @ 11:39 AM
Monday, April 09, 2007
CNN Names Sponsors for Larry King Tribute
Source: Multichannel News CNN Ad Sales signed up GlaxoSmithKline and ING Direct as corporate sponsors for the network’s 50th-anniversary tribute to Larry King.
The two sponsors will have comprehensive advertising packages surrounding the network’s special Larry King anniversary coverage, which will culminate in a week-long tribute event April 16-22. Both companies will have sponsorship packages that include commercials, tagged tune-ins, tagged print ads and on-air billboards.Commercial and on-air billboards for both sponsors will run during two key programming initiatives: a week of special guests and interviews on King’s show titled Larry King Live: King-Sized Week, running April 16-22 at 9 p.m.; and a two-hour documentary, CNN Presents: Larry King, 50 Years of Pop Culture, which will air April 18 at 9 p.m.
The sponsorship packages will also include on-air billboards on specially produced short pieces showing highlights from King’s interviews, with commentary provided by none other than King himself. The segments will air across all CNN networks leading up to and continuing through the special week-long programming tribute.
Guests on Larry King Live: King-Sized Week will include Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric, former President Bill Clinton and Bill Maher.
The two-hour special is a documentary that will focus on the last 50 years of pop culture as seen through King’s bespectacled eyes.
# posted by ATN @ 3:26 PM
AM Changes: Klein Should Seize the Moment
Broadcasting and Cable has a few suggestions for American Morning...get serious about news. Here's an excerpt from the article:
CNN has a chance to zig while everybody else in the morning continues to zag, busily scheduling their outdoor concerts and fashion shows. (Last Thursday morning in the 8 o’clock hour, Today took a penetrating look at spring and summer casual wear for women who don’t have perfect bodies. This just in: Yellow is going to be a big color this year.)
Certainly, in John Roberts, at least, Klein has a reporter with credentials who covered the White House for CBS and was, some thought, in line to succeed Dan Rather. He’s a guy Klein called a “kick-ass journalist.” That’s the very same phrase Klein uses to describe Anderson Cooper, who somehow seems to be the only talent CNN chooses to spend effort promoting. If CNN spread its promotional dollars to American Morning as well, some viewers might actually learn of its existence.
A problem with cable news generally these days is that each of the news networks have become centered on personalities, rather than using the one intrinsic advantage they possess: sufficient time to tell important stories well. But Klein could do that with American Morning, making a rather ordinary, lifeless show part of the required agenda for news junkies.
Indeed, if CNN is serious about being serious, why not eschew the cookie-cutter morning news style and move the program to a storefront studio in Washington? That would make the show a regular stop for Washington powerbrokers the way Sunday talk shows are now. It also would virtually guarantee an absence of self-promoting singers, actors and celebrity chefs who seldom visit the nation’s capital.
In the process, CNN could use the morning news to stake claim as the nation’s hard-news cable news channel. Nobody else seems interesting in picking up that worthwhile banner. Klein and American Morning should seize the moment.
# posted by ATN @ 11:49 AM
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Klein on AM Changes: No Cookouts Planned on Columbus Circle
USA Today has a pretty good write up about the anchor changes on American Morning. In the artcle Klein comments on the format:"CNN could have taken a page from that recipe in hopes of growing a program that averaged just 376,000 viewers last month, down from 510,000 in August, as MSNBC's increasingly popular rival Imus in the Morning crept closer with 354,000 viewers and Fox News' Fox & Friends continued to win the cable time slot with 692,000 viewers.
But, CNN chief Jon Klein says, "it doesn't make any sense to put the same product in the market that everyone else has. It's always wise to differentiate, and companies that don't do a good job differentiating themselves or their TV shows tend to wither away and die. We don't spend a lot of time here saying, 'Gee, how do we capture the essence of (Fox News') Bill O'Reilly?' "
Instead, Klein plans to stick to Morning's hard-news format while replacing anchors Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien."
There are more comments from the future anchors of American Morning:
What I like about it is there's no fluff," Roberts says. Offering hard news does not have to "taste like medicine. It just doesn't have to be earthquakes, fire, pestilence, disease and plane crashes. There are a lot of things that can be considered hard news under that serious umbrella: medical news, lifestyle news and religion.
"I definitely think there's not just a niche but a broad audience for a show that's just about the news — like picking up the newspaper in the morning," he says.
Chetry, 32, was born in Nepal, daughter of a Nepalese Peace Corps executive and an American mother, and raised in Maryland. She cut her teeth in local cable and anchored a morning show in Sacramento before moving to cover overnight news at Fox.
"There are times I find myself looking at (network morning news) and saying, 'Where is the news?' " Chetry says. "People need to be informed about what's going on, and there's a ton going on. But at the same time, it can be delivered in a way where people also find bits of humor and enjoyment and end up feeling good as well."
# posted by ATN @ 10:33 PM
