World Aids Day 2008

December 1st is World Aids Day- this is its 20th anniversary.

Forty million people in countries around the world are HIV positive. In 2007, almost 2.1 million people died of AIDS, and 2.5 million new cases of HIV occurred. HIV and AIDS is being spread throughout all countries, although some countries have much higher rates than others. (Source)

CNN's Asieh Namdar recently spoke to Ethan Zohn (of Survivor fame) about how he's using soccer to educate children about AIDS.

On Reliable Sources this morning, Howard Kurtz talked to the filmmakers who created the Martin Eisenstadt hoax (Eitan Gorlin & Dan Mirvish). Here's a clip from the program:

Shouldn't the media be held responsibile for at least making an attempt to verify that their sources are credible?

Photo credit: AP Photo/STUART RAMSON

At 18th Annual International Press Freedom Awards Dinner in New York on November 25th, Christiane Amanpour holds an award for Cuban journalist Hector Maseda Gutierrez. He is one of six journalists honored this year.

Photo credit:Mike Guastella/WireImage

Larry King recently celebrated his 75th birthday and the 20th Anniversary of the Larry King Cardiac Foundation. Pictured are arrivals to the party that was held at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland on November 15, 2008: Drew Carey, Paulina Rubio, Larry King, Chance King, Shawn King, Cannon King and Colbie Caillat.

CNN Newsroom in Hong Kong has a new anchor: Anna Coren. The Daily Telegraph spoke to her about her new job and the one that she recently left.

She may be a household name in Australia, but when Anna Coren sets foot in the CNN newsroom in Hong Kong for the first time today she will be back to square one in the eyes of the global television community.

Six weeks after leaving Channel 7 in controversial circumstances - asked to go early by her bosses - Coren is yet to be told when she will debut on news behemoth CNN.

Fans of Coren were expecting to see her return to air today in her role as CNN anchor and presenter, but her first day turned out to be "orientation day" - new bag, new desk, new brief.

"I'll be shadowing and observing for a while and honestly I don't know when I'll be on air or if, in fact, I'll be on camera before Christmas," she said from Hong Kong yesterday. "I hope so.

"The bosses here have decided they aren't going to throw me in. CNN has a policy to that effect. They are big on having you well and truly versed in the CNN ways before you start."

Coren has previously shared with this columnist her regrets about the way she finished up at Seven. She was caught out auditioning on the sly for CNN earlier in the year.

"I know that I embarrassed (Seven boss) David Leckie and (news boss) Peter Meakin," she said.

"That was not my intention. I had already indicated to them that I was not interested in re-signing my Seven contract and was looking around at other opportunities. But I got caught out.

"Hours after I'd conducted my interview for CNN in Atlanta, Seven in Sydney was on the phone. They'd heard about it. I'd rather not say what was said to me at the time, but Peter Meakin and I have never had a problem."

Rumour has it that Leckie did have a problem and when Coren finally confirmed she would finish at Seven at the end of the year (her final Today Tonight program should have gone to air on Friday last), he pushed for her to go immediately.

Turned out that suited Coren just fine.

She has spent the past month settling into an apartment in Hong Kong, with her sister Tonya on hand to help unpack.

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

Explaining Terror

Peter Bergen was on all day Friday, trying to explain who might be behind the Mumbai attack, and why. Also, what do we do next?

First, speaking to Joe Johns during the 6am hour:

With Carol Costello, 8am:

Fredricka Whitfield, 9am:


Tony Harris, 11am:


And with Wolf Blitzer at 4pm:

Nic Robertson filed this report after the assault on Chabad House:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Every now and then I grouse about something that the graphics department does, but this one really blew my mind: I was watching the coverage when I was suddenly distracted by the sight of the Cartoon Network logo included with the "Terror in India" slug. See it below Fredricka's left hand? Could anything be less appropriate during this horror?

... uh ... never mind. Sorry, graphics guys! I should have known that even in the midst of the insanity that must be the behind-the-scenes reality during breaking news coverage, you wouldn't have made that kind of a blunder! My apologies!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Where in the World...?

SATURDAY: Ed Henry and Jessica Yellin are still in Chicago.

MONDAY: Suzanne Malveaux and Candy Crowley were in Washington; Nic Robertson reported from London on the Michael Jackson trial; Joe Johns was in for John Roberts all week; Betty Nguyen was in for Heidi Collins Monday and Tuesday; TJ Holmes was in for Rick Sanchez through Wednesday and again on Friday; Miles O'Brien was in for Wolf Blitzer through Wednesday; Soledad O'Brien was in for Anderson Cooper Monday and Tuesday.

TUESDAY: Gary Tuchman was in Lansing, Michigan; Tom Foreman was in for Campbell Brown Tuesday and Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY: Suzanne was in New York; Carol Costello was in for Kiran Chetry through Friday; Fredricka Whitfield was in for Heidi Collins through Friday; Kitty Pilgrim was in for Lou Dobbs. In mid-afternoon, the terrorist attack in Mubai begin, and Andrew Stevens began reporting from that city; Nic Robertson was in London, where he had reported on the al Qaeda threat to NY subways in the morning but stayed to report on the new attack; Jim Clancy of International was on-set in Atlanta; Erica Hill hosted live coverage through the AC360 timeslot. Domestic carried the International feed all night.

THURSDAY: American Morning started a half-hour early; Christiane Amanpour was in New York; Peter Bergen in Washington; Paula Newton and Phil Black in London; Sarah Sidner on the scene in Mumbai; Reza Sayah in Islamabad; International's Michael Holmes on the set in Atlanta. Kyra Phillips stayed on the air through Rick Sanchez' timeslot and the first 90 minutes of The Situation Room, after which, Domestic picked up the International feed for the rest of the day until the "Heroes" special programming began.

FRIDAY: Matthew Chance and Nic Robertson were in Mumbai; Wolf Blitzer hosted TSR from Miami.

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Bill Schneider recently spoke at a luncheon in Staunton, Virginia. Below is an excerpt from an article on The News Leader.com about the appearance:

Barack Obama's ability to convince voters he can unite the country and end the nation's "cultural civil war" was a key reason for his election victory, CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider told a crowd Friday in Staunton.

"In this year, it was all about looking for a uniter; someone who could end the red-blue divide, just like the Progressive Era ended the North-South divide," he said. "And what we are seeing is that (Obama) is determined as president, even as president-elect, to reach across barriers to end this divide."

As part of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum's annual Luncheon Speaker Series at the Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Convention Center, Schneider discussed the recent election, how he sees the new administration will govern and how the media will cover Obama's presidency.

Eric Vettel, executive director of the museum, said Schneider was perfect for the speech, calling him the "nation's election maestro" and the "most consistently intelligent analyst on television. "

A native Virginian and alumnus of Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth, Schneider said he has observed firsthand the shifting nature of politics in the state. He recalled growing up in 1952, when the state was predominately Democratic, being dismayed that no one saw Virginia as an important battleground state.

"But when we voted for Eisenhower in 1952, Virginia led the way as one of the first Southern states to vote Republican," he said. "Then look what happened this year: Virginia was one of three Southern states that voted Democratic."

Schneider said, based largely on the state's shifting demographics, he predicts there is a good chance Democrats will keep power in the Senate and governor's seat for years to come. But the growing Democratic base in the state will not ensure a successful presidency for Obama. Schneider said coming into power at a time of financial crisis gives Obama a real opportunity to create change. However, even with an expected "honeymoon" period from the press, he will have high expectations to meet.

Just in time for Thanksgiving, Bill Schneider announced his Political turkeys of the year. You can read his top ten on CNN.com or watch the top five:

Andy Plesser from BeetTV spoke with CNN's Soledad O'Brien earlier this month about the election.

One last note tonight. Tis the time of year where journalists frequently get asked what they are thankful for. Here are a few of the responses that I found from some of our favorites on CNN:

From Politico.com:

John King, anchor, CNN: "I am enormously grateful for the opportunity to visit 31 states in the past 20 months meeting dozens and dozens of the ordinary people that made this such an extraordinary election cycle. I am most grateful that I can focus now on the leaves changing colors, not states changing colors; that I can spend time with my wife, not my map; and for this, to borrow a phrase, Change I Can Believe In: more time with the remarkably patient Noah and Hannah King."

James Carville, political consultant and former strategist for President Bill Clinton: "The thing I'm looking forward to most about Thanksgiving is going back to Louisiana as I have 62 people coming over, so I won't be lonely. "

Gloria Borger, contributor, CNN: "That my twenty-something sons will be home with my husband and me to partake in our Thanksgiving Day tradition of staying home in our sweats and/or jeans, watching football — and that no presidential recount will get in the way!"

From TVNewsers:

CNN's Candy Crowley: "First, last, evermore, my children."

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

CNN Heroes ~ Something To Be Thankful For

I don't know about anyone else but I can not think of a better way to spend Thanksgiving then watching a celebration that truly honors those who do things that so many people around the world are truly thankful for.

CNN aired it's second CNN Heroes event Thursday night. Anderson Cooper hosted this year's event from Los Angeles.

So tonight I want to share some photos from the CNN Heroes event.

Tad Agoglia, Houston, Texas: Agoglia's First Response Team provides immediate help to areas hit by natural disasters. In a little more than a year, he and his crew have helped thousands of victims at more than 15 sites across the United States, free of charge.

Yohannes Gebregeorgis, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Moved by the lack of children's books and literacy in his native Ethiopia, Gebregeorgis established Ethiopia Reads, bringing free public libraries and literacy programs to thousands of Ethiopian children.

Carolyn LeCroy, Norfolk, Virginia: After serving time in prison, LeCroy started the Messages Project to help children stay connected with their incarcerated parents. She and volunteer camera crews have taped roughly 3,000 messages from inmates to their children.

Anne Mahlum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: On her daily morning jogs, Mahlum used to run past homeless men. Today, she's helping to transform lives by running with them, and others as part of her Back On My Feet program.

Liz McCartney, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana: McCartney moved to New Orleans to dedicate herself to helping Hurricane Katrina survivors move back into their homes. Her nonprofit, St. Bernard Project, has rebuilt the homes of more than 120 families for free. Liz was voted as the 2008 CNN Hero of the Year.

Phymean Noun, Toronto, Ontario: Growing up in Cambodia, Noun struggled to complete high school. Today, she offers hundreds of Cambodian children who work in Phnom Penh's trash dump a way out through free schooling and job training.

David Puckett, Savannah, Georgia: Puckett started PIPO Missions to bring ongoing prosthetic and orthotic care to those in need. Since November 2000, he has helped more than 420 people in southeastern Mexico, free of charge.

Maria Ruiz, El Paso, Texas: Several times a week, Ruiz crosses the border into Juarez, Mexico, bringing food, clothing and toys to hundreds of impoverished children and their families.

Marie Da Silva, Los Angeles, California: Having lost 14 family members to AIDS, the nanny funds a school in her native Malawi, where half a million children have been orphaned by the disease.

Viola Vaughn, Kaolack, Senegal: The Detroit, Michigan, native moved to Senegal to retire. Instead, a group of failing schoolchildren asked her to help them pass their classes. Today, her 10,000 Girls program is helping hundreds of girls succeed in school and run their own businesses

Congratulations to all of the CNN Heroes!!!!

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. All Things CNN has much to give thanks for, we hope you do too. Doesn't it look like the CNN Thanksgiving feast was a huge success? :)

Don't forget that once the dishes are done and the leftovers stored away it will be time to settle down in your easy chair and tune the telly into CNN for their All -Star Heroes Tribute. The event is hosted by Anderson Cooper and features Alicia Keys and John Legend. Other celebrities slated to appear include Cameron Diaz, Meg Ryan, Forest Whitaker, Salma Hayek, Lucy Liu, Terrence Howard, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale and Selena Gomez. Also People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive, Hugh Jackman, will present their ‘Heroes Among Us’ award. CNN Heroes airs at 9 PM Eastern on Thanksgiving night.



So what's next to look forward to on CNN? On Thursday, December 4th at 9 PM Eastern Christiana Amanpour's latest special 'Scream Bloody Murder' premiers. It gives the viewer a closer look at the recurring nightmare of genocide, from ethnic slaughters in Armenia, to the Holocaust, to systematic terror and violence in Cambodia, Rwanda, Iraq and Darfur. Amanpour reveals the largely unknown struggles of the heroes who witnessed evil – and “screamed bloody murder” in hopes that the international community would help end the slaughter.


By exposing viewers to the suffering and injustice in the World there is hope we can initiate change. Kudos to CNN and to Christiane Amanpour for tackling this difficult subject. ~Phebe

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

Ratings At A Glance

Ratings for the week November 17 - November 21, 2008

	8PM^Adults 25-54 FOX 721,200 CNN 411,400 MSNBC 478,600 HLN 385,000
	9PM^Adults 25-54 FOX 560,200 CNN 453,400 MSNBC 417,400 HLN 173,800
	10PM^Adults 25-54 FOX 471,000 CNN 491,000 MSNBC 289,800 HLN 264,600

The ratings for last week were all over the place. During the 8PM hour FOX has the highest average for the week in the Adults 25 – 54 demographic with MSNBC taking second and CNN coming in third. FOX was consistent in taking the top spot all five days last week. I can’t say the same for second, third, and fourth places- CNN came in second two days (Thursday & Friday), third two days (Tuesday & Wednesday) and fourth one day (Monday). MSNBC came in second the days that CNN didn’t (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday) – but even they found themselves in fourth place on Friday. Headline News found themselves in third place on both Monday and Friday.

The 9PM hour was just as erratic. FOX had the highest average for the week with CNN in second and MSNBC in third. FOX won the time slot three nights (Monday, Tuesday, and Friday) and held on for second the remaining two days. CNN won the time slot on Wednesday and Thursday. Monday they came in second. Tuesday & Friday they came in third getting beat out of second place by MSNBC.

At 10PM – CNN had the highest weekly average in viewers Adults 25 – 54. They took the timeslot three days out five (Monday, Wednesday, & Thursday) and came in second to FOX on Tuesday and Friday. Headline News even bumped MSNBC to fourth on Tuesday.



^{^} Courtesy Nielsen Media Research; Demographics where noted; Live + Same Day (LS) Fast Track Nationals.



All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

The Truth Is Out There

Miles O'Brien is doing a series all this week on American Morning about the search for alien life. He interviewed people who believe they have seen UFOs, went to Roswell, and spoke with scientists searching the stars. His first segment was about serious people who have seen...something...in the skies:

If you follow Miles on Twitter, he was giving us updates as he crisscrossed the country for interviews, and as he went through the writing and editing process to put the series together. He seems to really enjoy tweeting, and it's fascinating to follow the behind-the-scenes work that goes into what we see on our TVs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Arwa Damon did a piece on Iraqi journalists who are being targeted by the Iraqi security forces, and they even go after the CNN crews. This is a very dangerous situation, and it is incredible that so many Iraqis are still determined to show the world what is really happening in their country:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Friday, Christiane Amanpour was awarded the prestigious Fourth Estate Award by the National Press Club. Among those who roasted Christiane were Wolf Blitzer, Richard Cohan, and Madeline Albright. Video of some of the evening's comments is available on Huffington Post. (Thanks to Sapphire for the link.)

Over the weekend, The New York Times had an article detailing a new show that Christiane will be hosting on International. (If you listened to the HuffPo clip of Richard Cohen roasting Christiane, the comment about her reaction to Fareed Zakaria getting his own show has to make you laugh! Oh, and I just love the fact that in his little fable about her, he named her Cynthia. Great name!)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And to end on a bit lighter side, we have Nic Robertson reporting on... Michael Jackson?

Have a great week, and if you're in the US, have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Hope you have a long list of things to be thankful for!

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

Comments from Amanpour, Hughley, & Gupta

Photo credit: Jemal Countess/WireImage

On November 19, 2008, CNN's Christiane Amanpour attended the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights Bridge Dedication Gala at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piersin New York City. While there she spoke with US Magazine:

Jennifer Aniston isn't a fan of Angelina Jolie, but Christiane Amanpour sure is.

"Angelina does an amazing job in terms of her capacity to highlight issues and problems around the world and with her humanitarian and human rights work," Amanpour, who is the Chief International Correspondent for CNN, told Usmagazine.com at the Justice & Human Rights Bridge Dedication Gala on Wednesday in NYC. She said she has no plans to interview the celeb.

Neal Justin of the Star Tribune (Minneapolis) recently spoke with D.L. Hughley about his new program on CNN. Here are few snippets from the interview:

The newest member of the CNN family is also its unlikeliest. D.L. Hughley dropped out of high school, joined a Los Angeles gang, then turned his life around with a comedic career based on making audiences squirm.

Despite the nontraditional résumé -- and his unabashed support of Barack Obama -- he's the host of "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News," a one-hour program jam-packed with skits, interviews and in-your-face observations, with many of the news network's tools and personalities at his disposal.

You spent election night interviewing folks in Times Square... What was Times Square like?

You always hear your parents talk about when such-and-such happened, like man landing on the moon, but my generation has always missed those things. I didn't have any context -- until Tuesday. I mean, people were crying, they were euphoric. It took an hour and a half to go 30 blocks. Of course, near the end of the evening, I tried to get a taxi and it just rolled on by. I had to get a doorman to get me one. So things haven't altogether changed.

On last weekend's episode, you talked to Jesse Jackson Jr. and you showed footage of his father crying in Grant Park. I thought that was one of the evening's most memorable moments.

I think for people like him, they couldn't believe it was happening. I mean, my generation hasn't been the most inspirational. Activism kind of skipped us. I couldn't stop crying myself because I was thinking of my father. He's still with us, but we're not very close. Still, that was a moment we could have shared. I missed him right then.

What kind of shows did you have prepared in case Obama had lost?

Well, I would have had to be honest, but that whole idea would have been so final for me. I mean, if it's not this guy, then who? I would have definitely concluded that a black man can't be president. But, yeah, I would have found some humor in it.

Where will you find humor in an Obama presidency? Isn't pessimism funnier than optimism?

Optimism can be funny. Anything you're earnest about can be funny. I've never found it particularly hard to go after people I'm fond of. I mean, when you were in school and you really liked a girl, you didn't pass her a note. You tripped her. Nobody gets a pass.

Do you think Obama has a good sense of humor?

He'd better get one.

This show could have just as easily played on Comedy Central, HBO or BET. Why CNN?

They made the best offer. We originally had offers from all those people you named, but CNN had never been involved in anything like this, and that makes me excited and nervous. We've got a lot of advantages and an abundant amount of information. I can talk to so many people around the world. Last week, I interviewed some comics in Kenya. For CNN, it's no big deal. They've got a lot of tools I can play with.

On the other hand, we don't have a writers' room. We work in the middle of a pit, surrounded by anchors and reporters. We don't get to rehearse anything. We've got no crafts services, no wardrobe, no PAs [personal assistants]. It's really stripped down.

Variety posted the following comment made by CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta about growing up watching movies.

It isn't brain surgery. Yet, watching movies can mean a lot to a second-generation Indian American growing up in small-town America (Chelsea, Mich.), where the name Sanjay Gupta is about as exotic as it gets.

"I love the rah-rah movies like 'Rocky' and 'Remember the Titans.' They're the classic underdog stories," says the Atlanta-based neurosurgeon, who moonlights as a health correspondent for CNN. "In Philadelphia, I've run up the 'Rocky' stairs."

Some Oscar-winning movies get better over time. Gupta saw Roberto Benigni's "Life Is Beautiful" when it was released in 1998 and once again more recently. "I found it even more emotionally powerful now that I have two kids of my own," he says. In the film, "The father endangers his own life in the World War II concentration camp so that his son can survive. That's the ultimate for any parent."

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

Transitions

Friday, we got a preview of the interview Fareed Zakaria did with Al Gore for this week's GPS, and you know it's going to be a good one:

Wednesday, Christiane Amanpour did a "Memo to the President" about how to handle Iran:

Also on Wednesday, Peter Bergen appeared on AC360 to discuss the latest tape recording from al-Qaeda:

And on Friday, Miles O'Brien gave us a preview of the upcoming week of specials on UFOs that he's been putting together:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On Thursday, John Roberts decided to go tie-less on American Morning. At first I thought he'd spilled coffee on it or something, and kept waiting for someone to bring him a replacement! But eventually it became obvious that this was no accident... I can only guess that upper management left early for the holidays because, come on: Ali Velshi had to shave his goatee but the host can decide to go casual all of a sudden?

Well, on Friday they discussed the new look and how people were reacting to it, and Lola Ogunnaike even quizzed some fashion-HE-stas about it:

Later in the day, Kyra Phillips spoke with John by phone for some fashion tips for TJ Holmes:

I'm sure you noticed how enthusiastic TJ's EP was about it... but he did indeed appear sans tie. But I'm just not seeing Wolf embracing the new trend! So we'll see what Monday brings. But I did want to clear up one thing: when it comes to not wearing a tie on CNN, we all know who the real trendsetter is. I'm just sayin'...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Where in the World...?

SATURDAY: Suzanne Malveaux and Ed Henry were still in Chicago covering the Obama transition team.

SUNDAY: Dana Bash and Ed Henry were in Washington.

MONDAY: Michael Ware was in Washington; Ali Velshi was in Detroit; Kitty Pilgrim hosted Lou Dobbs Tonight, as she would all week.

TUESDAY: Jessica Yellin was in Chicago; John King was in Washington; Ali Velshi was back in New York; Sanjay Gupta was in New York for the Fit Nation Summit.

WEDNESDAY: Sean Callebs was in Lincoln, Nebraska, to cover the debate over the state's Safe Haven Law; Peter Bergen was in Washington (via phone for American Morning, in the bureau for AC360).

THURSDAY: Jamie McIntyre was at the Port of Baltimore for a report on the Navy's efforts to battle pirates; Gary Tuchman was in Moraine, Ohio, where a GM plant is shutting down.

FRIDAY: Miles O'Brien was in New York, previewing his reports next week on UFOs; TJ Holmes (above) was in for Rick Sanchez' hour of NewsRoom; John King hosted Larry King Live.

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

Lights, Camera, Action!

The CNN APSA Viewers Choice award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of all Time was presented as the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) last week. Here's the announcement from CNN.com's website.

Filipino film "Himala" has been awarded the CNN APSA Viewers Choice Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of all Time.

Thousands of CNN viewers voted on "The Screening Room" Web site to honor Ishmael Bernal's 1982 film with the accolade, which is jointly awarded by CNN and the region's prestigious Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA).

"The Screening Room's" Myleene Klass presented the award Tuesday in front of a crowd of over 700 film industry figures at a special ceremony on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Bernal's austere tale of a young woman who goes on a healing crusade after seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary, which stars Filipino actress Nora Aunor, took the prize with 32 percent of the vote.

It came in ahead of ahead of more widely known films like Japanese Akira Kurosawa's "Shichinin no samurai" ("Seven Samurai"), which took second place and "Wo hu cang long" ("Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon") by Taiwan's Ang Lee, which snared third.

Other films in the shortlist included Chan-wook Park's "Oldboy" from South Korea and Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki's animated film "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi" ("Spirited Away").

"Whatever the reason, I do feel we deserve this award," said "Himala" producer Bibsy Carballo, "If only as a tribute to our people who in once a great while decide to come together as one, forget their petty squabbles and divisiveness, and make a declaration of support for this troubled nation, and its tremendously talented and good-hearted if unfortunate population. Long live 'Himala!'"

When it was first released in 1982, "Himala" was picked for the official selection at Berlin International Film Festival, as well as a number of other festivals, and Nora Aunor was nominated for Best Actress.

Myleene Klass and host Indira Naidoo Photo credit: Marc Grimwade/WireImage)

A total of 32 films representing 17 countries from Kazakhstan to Korea and the Islamic Republic of Iran to India were finalists at this year's Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

Kazakh picture "Tulpan," by director Sergei Dvortsevoy, which tells the story of a family of sheep and goat herders, took home the main feature prize.

Other winners included Israeli director Ari Folman's animated feature "Waltz with Bashir," which took Best Animated Feature. Best Documentary was given to South Korea's "63 Years On" by Dong-won Kim and Achievement in Directing was awarded to Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan for "Üç maymun" ("Three Monkeys").

The 2008 APSA International jury which presided over the shortlisted films was led by veteran Australian director, Bruce Beresford known for films like "Driving Miss Daisy."

Asia Pacific Screen Awards Chairman Des Power said: "There is a growing fascination and respect for films from this diverse region.

"It is a tribute to the filmmakers that they now have a globally recognised award and the broadcast reach of CNN International to promote their work."

Watch "The Screening Room's" Asia Pacific Screen Awards show at the following times: Wednesday 26 November: 0930, 1830, Saturday 29 November: 0830, 1900, Sunday 30 November: 1730, 1830, Monday 1 December: 0400 (all times GMT) on CNN International.

The Screening Room has a two part report on the latest 007 James Bond film, Quantum of Solace starring Daniel Craig. (And how often do I find a legitimate excuse to post a picture of Daniel Craig here- I just couldn't resist.)

Part One:

Part two:

Photo credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Soledad O'Brien attended the 2008 Glamour Women of the Year Awards on November 10th. The awards were held in New York City at Carnegie Hall.

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.