CNN’s Coverage of the Inauguration of Barack Obama

Building upon the network’s record-breaking coverage of the presidential campaign and election, CNN will provide a front row seat for viewers worldwide with live coverage leading up to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday, Jan. 20, including the swearing-in ceremony and the inauguration parade.

As part of live and in-depth coverage for The Inauguration of Barack Obama, members of the Best Political Team on Television will fan out across the nation’s capital on Inauguration Day to cover every angle of Obama’s official first day in office. CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper guide coverage of the events from the rooftop of the Newseum, a key vantage point along the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route.

“This is one of the most historic events of our time, and CNN will utilize all of our resources to capture the magnitude of the moment,” said Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. “Throughout Inauguration Day and beyond, CNN’s winning political team will continue to offer its trademark independent coverage which has been drawing a record number of viewers throughout this election season.”

On Tuesday, Jan. 20, The Inauguration of Barack Obama kicks off with CNN’s John Roberts and Kiran Chetry anchoring a special edition of American Morning live on Capitol Hill from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Beginning at 10 a.m., CNN’s coverage location moves to the Newseum, where Blitzer and Cooper, along with senior political analysts Gloria Borger and David Gergen, will anchor the special programming. Chief national correspondent John King will transport the network’s Magic Wall to a balcony inside the Newseum in order to illustrate traffic and hotspots around Washington. Also reporting from the Newseum, Campbell Brown will cover the day’s events and will moderate a panel with members of CNN’s Best Political Team on Television, including political contributors Paul Begala, Bill Bennett, Donna Brazile,James Carville, Alex Castellanos, Amy Holmes, Roland Martin, Hilary Rosen and Tara Wall.

In the days leading up to and including Inauguration Day, CNN’s Election Express will be stationed on the National Mall to serve as the center of operations for other members of the Best Political Team on Television reporting from across the nation’s capital. On Jan. 20, anchor Soledad O’Brien and senior political analyst Jeffrey Toobin will report from Lafayette Park, the location of the presidential viewing stands and a central spot from which to narrate the parade. Senior political correspondent Candy Crowley will provide viewers with an up-close view of the parade as she reports from within the parade itself and from key locations around the capital. Senior White House correspondent Ed Henry plans to speak with politicians and dignitaries watching from the inauguration ceremony platform. White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux will be live at the White House reporting on a variety of events, including Obama’s final visit with President George W. Bush.

Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash will cover her beat from the Capitol Rotunda. National political correspondent Jessica Yellin and correspondent Jim Acosta will bring viewers into the crowds who flocked to Washington to watch the inauguration. Correspondent Joe Johns will do the same from the Washington Mall. Anchor John Roberts also will be live on Capitol Hill.

Homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve will report on the intense security measures in place for the inaugural events. White House correspondent Dan Lothian will head to Andrews Air Force Base to be on hand for Bush’s official departure from Washington. Other correspondents covering the inauguration include congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar, general assignment correspondents Kate Bolduan and Elaine Quijano, foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty, Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, correspondent Brian Todd and news anchors Don Lemon and Zain Verjee.

The Inauguration of Barack Obama will continue with a special edition of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., which will include live coverage of the parade, as well as a recap of the day’s happenings. From 7 p.m. to midnight, Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper will lead CNN’s prime-time coverage, live from Washington D.C., with special editions of Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull and Anderson Cooper 360º which will include live reporting from the 10 official inaugural balls. Larry King hosts a special edition of Larry King Live from the Washington, D.C. bureau from midnight to 1 a.m.

CNN.com will provide special live coverage of the presidential inauguration and all related events in their entirety. Throughout the day, the site’s coverage will showcase the sights and sounds from the events captured by CNN.com reporters and photographers, as well as inauguration attendees. To provide additional perspective on the historic events taking place, the site also will feature reactions, analysis and commentary from CNN.com users and newsmakers alike.

CNN.com and Facebook are working together to enable users to connect and engage with each other while watching live all the events of Inauguration Day on CNN.com Live, the Internet’s only multi-stream live video news service. On Tuesday, Jan. 20, CNN.com Live users will be able to update their Facebook status directly from the CNN.com Live player and also see status updates from their friends and other Facebook users on CNN.com Live. On Facebook, the status updates for those using CNN.com Live will be published in their News Feed with hyperlinked tags that read “via CNN.com Live,” so users’ friends on Facebook can click the tag and join the CNN.com Live/Facebook experience.

Throughout the day, CNN.com Live will offer users up to four simultaneous live streams of inauguration coverage, including the parade and other related events happening in the nation’s capital, as well as Obama’s inaugural address. CNN.com Live anchor Melissa Long will anchor live from Washington and interview various guests and contributors as the day’s events unfold.
In addition to live streaming video, audio slideshows, photo galleries and interactives, other special inauguration coverage elements on CNN.com include:
· “Your View of History” – a customized map, built using Google Maps technology, of the inauguration parade route featuring video and still images to provide a comprehensive visual experience of the day’s events and the parade. Images will be placed on the map from the exact locations where they are taken, so that users can zoom in to get street-level views all along the route, giving users a closer glimpse of what it’s like to be there;
· Inaugural Address Report Card – ratings and comments on Obama’s speech from CNN political analysts and CNN.com users; and

· The Political Ticker – a special inaugural edition of the blog complete with live rolling updates, analysis and commentary from members of the Best Political Team.
iReport.com, the network’s user-generated online news community, will invite contributors to share their thoughts on the historic moment, as well as submit share their videos and photos, whether from the events or their own backyards.

HLN will feature special inaugural coverage anchored by anchor Robin Meade of Morning Express with Robin Meade. In keeping with the network’s “News and Views” format, HLN will air full live coverage of Obama’s swearing-in ceremony and inaugural address as well as other news updates but will also offer commentary and a variety of perspectives from CNN and HLN correspondents and other special guests.

CNN International will simulcast domestic programming from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Blogger personal note: YEA!!!! I will be in the UK on the 20th so I am glad to see I will be getting the coverage I would be getting back home)

CNN en Españolplans to offerextensive live coverage of Inauguration Day, with senior anchor Patricia Janiot and correspondents Juan Carlos López and Ione Molinares, reporting live from Washington. Special coverage will wrap up with a prime-time special at 9 p.m. with a focus on the events of the day.

CNN Radio’s Bob Costantini, Lisa Desjardins and Dick Uliano and will anchor coverage from the capital starting at 11:06 a.m. and continuing until 1 p.m. or through the end of the inaugural address. Coverage will be provided to affiliates, as well as streamed live on CNN.com.

CNN Newsource will provide its affiliates access to custom reports from correspondent Sandra Endo and RunningMate correspondent Samantha Hayes from one of the best rooftop shots in the nation’s capitol.

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