Nic Robertson is Now in Libya

Nic Robertson has made his way into Libya and began filing reports. He joins CNN's Ben Wedeman covering the Gadhafi story. Here's Robertson's report about his government led tour of the area just outside of Tripoli.

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Adam Carrolla Discusses Piers Morgan

Mediaite has a posted a segment from LA’s KTLA-TV morning program with Adam Carrolla discusses Piers Morgan. We thought you might enjoy the laugh.

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This Weekend's Programming 2/26/11

CNN Weekend Programming Information:
Saturday, February 26 & Sunday, February 27
ALL TIMES EASTERN

SATURDAY, February 26, 2011


SANJAY GUPTA MD – Airs Saturday 7:30AM – 8:00AM
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on sports injury-related concussions. Former Chicago Bears safety died last week of an apparent suicide, leaving behind a grief-stricken family – and text messages that urged them to preserve his brain for research on whether the hits that he took during his NFL career may have left him more vulnerable to dementia and early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Gupta reports that lasting effects of concussion on developing brains ought to concerns parents of high school-aged kids and younger who are playing sports and may sustain injury.



THE SITUATION ROOM WITH WOLF BLITZER – Airs Saturday 6:00PM – 7:00PM

Topic: Libya
Guest: Nicholas Kristof, columnist for The New York Times

Anchor: Wolf Blitzer



PICTURES DON’T LIE – Airs Saturday 8:00PM – 9:00PM and 11:00PM
Famed photographer Ernest Withers is remembered as a hero who helped advance the causes of the Civil Right’s Movement through his stunning images of key people and history-in-the-making events. He and his lens captured Dr. King strategizing with his lieutenants before key events, and he photographed the courtroom proceedings of those accused of murdering Emmett Till. CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien investigates documents that now suggest Withers may have also been an FBI informant – she also speaks to Withers’ family and those he allegedly spied upon for their reactions to the new information.



SUNDAY, February 27, 2011


PICTURES DON’T LIE – Airs Sunday 2:00AM – 3:00AM
Famed photographer Ernest Withers is remembered as a hero who helped advance the causes of the Civil Right’s Movement through his stunning images of key people and history-in-the-making events. He and his lens captured Dr. King strategizing with his lieutenants before key events, and he photographed the courtroom proceedings of those accused of murdering Emmett Till. CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien investigates documents that now suggest Withers may have also been an FBI informant – she also speaks to Withers’ family and those he allegedly spied upon for their reactions to the new information.



SANJAY GUPTA, MD – Airs Sunday 7:30AM – 8:00AM and 2:30PM – 3:00PM
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on sports injury-related concussions. Former Chicago Bears safety died last week of an apparent suicide, leaving behind a grief-stricken family – and text messages that urged them to preserve his brain for research on whether the hits that he took during his NFL career may have left him more vulnerable to dementia and early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Gupta reports that lasting effects of concussion on developing brains ought to concerns parents of high school-aged kids and younger who are playing sports and may sustain injury.



STATE OF THE UNION WITH CANDY CROWLEY – Airs LIVE Sunday 9:00AM – 10:00AM, NOON – 1:00PM

Topics: Unrest in the Middle East
Guest: Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
Guest: Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Topics: Budget Showdown: Will Federal Government Shut Down?
Guest: Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Budget Committee Chairman

Topics: Balancing State Budgets
Guest: Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) Connecticut
Guest: Gov. Rick Scott (R) Florida

Topics: Economic Outlook; Rising Oil Prices
Guest: Douglas Holtz-Eakin, former Director, Congressional Budget Office
Guest: Mark Zandi, Chief Economist, Moody's Analytics

Anchor: Candy Crowley




FAREED ZAKARIA GPS – Airs Sunday 10:00AM – 11:00AM and 1:00PM – 2:00PM on CNN/U.S. and 8:00AM – 9:00AM on CNN International

Topic: Obama and Bush Administration policies in the Middle East, democracy vs. dictatorship in the Middle East, will revolutions in Arab world boost Iran’s power?
Guest: Paul Wolfowitz, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense (George W Bush Administration)

Topic: Is the financial crisis over? Is there a second wave coming? Lessons learned from Iceland, Ireland & Greece
Guest: Michael Lewis, former Wall Street bond trader, author – The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine

Host: Fareed Zakaria



RELIABLE SOURCES – Airs LIVE 11:00AM – NOON

Topics: Coverage of Wisconsin Protests
Guest: Steve Pearlstein, business columnist, The Washington Post
Guest: Jim Warren, columnist, The New York Times
Guest: Amy Holmes, political analyst; co-host, Talk Radio Network's America's Morning News

Topic: PolitFact
Guest: Bill Adair, St. Petersburg Times Washington bureau chief; editor of PolitiFact

Host: Howard Kurtz



TALIBAN – Airs Sunday 8:00PM – 9:00PM and 11:00PM
CNN anchor Anderson Cooper interviews Norwegian journalist Paul Refsdal about his journey behind enemy lines in Afghanistan to reveal the Taliban at war, preparing weapons and coordinating ambushes – as well as surprising images of Taliban fighters praying, playing, and interacting with their families. It’s a journey that ended in Refsdal’s own kidnapping and harrowing escape – told by a journalist who put everything on the line to tell this extraordinary story.




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It's Official

CNN executive vice president Ken Jautz announces “In the Arena” ensemble program at 8:00 pm. Below are statements from Ken, Kathleen Parker and Eliot Spitzer.


NOTE FROM KEN JAUTZ TO STAFF:

I want to share with you some news today regarding our 8pm show. Kathleen Parker has decided to leave the program to focus on her writing, and we have decided to take the show in a new direction. We will be adopting an ensemble format with several newsmakers, guests and contributors joining Eliot Spitzer each night. The new program will be called, "In the Arena," beginning Monday. E.D. Hill and Will Cain will join the program as well others within and outside the CNN family.

We have been pleased with how the 8pm hour has become a centerpiece of substantive, policy-oriented conversation, and we are looking forward to building on that with this new format. Simply put, the new program will look beyond the headlines to analyze and discuss the most important stories of the day. The program will provide context and analysis through balanced and thoughtful discussions and interviews with a wide range of guests and newsmakers who cumulatively represent various points of view.

Kathleen will continue to appear on CNN occasionally to provide her insights and commentary. We thank Kathleen for her hard work and all that she has done to help us launch our new 8pm program. We respect her as a colleague and appreciate her perspective and contributions.


Statement from Kathleen Parker:

After bringing viewers a new 8pm show on CNN, I have decided to return to a schedule that will allow me to focus more on my syndicated newspaper column and other writings. While I am extremely proud of the show we created, and the subject matter and level of discourse Parker Spitzer promoted every night, it was a difficult decision to scale back my column a few months ago and, with the show going in a new direction, it is a good time to move on. I want to thank the viewers who have been so kind with their comments and support. I will continue to appear to contribute and analyze occasionally on CNN and look forward to continuing my relationship with CNN and the many talented individuals I have worked with here.


Statement from Eliot Spitzer:

I wish Kathleen all the best in continuing on with her spectacular career. It has been a joy working with her as a teammate, and I continue to be a huge fan of the wisdom that jumps from her written work and the wit, charm and insight she brings to all that she does.

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Is the Gossip True for Parker/Spitzer?

photo courtesy of The Wrap

Brian Stelter of the New York Times tweeted today that Parker/Spitzer could soon be in for a change. He sites two sources that say Kathleen Parker is out and also added "CNN's silence on this matter has been deafening for several hours. We are trying hard to gain comment from CNN, Spitzer, and Parker." To follow Brian on Twitter just click on this link.

The New York Post writes (edited, please follow the link for the entire article):

Eliot Spitzer is telling friends his CNN co-host Kathleen Parker "will be gone within a week." Relations between the ex-gov, who once called himself a "[bleep]ing steamroller," and his conservative co-host are at an all-time low. A source said, "Spitzer thinks she's holding him back. The ratings surged when she was out sick, and he anchored alone during the turmoil in Egypt. Only very few anchors have the power to wipe out a co-host, and Spitzer thinks he has it. CNN bosses are high on Spitzer, and he might get his own show. Kathleen has been weighing her options. There's this sense of dread among middle management." We've reported that Parker, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, could be dumped due to lack of chemistry with Spitzer. But our source said, "She's putting up a fight." CNN President Ken Jautz recently said, "There have been lots of press reports that I am contemplating changes, but I'm not going to engage in any speculation." A CNN rep declined to comment.

The Wrap reports:

Kathleen Parker, the co-host of "Parker Spitzer," CNN's four-month-old, ratings-challenged primetime show, is being dropped from the program, according to sources inside the CNN newsroom. Eliot Spitzer, her co-host, will remain.

A representative at CNN did not return an email and phone call requesting comment.

The move has been rumored for some time now. Spitzer hosted the show earlier this month while Parker was reportedly sick, and the show saw a 68 percent jump in 25-54-year-old viewer

The 8 p.m. show was announced last fall, as a replacement for Campbell Brown, with former CNN president Jon Klein's seal of approval. The roundtable format -- with Spitzer, the former New York State governor and Parker, the conservative columnist -- marked a shift to opinion-based programming for CNN, which had shunned the ideological fare favored by Fox News and MSNBC.

And the ratings for "Parker Spitzer" simply never materialized. In its first week on the air, "Parker Spitzer," had an average audience of just 465,500 viewers for its debut week; disgraced former CNN host Rick Sanchez's "Rick's List" averaged 468,000 total viewers during its brief run in the same time slot. (It even lagged behind HLN's Nancy Grace, who averaged 550,000 total viewers during the "Parker Spitzer's" first week.)

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Wolf Sits Down with Craig Ferguson 2/21/11

On Monday night this week Wolf Blitzer was a guest on Craig Ferguson.



Part 1

Part 2






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Ratings for the Week of February 14th

Rating calculations are weekly averages based on nightly ratings provided by TVNewser with data by Nielsen Media Research. Numbers reflect Live and same day (DVR) data.

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

CNN's coverage of unrest in Middle East and North Africa

CNN's coverage of unrest in Middle East and North Africa

Over the last several weeks, unrest has spread across countries in the Middle East and North Africa including Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain.
CNN staff are newsgathering and reporting for all of CNN Worldwide's platforms in these regions. Ben Wedeman (@bencnn) is the first western television reporter to enter and report from inside Libya during the current crisis. In addition to continued coverage of Egypt by Fionnuala Sweeney and Ivan Watson (@ivancnn) in Cairo, CNN has reporters covering this developing story from other key places in the region including Nic Robertson (@nicrobertsonCNN) on the Libya/Tunisia border; Arwa Damon (@arwaCNN) and Rima Maktabi in Bahrain; and Mohammed Jamjoom (@jamjoomcnn) in Yemen.

Follow the latest tweets from the CNN news team based across the region on Twitter at cnni/arabunrest.


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Michael Ware has left CNN

Michael Ware has confirmed to me that he has left CNN, although he is not yet ready to disclose discussions about plans for his return to US television.

That said, he has other projects cooking as well. He is currently working very hard on something that I am confident everyone will agree will have been worth the wait. (This is not the book; that is still percolating. This is something new and very, very exciting.)

So, while he is hard at work elsewhere, I just wanted to take a moment to look back on the incredible work he did for CNN. This is just a small sample of where he has taken us while working for them, especially of his most important legacy as a reporter -- his astonishing coverage of the Iraq war. We were so fortunate to have such an honest voice on the ground to give us the truth behind the painful headlines.

(This clip is too large for Blogger, so please click here to watch it on my site.)

His voice may no longer be coming into our living rooms every day, but you can bet he won't stay silent for long!

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This Week's Guests for Piers Morgan Tonight + More

Breaking: CNN's Piers Morgan interviews CNN legend Larry King... live this week

"The new 9pm" Piers Morgan will interview the former 9pmET CNN host, Larry King, later this week as part of Hollywood Week on "Piers Morgan Tonight." Says Piers: "'I can't think of many people I'd rather interview than Larry King, and I'm sure people will be fascinated by the dynamic between us, for obvious reasons.”
King hosted "Larry King Live" for more than 25 years, before stepping down last year. The live interview comes in the wake of a much talked about King interview last week on London's Radio 4.


Piers Morgan Tonight is coming to Los Angeles Oscar week and putting Hollywood’s biggest stars in the spotlight….

Tune in to CNN at 9pm EST.
Piers Morgan Tonight’s Guest Line Up for February 21-Febuary 25th.


MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21st
Rock and Roll Legend Rod Stewart

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22nd
Playboy’s Hugh Hefner and New Fiancée Crystal Harris

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd
Musician Kid Rock

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24th
Legendary Actor Sharon Stone

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25th
TBC


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This Weekend's Programing

SATURDAY, February 19, 2011


SANJAY GUPTA MD – Airs Saturday 7:30AM – 8:00AM
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta visits Memorial Hermann rehabilitation center, where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is located, covering physical training from a brain injury. Dr. Gupta also explains what to do if you’re having a baby outside the hospital without any medical assistance – and fellow CNNer, Josh Levs, describes delivering his own son. He will also cover the vulnerability of a race car driver at speeds of up to 200 mph. Dr. Gupta also talks to the 2011 CNN Fit Nation triathlon team nutritionist about what are the best foods to fuel the body for endurance sports training.


SIX DAYS IN NORTH KOREA: SITUATION ROOM REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK – Airs Saturday 6:00PM – 7:00PM
CNN lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer entered North Korea as the world watched tensions mount between North and South Korea. Blitzer was the only broadcast journalist to join former Gov. Bill Richardson and his delegation. This program will take viewers into the communist, totalitarian regime of North Korea with footage from the rarely-seen streets of Pyongyang and inside government meetings. In addition, Blitzer was able to visit Kim II-sung University and capture rare moments with North Koreans.


SELLING THE GIRL NEXT DOOR – Airs Saturday 8:00PM-9:00PM and 11:00PM
CNN’s Amber Lyon takes viewers into the world of underage American girls ensnared into lives of prostitution – among hundreds of thousands of girls under the age of 18 that are annually caught up in the violent sex trade, many trapped in “the oldest profession” by pimps who sell them using modern sales and marketing techniques. Lyon poses as a teen online and quickly gets trafficked herself, she also reveals the devastating realities of the business of underage sex – speaking to a young teen runaway sold online from a Las Vegas hotel, the men that obsessively seek Internet sex connections.




SUNDAY, February 20, 2011

SELLING THE GIRL NEXT DOOR – Airs Sunday 2:00AM- 3:00AM
CNN’s Amber Lyon takes viewers into the world of underage American girls ensnared into lives of prostitution – among hundreds of thousands of girls under the age of 18 that are annually caught up in the violent sex trade, many trapped in “the oldest profession” by pimps who sell them using modern sales and marketing techniques. Lyon poses as a teen online and quickly gets trafficked herself, she also reveals the devastating realities of the business of underage sex – speaking to a young teen runaway sold online from a Las Vegas hotel, the men that obsessively seek Internet sex connections.


SANJAY GUPTA, MD – Airs Sunday 7:30AM – 8:00AM
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta visits Memorial Hermann rehabilitation center, where Rep. Gabrielle Giffords is located, covering physical training from a brain injury. Dr. Gupta also explains what to do if you’re having a baby outside the hospital without any medical assistance – and fellow CNNer, Josh Levs, describes delivering his own son. He will also cover the vulnerability of a race car driver at speeds of up to 200 mph. Dr. Gupta also talks to the 2011 CNN Fit Nation triathlon team nutritionist about what are the best foods to fuel the body for endurance sports training.



STATE OF THE UNION WITH CANDY CROWLEY – Airs LIVE Sunday 9:00AM – 10:00AM, NOON – 1:00PM

Topics: Rumsfeld Memoir; Current Developments in the Middle East; Pentagon Budget
Guest: Donald Rumsfeld, former Defense Secretary; author, “Known and Unknown: A Memoir”

Topics: Battle Over the Budget
Guest: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY)

Topics: Battle Over the Budget; Middle East Unrest
Guest: Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN)

Anchor: Candy Crowley



FAREED ZAKARIA GPS – Airs Sunday 10:00AM – 11:00AM and 1:00PM – 2:00PM on CNN/U.S. and 8:00AM – 9:00AM on CNN International

Topic: Democracy fever in the Middle East – how does it compare to the struggle for freedom in Eastern Europe? 2011 Budget – does it reduce the deficit enough? Outlook for the U.S. & global economies
EXCLUSIVE Guest: George Soros, Chairman, Soros Fund Management, LLC; founder, Open Society Fund.

Topic: What in the world...should Americans know about the Muslim Brotherhood?
Guest: Tarek Masoud, assistant professor of public policy, Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government

Topic: Will revolution in the Arab world spread to Iran? What is happening now in Iran and why. Views on U.S. responses to freedom movements in the Middle East
Guest: Karim Sadjadpour, associate, Middle East Program – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Guest: Hooman Majd, journalist, author – The Ayatollah Begs to Differ

Host: Fareed Zakaria



RELIABLE SOURCES – Airs LIVE 11:00AM – NOON

Topics: Lara Logan Assault; Safety of Female Correspondents
Guest: Judith Matloff, Columbia Journalism School, Former foreign correspondent
Guest: Donatella Lorch, former foreign correspondent
Guest: Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon

Topics: Pitfalls of Covering Budget Stories
Guest: John Aravosis, AmericaBlog.com
Guest: Christina Bellantoni, CQ Roll Call
Guest: Michael Medved, host, “The Michael Medved Show”

Host: Howard Kurtz



PICTURES DON’T LIE – Airs Sunday 8:00PM – 9:00PM, 11:00PM – 12:00AM
Famed photographer Ernest Withers is remembered as a hero who helped advance the causes of the Civil Right’s Movement through his stunning images of key people and history-in-the-making events. He and his lens captured Dr. King strategizing with his lieutenants before key events, and he photographed the courtroom proceedings of those accused of murdering Emmett Till. CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien investigates documents that now suggest Withers may have also been an FBI informant – she also speaks to Withers’ family and those he allegedly spied upon for their reactions to the new information.

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

Wolf Blitzer in North Korea

CNN will air a one-hour program Six Days in North Korea: Situation Room Reporter's Notebook on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m. CNN lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer entered North Korea as the world watched tensions mount between North and South Korea. Blitzer was the only broadcast journalist to join former Gov. Bill Richardson and his delegation.
This program will take viewers into the communist, totalitarian regime of North Korea with footage from the rarely-seen streets of Pyongyang and inside government meetings. In addition, Blitzer was able to visit Kim II-sung University and capture rare moments with North Koreans.
The special will also air on CNNI at 10 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 19. Here's a few clips from Six Days in North Korea.

Blitzer is CNN’s anchor of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer which airs every weekday 5-7 p.m. and on Saturday evenings 6-7 p.m.

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

Ratings for the Week of February 7th

1 - Special programming was aired one night during the week

Rating calculations are weekly averages based on nightly ratings provided by TVNewser with data by Nielsen Media Research. Numbers reflect Live and same day (DVR) data.

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

CNN Looks Ahead to 2012

CNN Looks Ahead to 2012 Election Season
Cornell Belcher, Will Cain and Dana Loesch join Best Political Team on Television

CNN is gearing up for the election season with the addition of political contributors from across the ideological spectrum. Democratic strategist Cornell Belcher, conservative commentator Will Cain, and local Tea Party leader and radio talk show host Dana Loesch will appear across the network’s prime time programs, as well as other dayparts and platforms.
“CNN is increasingly the only network where political dialogue representing all points of views is actually helping Americans understand the political process,” said Cornell Belcher. “I’m honored to join and add my voice to the best political team on television.”
“I thrive on passionate, fun, and intellectually-challenging debates, and CNN seeks to be the home of those conversations,” said Will Cain. “So I’m excited to make CNN my home.”
“I’m excited to be working with CNN and am appreciative of their efforts to showcase diverse political thought on their airwaves, said Dana Loesch. “I look forward to the discussions.”
Cornell Belcher is president of “brilliant corners Research and Strategies,” a research and consulting firm in Washington that studies the role of values and culture in progressive politics to develop unconventional strategies for political and corporate clients. From 2005 to 2008, he served as pollster for the Democratic National Committee, including for then-Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, and helped to create the DNC’s 50 State Strategy. Previously, Belcher worked as a senior political adviser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and as special projects director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). Belcher has received numerous accolades, including recognition as Gold Award in the category of Government & Nonprofit Advertising by the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) Annual David Ogilvy Awards and one of the pollsters of the year by the Association of Political and Public Affairs Professionals (APPC).
Will Cain is a licensed attorney, media entrepreneur, and host of “Off the Page” on National Review.com. Cain also produces the internet interview program “Cain and Table,” focusing on the intersection between politics and non-political topics, such as pop-culture and sports. Cain founded Quince Media, a Hispanic media company that produced websites, magazines and events across the country. Cain also owned Cain Communications, a community newspaper group in Texas that published print and online newspapers to the Dallas community. Cain earned the prestige of being named one of the “40 Most Influential People” in the Magazine Industry by Folio Magazine 2007 and one of the “20 Under 40″ by the Texas Press Association in 2005.
Dana Loesch is the co-founder of the St. Louis Tea Party Coalition and the host of her own daily radio talk show “The Dana Show – the Conservative Alternative” broadcast on FM New Talk 97.1 in St. Louis, MO, and WIBC 93.1 FM in Indianapolis, IN. In addition to hosting her show, Loesch is the editor-in-chief of Big Journalism. A former award-winning newspaper columnist, often focusing on the topic of motherhood, Loesch began blogging in 2001 and was named one of the top 16 most powerful mothers online by Neilsen.



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

This Weekend's Programming 2/12/11

SATURDAY, February 12, 2011


SANJAY GUPTA MD – Airs Saturday 7:30AM – 8:00AM
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks about heart attacks, how to recognize them, what causes them, and steps viewers can take to reduce their risk. Dr. Gupta also explains a new study that raises questions about the effectiveness of removing lymph nodes to improve breast cancer survival rates. He also interviews Dr Lynne Holden, an emergency room physician with an inspiring life story and introduces the viewers who make up the 2011 CNN Fit Nation triathlon team.


THE SITUATION ROOM WITH WOLF BLITZER – Airs LIVE Saturday 6:00PM – 7:00PM


CNN NEWSROOM – Airs LIVE Saturday 7:00PM – 7:30PM


SHOWBIZ GRAMMY SHOWDOWNS – Airs Saturday 7:30PM – 8:00PM


REVOLUTION IN EGYPT – Airs LIVE Saturday 8:00PM – 10:00PM -- Anchored by Wolf Blitzer


CNN NEWSROOM – Airs LIVE Saturday 10:00PM – 11:00PM


SUNDAY, February 13, 2011

SANJAY GUPTA, MD – Airs Sunday 7:30AM – 8:00AM
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks about heart attacks, how to recognize them, what causes them, and steps viewers can take to reduce their risk. Dr. Gupta also explains a new study that raises questions about the effectiveness of removing lymph nodes to improve breast cancer survival rates. He also interviews Dr Lynne Holden, an emergency room physician with an inspiring life story and introduces the viewers who make up the 2011 CNN Fit Nation triathlon team.



STATE OF THE UNION WITH CANDY CROWLEY – Airs LIVE Sunday 9:00AM – 10:00AM, NOON – 1:00PM

Topics: Revolution in Egypt
Guest: John Negroponte, former U.S. Ambassador to U.N
Guest: Edward Walker, former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt

Topics: Egypt’s Future; Budget Showdown
Guest: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Topics: Battle over the Budget
Guest: Jacob Lew, White House Budget Director

Anchor: Candy Crowley


FAREED ZAKARIA GPS LIVE – Airs Sunday 10:00AM – 11:00AM and 1:00PM – 2:00PM

Guest updates to come.

Anchor: Fareed Zakaria




RELIABLE SOURCES – Airs LIVE 11:00AM – NOON

Topics: Revolution in Egypt
Guest: Lara Logan, CBS News

Topics: Huffington Post Merges with AOL
Guest: Kara Swisher, AllThingsD.com
Guest: Mark Potts, GrowthSpur.com
Guest: Felix Salmon, Reuters

Host: Howard Kurtz

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Reaction to Mubarak's Speech

Below is a clip of Fareed Zakaria’s reaction to Mubarak’s speech. Zakaria said, “He didn’t seem to understand that the crowd’s anger was directed at him”

And Anderson Cooper's reaction:



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Ratings For The Week of January 31st

1 - Special programming was aired on one night during the week

Rating calculations are weekly averages based on nightly ratings provided by TVNewser with data by Nielsen Media Research. Numbers reflect Live and same day (DVR) data.

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

Wael Ghonim Talks with CNN's Ivan Watson

In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Ivan Watson, Egyptian Google executive Wael Ghonim vowed “it is no longer the time to negotiate" with the Egyptian government. Ghonim said he and a group of activists helped mobilize the first protest on January 25th, which touched off a popular revolution that continues to shakes the foundation of Hosni Mubarak's regime. Yet Ghonim said he is uncomfortable about being the face of the popular uprising in Egypt. "This is not about me," he said several times during an hour-long and emotional interview in a relative's Cairo apartment.


Watch Ivan Watson discuss his one-on-one with Ghonim and see a portion of their interview here:

NOTE: The full interview will air at 1600ET/2100GMT on CNN International’s Connect the World program. No word in the press release when it will air on domestic but portions will more than likely be shown through out the day.



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Just In Case You Missed It

There is so much good material posted on CNN.com that sometimes the little gems get quickly replaced by big news. Such was the case last week when Nic Robertson's wife Margaret wrote a personal account of Nic's reporting from Alexandria and her battle on the home front. It's a wonderful read that was posted on Piers Morgan Tonight's webpage.




Nic is under no illusions about the dangers ahead. This is major league bad stuff. I am as worried about him this time as I have ever been, in all our years together.

It could have been written as Nic headed for Egypt last week – a lifetime ago now – but it’s a 2004 diary entry, written as he headed to some other conflict in some other, embattled land.

In fact, it could have written in almost any time during the last 20 years. Egypt is just his latest heart-stoppingly dangerous pinpoint on the map. His office may be in CNN’s shiny, impressive London production center. But Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Darfur, Bosnia – Egypt! - these are the places he usually works, on the ragged outer perimeters of man’s inhumanity to man.

Nic is home one minute, gone the next. These departures are unpredictable, disrespectful of calendars and boundaries, dictated by events unfolding in some faraway place our children quickly add to their geographic lexicon, one that includes many of the world’s flashpoints. In our household, it passes for normal; our lives are built on such extremes. Over time, we have developed our own comforting talismans and rituals. “Travel safe” is a constant mantra, invoked all the time, whether Nic’s heading for the airport or already hanging on the other end of a satellite telephone. I love you, I say, or text or email. Be safe. Travel safe. As if words can make it so. Younger daughter Nicky sometimes puts a small toy in his knapsack, to keep him company on these long trips away from home. Older daughter Lowrie is more pragmatic now. Their father has been in and out of dangerous places all their lives. Regular emails and phone calls help bridge the gaps of his absence. He often sends a photo or brief video clip shot on his cell phone, to give them a sense of where he is.

Our girls have had to find a way to incorporate all of this into the normal threads of their lives –both easier and yet more difficult as they get older and become more aware of what the dangers he faces really are. Bombarded by social media, it is impossible to insulate them once they are old enough to make their own informed interpretations of the news.

With Nic now in Egypt, our kitchen once again feels like a mini-News Central. I lived in Egypt myself for three years in the late 1980’s, working for CBS and before that, spent a year in Beirut during the civil war. I know “shoot the messenger” isn’t just an expression. But the sheer numbers of attacks on journalists in Cairo and in Alexandria, where Nic is, are shocking by any yardstick. The white noise of constant, low level stress in our homescape has been racheted up many decibels in recent days, as violence erupts from TV sets turned to maximum volume all over the house.

Nic and I both worked for CNN in the buildup to the first Gulf War when we met in Jordan in 1990 and we celebrate our 20th anniversary this spring. It is a marriage book-ended by two decades of conflicts: two Iraq wars, Afghanistan, the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, genocide in Rwanda, Somalia, Darfur… a crazy quilt of conflicts, coups, and civil unrest.

Nic and I are still very much a team journalistically, though I swapped the front lines for the computer in the kitchen some years back. We are in constant contact throughout the day—emails, phone calls, text and Skype – even more so since the uprising in Cairo started last week. With communications down or sporadic in Egypt, I’ve been posting on Twitter for him – he calls or sends tweets by text/email or I listen to his live shots and tweet what he’s saying. I post his stories on Facebook, do research, make suggestions - old friends have been especially helpful providing useful contacts for him in Alexandria.

I stay on his schedule not just out of worry, but solidarity, to be available if he needs help. He calls at the end of each day; I go to bed when he does. So I can assure you that he and his team - Todd Baxter, Scott McWhinnie and Saad Abedine - aren’t getting enough sleep. Friends and family call, they email, they message on Facebook, worried for his safety and my sanity. Alexandria may not have experienced the level of violence seen in Tahrir Square, but he and his team have had some hairy moments, including a frightening incident today. But he’s okay for the moment.

And so am I. Because this is what he does. Years ago, when our younger daughter’s teacher asked pupils to say what their parents did for a living, Nicky, then five, proudly told the class, “My daddy fights the enemy.” She later explained what she really meant was that “he goes away to see what bad people have done and then he goes on TV to try to make them stop.”

Out of the mouths of babes.

All Things CNN did a mini profile piece on Nic and Margret a few years back. If you're interested just follow the link.

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This Weekend's Programming 2/5/11

Please note, the below is subject to change due to breaking news.

SATURDAY, February 5, 2011


SANJAY GUPTA MD – Airs Saturday 7:30AM – 8:00AM
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviews billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s efforts to eradicate polio, and what Mr. Gates’ thinks of the renewed controversy over the allegations by Dr. Andrew Wakefield and how it has impacted public health programs. Also, Dr. Gupta focuses on the new research on how collisions affect the developing brains of young players, and introduces viewers to the 2011 Fit Nation Triathlon training team.



SELLING THE GIRL NEXT DOOR – Airs Saturday 7:00PM – 8:00PM
CNN’s Amber Lyon takes viewers into the world of underage American girls caught up in the violent sex trade, interviewing girls trapped in “the oldest profession,” well-known brothel owner Dennis Hof, sex workers, johns, counselors, and traffickers.



ROGUE JUSTICE – Airs Saturday 8:00PM – 9:00PM and 11:00PM
CNN’s Drew Griffin investigates the North Carolina state justice system where an audit of the lab ordered by the North Carolina State Attorney General found more than 200 cases between 1986 and 2003 in which key blood test results were withheld from trial. In many cases, the evidence withheld would have helped the defense. In three of those cases, defendants were executed; four more are on death row. Griffin looks closely at the cases of Greg Taylor, who wrongly served 17 years in prison, and Floyd Brown, who was confined to a mental institution for 14 years

Piers Morgan Tonight 9:00PM - 10:00PM

Oscar Award Winner Anthony Hopkins

SUNDAY, February 6, 2011

SANJAY GUPTA, MD – Airs Sunday 7:30AM – 8:00AM
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta interviews billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s efforts to eradicate polio, and what Mr. Gates’ thinks of the renewed controversy over the allegations by Dr. Andrew Wakefield and how it has impacted public health programs. Also, Dr. Gupta focuses on the new research on how collisions affect the developing brains of young players, and introduces viewers to the 2011 Fit Nation Triathlon training team.



STATE OF THE UNION WITH CANDY CROWLEY – Airs LIVE Sunday 9:00AM – 10:00AM, NOON – 1:00PM

Topics: Unrest in Egypt and the U.S. Response
Guest: Madeleine Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State

Topics: Unrest in Egypt and the U.S. Response
Guest: John Negroponte, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.
Guest: Edward Walker, former U.S. Ambassador to Egypt

Topic: U.S. National Debt
Guest: Alan Simpson, Co-chairman, White House Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

Anchor: Candy Crowley




FAREED ZAKARIA GPS LIVE – Airs Sunday 10:00AM – 11:00AM and 1:00PM – 2:00PM

**UPDATES COMING OVER THE WEEKEND**

Topic: Uprising in Egypt; Role of the Egyptian Military; Future Role of Muslim Brotherhood
Guest: Elliot Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies, Council on Foreign Relations; deputy national security adviser (Bush Administration); founding member, Project for the New American Century
Guest: Steven Cook, PhD, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies, Council on Foreign Relations
Guest: Richard Haass, PhD, president, Council on Foreign Relations
Guest: Tarek Masoud, PhD, assistant professor of public policy, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government

Topic: The British Austerity Budget; Lessons for the U.S. from Britain's Budget Cutting; Britain’s Role in the World; Who’s Footing the Bill for the Royal Wedding?
EXCLUSIVE Guest: David Cameron, U.K. Prime Minister

Anchor: Fareed Zakaria




RELIABLE SOURCES – Airs LIVE 11:00AM – NOON

Topics: Journalists Become Targets in Egypt Turmoil
Guest: Frank Sesno, The George Washington University
Guest: Christopher Dickey, Newsweek

Topics: Do Budget Cuts Impact International Coverage?
Guest: Janine Zacharia, The Washington Post
Guest: Lawrence Pintak, former CBS Middle East Correspondent

Topics: Coverage of the Egyptian Crisis
Guest: Sam Donaldson, former ABC reporter and anchor
Guest: John Fund, The Wall Street Journal

Host: Howard Kurtz




REAGAN CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION – Airs LIVE 2:00PM – 4:00PM
CNN will provide special coverage of the Reagan Centennial Celebration live from The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. CNN chief national correspondent John King will anchor the coverage from The Reagan Library, and will be joined by senior political analysts Gloria Borger and David Gergen. The official celebration will be a remembrance of the 40th president of the United States and will include remarks by Mrs. Nancy Reagan, salutes by the U.S. military, musical performances and speeches. Notable attendees will include former Secretary of State James Baker, former Vice President Dick Cheney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and cabinet members of the Reagan administration.

Anchor: John King




SELLING THE GIRL NEXT DOOR – Airs Saturday 8:00PM – 9:00PM and 11:00PM
CNN’s Amber Lyon takes viewers into the world of underage American girls caught up in the violent sex trade, interviewing girls trapped in “the oldest profession,” well-known brothel owner Dennis Hof, sex workers, johns, counselors, and traffickers.



ROGUE JUSTICE – Airs Sunday 7:00PM – 8:00PM
CNN’s Drew Griffin investigates the North Carolina state justice system where an audit of the lab ordered by the North Carolina State Attorney General found more than 200 cases between 1986 and 2003 in which key blood test results were withheld from trial. In many cases, the evidence withheld would have helped the defense. In three of those cases, defendants were executed; four more are on death row. Griffin looks closely at the cases of Greg Taylor, who wrongly served 17 years in prison, and Floyd Brown, who was confined to a mental institution for 14 years

Piers Morgan Tonight 9:00PM - 10:00PM

Legendary Women Episode: featuring Angie Dickinson, Linda Evans, Stefanie Powers and Nichelle Nichols

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Some Catching Up

Because of the big news week in Egypt we've neglected a few CNN domestic items.

At the top of the list is John King and Dana Bash's announcement that they are expecting a baby this summer. The Kings have been married since May of 2008 and this is their first child. John has 2 children from his a previous marriage. ATC sends congratulations to the lucky couple.




The Hollywood Reporter published a Q & A with Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide on Thursday. Here's a portion, read more after the jump.

THR: You mentioned new programs. How do you feel about the performance of Piers Morgan so far?

Walton: It's spectacular. I'm really pleased. He is so clever, he is really smart, he is a big personality. And he works hard and does his homework. He's been stepping into the Egypt story now. We couldn't be happier.

THR: What about ratings? Have you noticed what kind of guests and topics do better for him or whether the show does better when he steps into breaking news versus has celebrity guests?

Walton: It's really too early to put a stamp on it. Piers and his producers and Ken Jautz who runs CNN U.S. will work together and look at what happens each day, review and always try to make it better each day. I can assure you that Piers will be every bit a part of the conversation, and the interview will be the basis of what that program is. But I think it is in its early days. He has tried all sorts of different types of shows in the two and a half weeks he has been on the air. Maybe that's what it will always be like.

THR: Parker Spitzer has been on the air longer, and you have tweaked that a bit. How happy are you with it now?

Walton: Much has been said and much has been written about the program. If you look at it just on its merits, it's one of the smartest programs on television - whether cable or broadcast. It fits very much within the brand of CNN and what it stands for. And if you look at the last 10 days or so, its performance has gotten a lot better and the past couple of nights it has beaten MSNBC. It's got some momentum right now.

THR: How do you explain that?

Walton: We had a couple of folks who weren't television professionals, and now they have got some time under their belts. They are performing, and the show just gets better and better.

THR: Anything you can say about the chatter that it will be just Spitzer one day?

Walton: I have got a little saying here at CNN internally that you can't burp without somebody somewhere writing. CNN commands a lot of attention, which is great. What you can count on is that we have Dr. Drew coming on HLN in primetime soon. That's the talent focus for our company right now

Read more »

Ratings For The Week of January 24th

1 - Special programming was aired on one night during the week

Rating calculations are weekly averages based on nightly ratings provided by TVNewser with data by Nielsen Media Research. Numbers reflect Live and same day (DVR) data.

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

A Very Scary Day To Be A Journalist in Egypt

Brooke Baldwin narrated a summary of the harrowing experiences some of the CNN journalists who were covering the violence that erupted in Cairo today experienced.

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Outstanding Reporting by Ivan Watson in Tahrir Square

Ivan Watson reported on Ali Velshi's Newsroom about being trapped in the center of Tahrir Square during the battle between pro and anti Mubarak forces.

There have been some amazing first hand reports by CNN journalists shown this morning. We have all the reports by Anderson Cooper posted on our sister site All Things Anderson.


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