The Iowa Caucus is just 2 1/2 weeks away and CNN has announced its broadcast plans for January 3, 2008.
Release Date: 12/17/2007 (click here for full text)
Wolf Blitzer with Anderson Cooper, Lou Dobbs Lead Iowa Caucus Coverage on Jan. 3
CNN Unveils New Election Center in New York with Innovative Graphics Capabilities
CNN will marshal its extensive resources and political expertise for wall-to-wall coverage of the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 3, 2008. Lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer, along with Anderson Cooper and Lou Dobbs, will lead the network’s special coverage of the Iowa caucuses out of the new CNN Election Center in New York. Special programming will begin at 4 p.m. (ET) and run late into the night.
The CNN Election Center is the network’s new political nerve center located in CNN’s broadcast headquarters in New York. CNN’s team of statisticians and political analysts will pour over data and polling information to bring viewers the most accurate results as voters are caucusing and then as results come in.
Because of the nature of this election season – with an array of viable candidates, no incumbents running from either party and a compressed primary calendar – CNN has created a whole new way to visualize these races. The power of the network’s new election graphics will be particularly apparent on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008, for Super Tuesday as more than 20 states go to the polls to choose from among numerous candidates. The Election Center and its new graphics capabilities will be integral to CNN’s reporting during upcoming primary and caucus nights, the conventions in the summer and the general election on Nov. 4, 2008.
Throughout the day and evening on Jan. 3, CNN’s Emmy Award-winning political team will offer the latest news and thoughtful analysis. Reporting from the Election Center and from around the state of Iowa will be Dana Bash, congressional correspondent; Gloria Borger, senior political analyst; Jack Cafferty, commentator; Candy Crowley, senior political correspondent; Tom Foreman, correspondent; John King, chief national correspondent; Chris Lawrence, correspondent; Dan Lothian, Boston bureau chief; Joe Johns, correspondent; Suzanne Malveaux, White House correspondent; John Roberts, American Morning anchor; Bill Schneider, senior political analyst; Mary Snow, correspondent; Jeff Toobin, legal analyst; Jessica Yellin, congressional correspondent. CNN’s stellar group of nationally-know political contributors from both sides of the aisle will also be on hand to deliver expert analysis.
CNN’s stellar group of nationally known political contributors from both sides of the aisle, including Bill Bennett, Carl Bernstein, Donna Brazile, Amy Holmes, Roland Martin and J.C. Watts, will also be on hand to deliver expert analysis.
In addition, CNN will offer up-to-the minute reporting and analysis at CNNPolitics.com and on the CNN Political Ticker at www.CNN.com/ticker. CNN.com Live will have extended coverage of the results, with CNN.com anchor Melissa Long co-anchoring the coverage from the Election Center New York and CNN.com anchor Reggie Aqui co-anchoring from Atlanta.
CNN Radio will provide live anchored coverage of the caucuses with Lisa Desjardins anchoring from Iowa. CNN Newsource will provide its affiliates access to reports and live shots on-site from correspondent Samantha Hayes.
Also as a part of this press released, CNN announced a new segment for CNN Student News:
Each month in 2008, CNN Student News will be “Talking Democracy” by introducing an election-year topic in the show and online. From caucus to convention and primary to poll, CNN Student News will break down these election-year concepts. Teachers, parents and students can find the CNN Student News program and its curriculum materials online at www.CNNStudentNews.com and on Headline News from Monday through Friday at 4 a.m. (ET)
Jon Klein re-ups with CNN
Broadcast & Cable is reporting that Mr. Jon Klein has signed a new four-year to continue on as President of CNN/US. Here is an excerpt from Marisa Guthrie's report (click here for full text):
CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein signed a new four-year deal to remain at the helm of the TV-news operation, according to sources familiar with the situation.
Klein will continue to report to Jim Walton, president of CNN/Worldwide.
Under Klein’s stewardship, the network has seen an overhaul in various dayparts.
In 2005, Klein made the call to cancel long-running current-events hour Crossfire. Jon Stewart set off a flurry of debate about such debate shows after a heated exchange with Crossfire host Tucker Carlson during which Stewart asserted that the kind of shouting match epitomized by Crossfire amounted to “political hackery.” A few months later, in January 2005, Crossfire was axed and Carlson was out.
The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer was launched later that year and recently moved to three consecutive hours (4 p.m.-7 p.m.) to cover the primaries and caucuses. Last month, Lou Dobbs Tonight moved to 7 p.m. to accommodate the Situation Room move, and it has posted a 22% gain in viewers.
American Morning was remade earlier this year with new anchors John Roberts and Kieran Chetry, who abruptly left Fox News Channel earlier this year. But the morning show is struggling, posting an 18% decline in viewers and 36% in adults 25-54 for the month of November.
Anderson Cooper 360 was also revamped and expanded on Klein’s watch. Originally launched in 2003 as a traditional news/talk hour, it was expanded to two hours in November 2005, displacing Aaron Brown's NewsNight. And while the show is down from its high point during the wake of Hurricane Katrina, it remains one of the network’s signature shows and the recipient of much promotional muscle.
That's it for me. Have a great week! And please, if you are in the midst of the flurry of holiday preparations, take some time for yourself to enjoy a moment of peace and good cheer! Happy Holidays! ~Sheryn
