CNN Pressroom - One-Hour Buddha’s Warriors Documentary Premieres Saturday, Aug. 2, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT)

Expanding upon her award-winning investigative series God’s Warriors, CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour reports in a new documentary that examines the nexus of politics and faith. For Buddha’s Warriors, Amanpour explores a new generation of Buddhists who are actively engaged in political struggle. These believers of love, kindness and nonviolence struggle to remain true to their beliefs while at the same time confronting severe political and cultural oppression.

The one-hour documentary will air on Saturday, Aug. 2, and Sunday, Aug. 3, at 8 p.m., 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. All times Eastern.

In Buddha’s Warriors, Amanpour investigates the roots of the conflict between Chinese authority and ethnic Tibetans. Nearly 50 years ago, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet after a failed uprising against communist rule. Tibetans say that all but 13 of 6,000 Buddhist monasteries were destroyed under Chairman Mao’s Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976. Those that have been rebuilt are now under the close, watchful eye of the Chinese government. Monks there say that they are forced to denounce the Dalai Lama and swear allegiance to China.

“Whether intentionally or unintentionally, some type of cultural genocide is taking place,” the Dalai Lama tells Amanpour in the documentary. “Present situation is, [the] Tibetan nation [is] actually facing death.”

The Chinese government declined several CNN requests for interviews, but the documentary does include the viewpoints of Chinese people who believe Tibet is rightfully part of China, and comments from a Chinese expert who says the Tibetans are better off under Chinese rule.

In March 2008, tensions reached a boiling point. The Dalai Lama explained his dilemma to Amanpour in a candid interview filmed the week before violent clashes between Tibetan activists and Chinese troops in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. He advocates a “middle way” – Tibetan autonomy under Chinese rule. Many of his followers, however, have grown impatient for more freedom and want complete independence from China.

Amanpour also interviews some exiled Tibetan activists in India who have led the latest protests for greater freedom and independence. Some say the Dalai Lama’s “middle way” has failed to stop the huge migration of ethnic Chinese into Tibet, stoking the resentment that exploded in the streets of Lhasa. Chinese authorities charge that the violence was instigated by the protestors for political gain. The violence so dismayed the Dalai Lama that he threatened to resign.

In Myanmar, formerly Burma, Buddhist monks are also at the forefront of political unrest. Amanpour meets the leaders of the September 2007 Saffron Revolution, now in hiding in Thailand. Monks marched from their monasteries in protest over high food prices and spreading impoverishment. The Myanmar junta, one of the world’s most brutal military dictatorships, reacted swiftly. Monks and other sympathizers and protestors were arrested and beaten, and some were even killed. A CNN team goes undercover into Burma itself to investigate the aftermath of the revolution. In clandestine interviews, monks vow to continue their fight.

About Christiane Amanpour

Amanpour has reported on crises from many of the world’s hotspots and war zones and marks 25 years with CNN in 2008. Her assignments also include exclusive interviews with world leaders on the human consequences of natural disasters and global politics. In 2008, the National Press Club will honor Amanpour with The Fourth Estate Award for a lifetime of contributions to American journalism. In 2007, she received a Commander in the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE), from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for highly distinguished, innovative contributions to the field of journalism. Throughout her career, she has won eight Emmy® Awards, four George Foster Peabody Awards, two George Polk Awards, three duPont Awards, an Edward R. Murrow Award, and a Television Academy Honors Award to list a few.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

Jason Carroll

Kyung Lah

Richard Roth

Abbi Tatton

Reggie Aqui and Colleen McEdwards hosted World News this weekend on CNN International.

Brooke Baldwin anchored Linda Stouffer's shifts of Headline News today.

Kyra Phillips anchored from New York for Rick Sanchez on CNN Newsroom last night.

CNN En Español unveiled a new website this week. Check it out at http://www.cnnenespanol.com/.

I hope this means the CNN En Español show pages will get an update!

London Video Correspondent Paula Hancocks has now moved to Jerusalem as a correspondent there. According to her bio at CNN.com, she moved to this position this month.

What does this mean for Atika Shubert? Rumor has it we'll have more information soon.

CNN Pressroom - Building on its tremendous momentum and record-breaking success, CNN.com has appointed Kenneth “KC” Estenson senior vice president and general manager, it was announced today by Susan Grant, executive vice president of CNN News Services. Estenson is currently vice president of digital media for Disney-ABC Cable Networks Group and will join CNN.com Tuesday, Sept. 2.

A strategic, energetic leader with a track record of success in the development and distribution of digital businesses and content across both the entertainment and news arenas, Estenson will oversee all aspects of CNN.com’s business. He will be based at CNN’s worldwide headquarters in Atlanta and will report directly to Grant.

“CNN.com is in the strongest position in its history, experiencing record growth and revenue, and it is more critical than ever for us to look toward new frontiers of online content creation and distribution,” Grant said. “I’m confident KC is the person to lead us to innovate in new, exciting and impactful ways – not only because of his impressive success in building and growing digital businesses, but also because of his passion and enthusiasm; superb operational insight and people skills; and hunger to guide others as well as learn from them.”

“Joining the No. 1 news and information site on the Web is thrilling, and I am eager to begin working alongside the exceptional editorial and business operations team already in place at CNN.com,” Estenson said. “The opportunity to develop new and innovative ways to take CNN.com to the next level is a challenge I’m excited and enthusiastic about taking on.”

At Disney, Estenson oversaw the digital media businesses across the company’s online, on-demand, mobile, gated broadband and wireless products for Disney’s wholly-owned cable networks including Disney Channel Worldwide, SOAPnet and ABC Family. During his tenure at Disney, Estenson played a critical role in a wide variety of projects, including the development of Disney-ABC’s digital media product and distribution strategy; the assessment of Disney-ABC’s international television distribution strategies; and the launch of ABC News Now broadband service.

Estenson first joined The Walt Disney Company in 2001 and was focused on the integration of new divisions, projects and businesses into the company, in particular after Disney Media Networks’ acquisition of Fox Family Worldwide.

In 2007, Estenson received a 2007 Primetime Emmy® Award for Excellence in Interactive Television Programming for ABC Family’s Fallen Alternate Reality Game.

Estenson received his bachelor’s degree in political science with honors from St. Mary’s College of California and studied at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He also earned a master’s of education from Harvard University.

CNN.com is the world's No. 1 destination for online and wireless news, garnering the greatest audience share among current events and global news sites. Launched in 1995, CNN.com draws from the resources of CNN Worldwide and its many partners to provide consumers with the most enriching, immediate interaction with news anywhere, seamlessly combining articles, videos, images, interactive features and user-generated content. CNN.com’s news video offering – both live and on-demand – is unparalleled on the Web. CNN.com’s recent awards include an Edward R. Murrow award, a National Headliner award and two EPpy awards.

Naamua Delaney and Melissa Long from CNN.com Live filled in this weekend on CNN International's World News.

CNN Pressroom - Soledad O’Brien Reports Documentaries and Anchors Special Co-Production with Essence Magazine for Black in America

CNN’s groundbreaking Black in America initiative expands this month with five hours of special primetime programming, including two in-depth documentaries and a special co-production with Essence magazine, it was announced today by CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein at the 2008 Television Critics Association Summer Tour in Los Angeles. CNN’s sweeping Black in America coverage launched in April with the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It encompasses a variety of approaches to examining how blacks have fared since then, including three two-hour documentaries, frequent news reports, an online multimedia special section showcasing video exclusives and user-generated content, and a lively 90-minute forum on what lies ahead, featuring notable black figures and co-produced with Essence for television.

CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien has spent more than a year tracking the stories of black men and women from all walks of life in this country. The result is an eye-opening pair of two-hour documentaries premiering in July: Black in America: The Black Woman & Family (Wednesday, July 23 at 9 p.m. and 12 a.m.) and Black in America: The Black Man (Thursday, July 24 at 9 p.m. and 12 a.m.). O’Brien investigates the challenges that remain on the road to equality, as well as seldom-told successes of black Americans who share their textured stories of achievement and disappointment.

“The series has critical information for people of all races – the ‘Black in America’ experience is an American story,” said O’Brien. “This is a raw and intimate look at stories that everyone will be able to relate to. I hope this documentary will open doors to dialogue and understanding.”

“We discovered while researching these projects that there are many successes in economic achievement and careers, but there are those who are left behind, creating two black Americas,” said Mark Nelson, vice president and senior executive producer for CNN Productions. “We hope viewers will come away with a better understanding of who’s ‘making it’ and why.”

Speaking to the television critics, Klein announced a special 90-minute, solutions-oriented forum co-produced with Essence magazine under the banner Black In America - CNN & Essence: Reclaiming the Dream. Essence magazine, like CNN, is a Time Warner Company.

“Our reporting for the documentary series unearthed so many pressing questions about how blacks and whites embrace the future that we wanted to offer some of the most important voices the chance to weigh in,” Klein said. “That’s why we approached Essence Communications. As a pre-eminent force for covering issues confronting black women and families, Essence magazine and its editor-in-chief, Angela Burt-Murray, have provided their expertise and added key value to this initiative on air and online.”

O’Brien and a gifted panel of thinkers and doers gathered during the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans over the 2008 July Fourth weekend. Their discussions featured Harvard University economist Roland Fryer, NPR’s Ed Gordon, actor/author Hill Harper, Dallas-based preacher and life coach Bishop T.D. Jakes, economist and Bennett College President Julianne Malveaux, actor/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, Chicago Urban League President Cheryle Jackson, Excellence Charter School principal Jabali Sawicki, and Princeton University professor Cornell West, exploring solutions for improving the state of black families and looking at the next generation of leadership in black America. Reclaiming the Dream premieres Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20 at 8 p.m., 12 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Black in America: The Black Woman & Family explores the varied experiences of black women and families and investigates the reasons behind the disturbing statistics on single parenthood, disparities between black and white students in the classroom and the devastating toll of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in black communities. O’Brien reports on the progress of black women in the workplace and in universities and the status of the black middle class. The two-hour documentary includes insight and perspective from experts including Julianne Malveaux, Burt-Murray, Bishop T.D. Jakes, and TV/radio personality and motivational speaker Michael Baisden.

In Black in America: The Black Man, O’Brien examines the personal stories of members of the 1968 class of Little Rock, Ark.’s Central High School – and those of their sons and grandsons. O’Brien explores the controversial topics of black men and fatherhood; disparities between blacks and whites in educational, career and financial achievement; and factors leading to the dramatic rates of black male incarceration. Also looking closely at the achievements of black men and the importance of the positive influences of black fathers, O’Brien speaks to music executive Malcolm Gilliam, who discusses how perceptions that aiming for success in classrooms and boardrooms are sometimes equated with “acting white.” O’Brien also speaks with actor and conservative commentator Joseph C. Phillips, comedian D.L. Hughley, and hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco to dissect myths and stereotypes and discusses whether life is better for black men now than it was at the end of the Civil Rights era.

In the course of the four-hour documentaries, O’Brien speaks with music entrepreneur Russell Simmons, entertainer Whoopi Goldberg and filmmaker Spike Lee, examples of successful black Americans, who discuss black images and portrayals in media and other subjects. Also, as reported in The Black Man, nearly one-third of African-American men will have a criminal record during their lifetime. O’Brien and Georgetown Professor Michael Eric Dyson visit Dyson’s brother, Everett, in prison, where he is serving a life sentence for murder, and discuss how two brothers could have followed such divergent paths.

Black in America was filmed in high definition and will air on CNN and CNN HD. The series will be available on iTunes and on video on demand (VOD) 24 hours following the premiere. Viewers should check with their local cable providers for VOD availability.

CNN.com’s interactive special section for Black in America is available at www.CNN.com/blackinamerica and features excerpts from the series and exclusive interviews with participants, celebrities and experts in the series.

Bud Bultman is the managing editor for Black in America. Jeffery Reid is executive producer; James Polk and Elise Zeiger are senior producers for the series. Mark Nelson is the vice president and senior executive producer for CNN Productions.



CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.


All times Eastern.

CNN Pressroom - Winners of Online Competition Announced on Anderson Cooper 360° Thursday, Nov. 13

CNN today announced the launch of the iReport Film Festival, CNN’s first user-generated short film competition, providing a platform for voters to document this year’s presidential campaign from their personal vantage point, whether they are volunteering for a campaign or have compelling stories about this election they want to document creatively. Winning submissions, judged by both CNN.com users and a panel of judges from the film and television industry, will be announced during Anderson Cooper 360° on Thursday, November 13.

“CNN was the first network to launch user-generated news coverage, with iReport, and then pioneered its integration into political coverage beginning with last year’s groundbreaking CNN/YouTube presidential debates,” said Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. “We remain committed to empowering Americans with the ability to engage directly with other viewers and voters, and we look forward to showcasing the raw, firsthand accounts from the campaign trail captured by the iReport.com community.”

Through iReport.com, CNN Worldwide’s uncensored, unfiltered, unedited, user-generated community news Web site, the iReport Film Festival will enable viewers to share their experiences of this memorable presidential campaign. To submit videos, filmmakers can go to www.iReport.com/filmfestival, where all of the entries also are available for viewing by the iReport.com community. Festival entrants must be 14 years of age or older. Their films must be no longer than eight minutes and must be uploaded to the site by midnight on Sunday, October 12.

Each Tuesday leading up to the announcement of the festival winners, one of the videos will be featured on Anderson Cooper 360°. Additionally, Headline News will showcase submissions Wednesday mornings on Morning Express with Robin Meade, Friday evenings on Showbiz Tonight, and over the weekend on News to Me.

“Since the launch of iReport.com, we have observed the formation of a community invested in voicing and documenting news as they see it with no boundaries,” said Sue Bunda, executive vice president of content development and strategy for CNN Worldwide. “The iReport Film Festival is an exciting opportunity to feature the iReport community’s viewpoints specific to this historic election year.”

Of the entries uploaded to www.iReport.com/filmfestival, 20 finalists will be selected by a committee composed of CNN producers, iReporters and students from film schools and high schools across the country. Those 20 films will be posted to CNN.com, where the site’s users will vote to determine the winner of the CNN Audience Award. The finalists also will be judged by a panel of professionals from the television and film industry for the Festival’s Grand Jury Award. Winners of the CNN Audience Award and the Grand Jury Award will be invited to travel to Washington, D.C., during the Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009, to shoot another film for CNN’s consideration.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

CNN Pressroom - Long-Form Biographies on McCain and Obama Kick off Network’s Convention Coverage

A pair of new CNN documentaries will examine the lives of the two men contending to be the 44th president of the United States, launching the network’s extensive political convention coverage. Chief national correspondent John King will report on Senator John McCain, and White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux will report on Senator Barack Obama. Both hour-long documentaries debut Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.; and 9 p.m. and 12 a.m. (ET), respectively. Both documentaries will replay leading up to Election Day.
“There is so much you don’t know about these two extraordinary men, and we aim to fill in the gaps,” said Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. “Our award-winning documentary makers have joined forces with the Best Political Team on Television to drill deep into the people and experiences that have driven these candidates to be who and where they are today.”

“Suzanne and John bring their thorough knowledge of the candidates to two long-form explorations of who these would-be presidents really are – beyond their legendary biographies. We examine in-depth the moments in their lives that have shaped them so that viewers will have a deeper understanding of them while looking to CNN for comprehensive convention coverage,” said Mark Nelson, vice president and senior executive producer for CNN Productions.

Reporting from Arizona, Washington, D.C., and Vietnam, King reveals McCain’s complexities and analyzes the political challenges that lay before him in the most important campaign of his extraordinary life. Malveaux has been covering extensively the Obama presidential campaign, including traveling to Hawaii, where she’ll report on the senator’s early years. She has interviewed the candidate, his wife and his sister.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

CNN Pressroom - Documentaries on McCain and Obama, Magic Wall, Election Express Bus, Floor Sets, CNN Grills, and the Best Political Team on Television Give CNN the Edge

CNN, which has offered the most cutting-edge, most-talked-about and most-watched election coverage in cable news this year, will offer viewers the immediacy of ringside reporting from the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. The network will anchor its multi-platform coverage of both events from sets on the delegation floors at the Pepsi Center in Denver from Aug. 25 to 28 and the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., from Sept. 1 to 4. CNN debuted the delegation floor platform to great acclaim during the 2004 party conventions.
CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper, along with the Best Political Team on Television, will provide comprehensive insight and analysis during the network’s primetime coverage, with Larry King wrapping up each day’s events at midnight. John Roberts will offer the most convention news in the morning on American Morning. CNN will kick off its convention coverage with two distinctive primetime documentaries profiling the leading presidential candidates: Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

“This is an election like no other and we’ve been covering it in a brand new way that is connecting with viewers,” says David Bohrman, executive producer of political coverage and Washington bureau chief. “We’ll continue setting the pace and pushing the envelope to give viewers the best seats in the house and the best understanding of what is happening and why.”

In addition to the CNN “ringside” sets and documentaries, other highlights include:

· CNN Grills – Situated immediately outside the delegate entrances at both conventions, the CNN Grills are additional broadcast centers that bring delegates, newsmakers and members of the media together to participate in CNN live broadcasts and mingle with CNN guests. At the Democratic convention in Denver, the CNN Grill will be located in Brooklyn’s restaurant adjacent to the Pepsi Center; at the Republican convention in St. Paul, the CNN Grill will take over the Eagle Street Grill next to the Xcel Energy Center. CNN pioneered the concept of the Grills in 2004 with the CNN Diner, which was created for the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York.

· Sky Booths – CNN Worldwide will also operate sky booths as interview locations, production rooms and work space. CNN will have multiple booths at the Pepsi Center and at the Xcel Energy Center to accommodate its partners including CNN.com, CNN International, CNN Radio, CNN en Español, CNN Newsource, CNN Headline News and TV Asahi.

· New Wireless Technology – Advances in wireless microphones and earpieces will make connectivity even more seamless than at the conventions four years ago when CNN first introduced the concept of a floor set in New York. The network will again rely on the latest wireless technology for high-quality coverage from its numerous broadcast locations.

· High-Definition (HD) Coverage – CNN will shoot and air the convention in HD and will introduce new HD cameras for this event. New cameras and roving correspondents will provide never-before-seen views inside the halls and the surrounding areas during the two conventions.

· CNN “multi-touch” – Often called the “magic wall,” the CNN “multi-touch” will appear at both conventions to better communicate delegate math and the Electoral College breakdown.

· CNN Election Express – The network’s mobile news bureau will be parked just steps away from the main delegate entrances at the two conventions. It will serve as the network’s primary production facility for the CNN Grills and the live shot locations, as well as the main transmission vehicle for Sen. Obama’s acceptance speech at Invesco Field.

· www.CNN.com and www.CNNPolitics.com – CNN.com will stream live from inside the convention halls and from the CNN Grills during both conventions. Additionally, live reports and behind-the-scenes color will be posted throughout each day to the CNN Political Ticker.

· Democratic National Convention programming for the week of Aug. 25:

o A special convention edition of American Morning with John Roberts and Kiran Chetry will air Monday, Aug. 25 through Friday, Aug. 29 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

o A special edition of CNN Newsroom from 9 a.m. to noon will feature anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien and extended segments and frequent live shots from the convention site.

o For the noon hour, CNN will feature Soledad O’Brien and anchors Gerri Willis and Ali Velshi live from New York’s Election Center with guests and panel discussions live from CNN’s Grill. The hour will have a convention-focused theme with the role of the economy and other pocketbook issues in the election.

o CNN Newsroom will return from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with Soledad O’Brien leading CNN’s special convention coverage.

o Beginning at 4 p.m., lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer will anchor The Situation Room from the convention floor. Each day, the convention will gavel to order while The Situation Room is in progress and offering the first look at that day’s activities.

o CNN will move into its primetime convention coverage beginning at approximately 6 p.m. Anchor Anderson Cooper, senior political analyst Gloria Borger, and chief national correspondent John King, along with the “magic wall,” will join Blitzer on CNN’s floor set in the Pepsi Center. The coverage will extend late into the night and lead into a special midnight edition of Larry King Live.

o On the final evening, CNN will relocate its political team and resources to Invesco Field at Mile High, where Sen. Obama is expected to accept his party’s nomination.



o Throughout the day and evening, CNN’s political team will offer the latest news and thoughtful analysis. Correspondents include Dana Bash, Candy Crowley, Joe Johns, Suzanne Malveaux, Bill Schneider and Jessica Yellin.


· Republican National Convention programming for the week of Sept. 1:

o Due to the unprecedented back-to-back conventions, CNN will immediately shift its resources and team to St. Paul for special coverage leading up to the Republican National Convention. On Friday, Aug. 29, Wolf Blitzer will arrive in St. Paul to anchor a special edition of The Situation Room.

o From Monday, Sept. 1 through Friday, Sept. 5, a special convention edition of American Morning will air from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. with Kiran Chetry and John Roberts.

o Throughout the week, a special edition of CNN Newsroom from 9 a.m. to noon will feature anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien presenting extended segments of convention coverage.

o A special noon hour will again be led by Soledad O’Brien, Ali Velshi and Gerri Willis and will focus on the economy and presidential politics. The hour will include guests and panelists live from the CNN Grill on site.

o CNN Newsroom will return from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with Soledad O’Brien leading CNN’s special convention coverage with frequent highlights and reports live from St. Paul.

o The Situation Room will pick up at 4 p.m. with Wolf Blitzer anchoring from the convention floor.

o CNN will move into its special primetime convention coverage beginning at approximately 6 p.m. Campbell Brown, Gloria Borger and John King, along with the “magic wall,” will join Blitzer on CNN’s floor set. The coverage will extend late into the night and lead into a special midnight edition of Larry King Live.

o Throughout the day and evening, CNN’s political team will once again offer the latest news and thoughtful analysis. Correspondents include Dana Bash, Candy Crowley, Joe Johns, Suzanne Malveaux, Bill Schneider and Jessica Yellin.

· Strength of Multiple Platforms - CNN Radio will have fresh content to offer. Correspondents Lisa Desjardins and Steve Kastenbaum will report from the CNN Grill and the convention hall during the Democratic Convention. Additionally, Desjardins and CNN political analyst Roland Martin will host a talk show live from Denver. At the Republican National Convention the following week, Desjardins and Dick Uliano will report from the CNN Grill and the convention hall, and Desjardins and Martin will again team up for a radio talk show. CNN International anchors Isha Sesay and Jonathan Mann will also report on site. Newsource correspondent Sandra Endo will report each morning from the CNN Grill in Denver and then from the convention hall in St. Paul. In addition, Newsource correspondent Samantha Hayes will be inside the convention halls in both cities.

· McCain, Obama Documentaries – Kicking off the network’s extensive political convention coverage, a pair of new CNN documentaries will examine the lives of the two men contending to be the 44th president of the United States. Chief national correspondent John King reports on Sen. John McCain in a one-hour documentary airing on Wednesday, Aug. 20 at 8 p.m., which will be immediately followed by a one-hour documentary on Sen. Barack Obama by White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Both documentaries will replay leading up to Election Day.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

All Times Eastern

Former FOX News Sunday host, White House Press Secretary and CNN Political Contributor, Tony Snow, died this morning after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Here are some comments from his colleagues and bosses at CNN (via TVNewser):

Larry King: "Tony Snow was a remarkable colleague and a good friend. He was extraordinarily likable, not only for his sense of humor and wit, but for his gift of giving others the space to express opinions, even if they countered his own. Devoted to his country and family, Tony was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word, and he will be deeply missed."

Jon Klein: "Tony Snow was a highly respected colleague and a friend to many of us. The intelligence and warmth he brought to every conversation will be missed and the example he set of professionalism combined with humanity will be long remembered. He loved this country and its people and was looking forward to getting out into America to listen to their stories and share them with the rest of us. It is all of our loss that he never got the chance to do so. We regret that he was not a part of our CNN family longer, and our deepest condolences go out to his family."

Update: Other CNN Journalists talk about Snow.

Morning Express lead anchor Robin Meade has secured an interview with three americans who were held captive in a jungle in Colombia for five years.

According to blog TVNewser, Robin is in San Antonio conducting this first interview, and it will air tonight on Headline News and tomorrow morning on Morning Express and CNN.

This has been teased in the Morning Express newsletter since Robin left this week to go "on-assignment".

(Photo from the Morning Express website.)

Richard Quest has quietly returned to CNN International. His first report since entering rehab in late April was filed on July 3rd and can be seen now on CNN.com.

Welcome back, Richard!

Justin Armsden has moved to full-time host of CNN/I's Living Golf, as it seems that CNN/I is slowly transitioning Don Riddell to news anchor, as he has been filling in on CNN Today Europe.

More details as they come in....

On the Morning Express Blog this morning, anchor Robin Meade mentions that Headline News Business Correspondent Jennifer Westhoven sprained her foot in the network's New York bureau yesterday.

She *sprained her foot at work* yesterday! Word on the street is…she was a real trouper. She finished out her work day…starting off with a cane…but progressing quickly to piggy back rides to maneuver around the office. (She’s in New York, we’re in Atlanta…so I can not give you an eyewitness account).

Visit the Morning Express Blog for more details. Our thoughts are with you, Jen!