CNN Press Release - CNN has won a 68th Annual Peabody Award for the network’s multi-platform coverage of the 2008 presidential primary campaigns and debates. According to the Peabody Board, “CNN gave viewers unparalleled coverage of a historic presidential election process.” CNN relied on its extensive resources and platforms to change the way the world looked at presidential political coverage and, as the Peabody recognizes, led the way with “distinguished achievement and meritorious public service.”

"A tremendous amount of innovation, commitment, quality journalism and hard work stand behind this honor,” said Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide. “CNN provided unrivaled coverage around the world across every platform possible, including television, radio, the Internet, and mobile.”

The award honors CNN’s application of state-of-the-art technology, such as the “Magic Wall” and the CNN Election Express, which served as a mobile newsroom. The network used these tools to present viewers with a closer look and better understanding of presidential politics. The judges also cite CNN’s “small army of reporters, producers and analysts,” who blanketed the country and television screens across the world. The Best Political Team on Television provided viewers with unmatched coverage and a front-row seat to a historic election.

Additionally, in close collaboration with the Best Political Team on Television, CNN.com provided unmatched coverage throughout the election season through in-depth reporting, live and on-demand video, and numerous interactive and customizable features. In particular, CNNPolitics.com and the CNN.com Election Center enabled online users to dig deeply into details about the candidates, their campaigns and their positions on the issues most important to voters and included detailed coverage of debates, fund-raising and state-by-state analysis. Further, the CNN Political Ticker – the No. 1 political news blog in 2008 according to Nielsen Online – brought users up-to-the-minute news from the campaign trail from CNN’s political producers, correspondents and analysts each and every day.

In addition to receiving the significant honor of a Peabody, CNN received ratings victories throughout the election season. CNN was the most-watched cable news network on virtually every primary night, including Super Tuesday when CNN also topped CBS and ABC in certain demographics. CNN also was the most-watched cable network among the 25-54, 18-34 and 18-49 demographics for all Presidential Debates. Eight of the nine debates CNN hosted ranked as the highest-rated presidential debates in the history of cable news. On Election Night, CNN was the most-watched network on television from 8-12:30a, beating every other network in total viewers and in key 25-54 demographic. Throughout its coverage of the primaries and debates, as well as conventions and on Election Night, the CNN Digital Network maintained its No. 1 ranking among all news and information sites.

The Peabodys, the oldest awards in broadcasting, are considered among the most prestigious and selective prizes in electronic media. The Peabody Awards recognize excellence and meritorious work by radio and television stations, networks, Webcasters, producing organizations and individuals. The 16-member Peabody Board is a distinguished panel of television critics, industry practitioners and experts in culture and the arts. Selection is made by the Board following review by special screening committees of University of Georgia faculty, students, and staff.

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.

WebNewser has the details...

CNN Press Release - On Inauguration Day, CNN.com will provide special coverage of the presidential inauguration and all related events in their entirety through a wide variety of elements, including live streaming and on-demand video, photo galleries, audio slideshows, interactive maps and in-depth articles.

Throughout the day, the site’s coverage will showcase the sights and sounds from the events captured by CNN reporters and photographers, as well as various 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.

With live coverage starting at 8 a.m. (ET) and running until the last inaugural ball, CNN.com Live, the Internet’s only multi-stream live video news service, 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 the Capitol grounds in Washington with fellow anchors Reggie Aqui, Naamua Delaney and Nicole Lapin from CNN.com headquarters in Atlanta.

In an effort to enable users to connect and engage with each other while watching live all the events of Inauguration Day on CNN.com Live, CNN.com and Facebook have joined forces. On Tuesday, Jan. 20, CNN.com Live users will be able to update their own 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.

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

· Political Ticker – Just as it has throughout the entirety of the campaign, the CNN Political Ticker - the Internet’s No. 1 political news blog according to Nielsen Online, will provide 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.

Through CNN Student News, CNN.com has special content for teachers, parents and students including inaugural explainers, learning activities including an inaugural scavenger hunt and discussion questions. Special inauguration programming will also be included in the 10-minute commercial free program available on HLN at 4 a.m. (ET) Monday through Friday; streamed online at www.CNNStudentNews.com; or as a free iTunes podcast.

CNN.com is the world's No. 1 destination for online and wireless news, garnering the greatest audience share of total minutes 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, four EPpy awards and the Online News Association’s award for general excellence.

Please be advised that CNN will provide uninterrupted coverage of the
Presidential Inauguration on Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 from 11:00 am –
1:00 pm ET. CNN will be commercial-free during this time.

Inauguration programming will air on CNN throughout the day on Tuesday,
January 2th, 2009.

Courtesy Larry King Live - Vice President-elect Biden on world’s expectations for the new administration
BIDEN: I think we are and you know, you asked me earlier if I am worried about the exceedingly high expectations that people have for President Barack Obama and I said domestically I wasn’t so worried about that but internationally I am. I have been contacted by so many world leaders. Their expectation for Barack’s presidency is overwhelming[ly]. They are so hungry to have an American leader who they think has a policy that reflects our stated values as well as one they can talk to.

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Vice President-elect Biden on embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich
BIDEN: I know in our system you are innocent until proven guilty but those tapes that were released by the special prosecutor, excuse me, by the U.S. attorney seem incredibly, incredibly incriminating. It’s a decision for the people of Illinois to make the legislature of Illinois to make but from where I sit he looks like a guy who is not capable of governing.

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Vice President-elect Biden on President George W. Bush
BIDEN: It’s presumptuous to feel sorry for another man. But I feel somewhat – I feel somewhat badly for him. I think the incident in Iraq was – was unfortunate, that guy throwing the shoes. It was just – it was just uncalled for and was – I think that President Bush and, unlike Vice President Cheney, is, upon reflection beginning to acknowledge some of the serious, if not mistakes, misjudgments that he made.

CNN Press Release - Highest Prime-Time Viewership in CNN’s History
Dominates Fox News, MSNBC in Total Viewers all Demographics
CNN.com Breaks Records on Election Day with 30 Million Unique Visitors

CNN’s 2008 Election Night coverage dominated the competition and resulted in its highest prime-time ratings in the network’s 28-year history. CNN topped the cable news competition with 12.3 million total viewers tuning in during primetime (8-11p), a 36% advantage over FNC’s 9 million and an impressive 109% lead over MSNBC’s 5.9 million. Among adults 25-54, CNN was also #1 with 5.8 million, a 48% advantage over FNC’s 3.9 million and 119% lead over MSNBC’s 2.7 million demo viewers. Among younger viewers18-34, CNN was also first with 3.4 million, FNC placed second with 1.8 million and MSNBC was third with 1.4 million.

CNN had the largest gains in prime time compared to 2004 in 25-54, doubling its audience, up 102%, while FNC only increased 4% and MSNBC was up 87%. (This was also reflected in total day where CNN grew the most among 25-54, up 97%, while FNC declined -16% and MSNBC was up 94%.)

CNN.com delivered the largest daily audience in its history with 30 million unique visitors on Election Day, more than doubling the previous record of 13.4 million generated on Super Tuesday of this year.

CNN.com Live, the Internet's only multi-stream, live video news service, smashed previous records by serving 5.3 million live streams on Election Day. The number of live video streams served by CNN.com on Election Day is nearly triple that of its previous daily streaming record, which was set on September 1, 2008 - the first day of the RNC and the day Hurricane Gustav made landfall. CNN.com also served an additional 6.8 million on-demand video streams on Nov. 4.

CNN.com generated 282.5 million page views, also marking the highest day in the site's history and more than doubling its previous record of 103.2 million page views from Super Tuesday of this year. On Election Day, CNN.com's traffic peaked during the 9pm ET hour with 35.6 million page views. CNNPolitics.com also saw record-breaking traffic on Election Day, generating 30.1 million page views - a 43% increase over its previous record. Furthermore, CNN.com's special Election Section alone generated 103.2 million page views. The Political Ticker, the No. 1 political news blog according to Nielsen Online, generated 8.7 million page views, scoring its second best day ever. (Source: Omniture SiteCatalyst, global)


Election Night 2008
8p-11p P2+ P18-34 P18-49 P25-54
CNN 12.292 3.374 6.512 5.817
FXNC 9.027 1.823 4.042 3.922
MSNBC 5.888 1.382 2.672 2.662

Election Night 2008
7p-1a P2+ P18-34 P18-49 P25-54
CNN 11.940 3.517 6.575 5.826
FXNC 7.516 1.518 3.333 3.246
MSNBC 5.821 1.495 2.803 2.635

Photo: E.M. Pio Roda/CNN

CNN Press Release - Frequent CNN guest, Stephen F. Hayes, has made it official by signing on with the network as a political contributor. Currently a senior writer at The Weekly Standard, Hayes will appear on the full line-up of CNN programming as part of the network’s ideologically diverse group of analysts and contributors.

Hayes has a long history of reporting on the political world. In addition to his work with The Weekly Standard, Hayes’ writings have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Review, Reason and many other publications. Most recently, Hayes wrote Cheney: The Untold Story of America’s Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President, a biography of Vice President Dick Cheney.

“Steve is a well-respected and knowledgeable journalist who already has become a natural part of CNN’s political coverage,” said Sam Feist, CNN’s political director. “As part of the ‘Best Political Team on Television,’ Steve will help CNN in its commitment to go beyond political spin and present viewers with the most in-depth and bipartisan insights.”

Prior to joining The Weekly Standard, Hayes served as a senior writer for National Journal’s Hotline. Previously, he spent six years as director of the Institute on Political Journalism at Georgetown University. A native of Wisconsin, Hayes graduated from DePauw University and earned a master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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 Press Release - One day out from Election Day, more than 27,000 Americans already have dialed into CNN’s Voter Hotline about voting concerns and irregularities. The crews managing the phones and the CNN “go-teams” investigating complaints are just getting started. By election’s end, CNN expects to field tens of thousands of calls through the hotline.

“Our goal in setting up the CNN Voter Hotline was to establish a simple and reliable destination for voters to report information about problems at the polls,” said Sam Feist, CNN’s political director. “In just two weeks, thousands of Americans have called the hotline and CNN has dispatched reporters across the country to follow up on these reports.”

Working with InfoVoter Technologies, CNN launched the hotline - 877.GOCNN08 (877.462.6608) – two weeks ago. To date, voters from Georgia, Florida, Washington D.C., West Virginia and Nevada account for the largest number of calls in proportion to their population. Registration issues rank as the highest number of complaints – 36 percent of the calls - followed by problems with absentee ballots, vote integrity, poll access and voting machines.

From Hotline calls, InfoVoter Technologies employees collect the data and code the problems according to categories, such as faulty machines, abnormally high numbers of voters, voter suppression or voter fraud. The hotline also directs callers to their correct polling location and, if necessary, transfers voters directly to local and state election boards.

From there the information goes to CNN, where producers and reporters examine patterns and major complaints to determine whether the network needs to follow-up with more extensive reports.

On Election Day itself, CNN will assemble “go teams” of correspondents and producers who will report on breaking election news and voting irregularities. Throughout the day, chief business correspondent Ali Velshi will anchor reports on voting irregularities from the “go teams,” and legal experts will track and analyze such issues across the country. Correspondent Carol Costello will be part of the teams tracking and analyzing such issues across the country. On air, viewers will see a map that highlights irregularities across the country. Online, CNN.com users can zero in on specific counties in each state experiencing the largest number of Election Day complaints, as well as the most commonly occurring type of problems.

CNN Press Release - Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, appears on CNN's Larry King Live in an interview with Larry King on Monday, Nov. 3, at 9 p.m. (ET), the eve of one of the nation’s most historic presidential elections. King conducted an interview with John McCain on Wednesday, Oct. 29.

Larry King Live airs nightly from 9-10 p.m. (ET). For more information on upcoming shows or to locate past transcripts, visit http://www.CNN.com/larryking. Wendy Walker is the senior executive producer of Larry King Live.

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 Press Release - In the days before the last votes are cast and counted in the 2008 presidential election, CNN will air special election programming throughout the weekend that features lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer and other members of the Best Political Team on Television.

On Saturday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. (ET), CNN political contributor and Christian Broadcasting Network senior correspondent David Brody will host the one-hour special Election Countdown: View from the Right. This roundtable discussion will examine the strength of the McCain-Palin ticket, the priorities for conservatives after the election and top issues on voters’ minds, including national security and the economy. Brody will be joined by Amanda Carpenter, national political reporter for Townhall.com; Brian DeBose, editorial writer for The Washington Times; Stephen Hayes, senior writer for The Weekly Standard; and Kevin Madden, Republican strategist and former press secretary for Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

On Sunday, Nov. 2, Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer expands to a three-hour election special, airing from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ET). Blitzer will be joined by McCain and Obama campaign surrogates and members of the Best Political Team about expectations on Election Day. Chief national correspondent John King will be on hand with the “Magic Wall” to zero in on the hotly contested battleground states and calculate electoral math based on the latest polling. Reliable Sources host Howard Kurtz will join Blitzer to lead panel discussions with fellow journalists about the coverage of the election.

To cap off the weekend, Blitzer will anchor a one-hour election preview special on Sunday at 8 p.m. (ET) He will be joined by members of the Best Political Team live from the campaign trail. Senior political analyst Bill Schneider will zero in on the latest polling data, and King will again break down the electoral map county-by-county in his analysis of battleground states.

Encore presentations of the 90-minute CNN Presents documentaries McCain Revealed and Obama Revealed will air back-to-back on Saturday at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. (ET), respectively.

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 - After more than a year and a half of debates, primaries and political rallies, the U.S. presidential election will culminate on Tuesday, Nov. 4, with live, comprehensive programming and in-depth analysis across the powerful resources of CNN Worldwide platforms.

CNN’s “Election Night in America” coverage begins at 6 p.m. (ET) – one hour before the first polls close – with Wolf Blitzer leading the Best Political Team on Television along with Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper from the Election Center headquarters in New York.

As he has throughout most of this presidential election cycle, chief national correspondent John King will use the latest technology as well as his reporting from every battleground state of this campaign to zero in on hotly contested states and provide analysis – down to a county-by-county level – to explain CNN’s projections in each state. Using CNN’s “Magic Wall” and a 3-D, 6-foot-long virtual U.S. Capitol, King will break down data about the presidential race and report on updates to the House and Senate balance of power.

In addition, Soledad O’Brien and Bill Schneider will, for the first time, showcase exit-polling data simultaneously from all 50 states with demographic comparisons. By using two 103-inch interactive plasma screens, the team will display a state-by-state breakdown of polling data according to any number of demographic and political groups. The new way of presenting polling information will allow viewers to compare how others in their state voted compared to those in different states.

Throughout the evening, senior analysts Gloria Borger, David Gergen and Jeffrey Toobin and political contributors Paul Begala, Bill Bennett, Donna Brazile, James Carville, Alex Castellanos, Amy Holmes, Roland Martin, Ed Rollins, Hilary Rosen, Leslie Sanchez and Tara Wall will provide analysis and commentary. CNN political correspondents Candy Crowley, Suzanne Malveaux and Jessica Yellin will report live throughout the evening from Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign headquarters in Chicago, while correspondents Dana Bash and Ed Henry will be on the ground at Sen. John McCain’s headquarters in Phoenix. In addition, CNN correspondents will be on the ground reporting from key battleground states.

Adding to what promises to be one of the most technologically advanced events in CNN’s 28-year history, CNN will enhance interviews with remote correspondents and guests using hologram projection. The network has built sets powered by hologram technology at both campaign headquarters making it possible to project three-dimensional images into the Election Center. From the New York set, anchors will exhibit more natural conversations with newsmakers and CNN correspondents in the field by interacting in real time with their 3-D virtual images.

CNN Programming Pre- and Post-Election Day

Amid CNN's multi-platform coverage, anchor Lou Dobbs will provide his independent perspective on this pivotal election. Special editions of Lou Dobbs Tonight will air live on Headline News on Monday, Nov. 3, and Tuesday, Nov. 4, at 9 p.m. (ET).

CNN’s live pre-Election Day coverage begins on Monday, Nov. 3, at 6 a.m. and will continue through Thursday, Nov. 6. On Monday evening, CNN’s prime-time coverage kicks off with Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull and includes two live hours of Anderson Cooper 360° followed by a live midnight airing of Larry King Live. CNN/U.S. will remain live from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., at which time American Morning with anchors Kiran Chetry and John Roberts will begin its Election Day coverage. On Wednesday, Nov. 5, American Morning will follow-up on the election news of the day before beginning at 3 a.m. (ET)

CNN Coverage of Voter Irregularities:

On Election Day, CNN will assemble “go teams” of correspondents and producers who will report on breaking election news and voting irregularities. Throughout the day, CNN’s Ali Velshi will anchor reports on voting irregularities from the “go teams,” and legal experts will track and analyze such issues across the country.

As announced earlier in the month, CNN launched the Voter Hotline at 1.877.GOCNN08 (877.462.6608) to assist voters in reporting any problems or irregularities noticed at the polls. To date, the hotline has received more than 15,000 calls with the expectation to handle hundreds of thousands of calls by Election Night.

CNN.com Election Coverage:

As the premier online destination for Election Day coverage, CNN.com will showcase real-time election coverage and live results for national and state races, detailed exit-polling data, video and audio feeds, photo galleries and games. Users can customize their online experience by selecting the races they most care about and viewing results by state and county, as well as scorecards, maps and live streams of speeches.

CNNPolitics.com, the site’s political news gateway, will feature complete coverage and analysis as the results are tallied. Members of the Best Political Team will share their insights on the Political Ticker, the Internet’s No. 1 political news blog according to Nielsen Online. Also, through The Forum, CNN.com’s destination for social and political self-expression, users are empowered to engage in real-time discussions with other registered members and invite their Facebook friends to join in the conversation through the recently launched Facebook Connect.

CNN.com Live will stream “Election Night in America” in its entirety, plus provide real-time election results and commentary from CNN analysts, contributors and correspondents. Throughout the day, CNN.com Live anchor Melissa Long will co-anchor a live Election Special from the CNN Election Center in New York with various guests, contributors and members of the Best Political Team on Television. As results start coming in, CNN.com Live will have special Election Night coverage with Long from New York and Reggie Aqui, Naamua Delaney and Nicole Lapin from CNN Headquarters in Atlanta. CNN.com will also offer users the ability to watch past candidate speeches online through video on-demand, CNN.com Live and full text transcripts.

CNN Grill/Times Square Viewing Party:

Building upon the success of the CNN Grills at both conventions as well as 2006’s “CNN Election Nite Blog Party,” the network will open a CNN Grill inside the Time Warner Center Park Café from 6 p.m. to midnight (ET). Internet reporter Abbi Tatton will report live for CNN.com Live from the Grill throughout the night. Comments from bloggers in the Grill will post at CNN.com.

Also on Election Day from noon to midnight, CNN will hold a viewing party in Times Square in conjunction with the Times Square Alliance. The public, on a first-come, first-served basis, will be able to view CNN’s election coverage on Spectacolor HD, ClearChannel Spectacolor’s digital display, located at the corner of 47th Street and Broadway. Similar viewing events for Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speeches attracted more than a thousand spectators to the heart of Times Square.

CNN’s International Coverage:

Viewers from around the world also will also have the opportunity to follow the U.S. presidential election as CNN International simulcasts many hours of CNN’s non-stop coverage. The network has teams in place in more than 32 countries with correspondents in Obama’s ancestral home town in Kenya as well as in Iraq, Israel and key capitals of Europe, Asia and Latin America. CNN en Español also will provide rolling coverage of America Votes 2008. In addition, CNN-branded global networks and digital services such as CNN IBN in India, CNN Turk in Turkey, CNN+ in Spain and CNNArabic.com, CNN’s Arabic language Web site will provide on-going coverage of “Election Night in America.”

CNN Radio/CNN Newsource/CNN Students News:

CNN Radio will have continuous anchored Election Night coverage by CNN Radio Capitol Hill correspondent Lisa Desjardins and CNN anchor Kyra Phillips. It will be available to CNN Radio affiliates worldwide and streamed online at CNN.com beginning at 7 p.m. (ET). CNN Radio correspondent Jim Roope will report live from McCain campaign headquarters and CNN Radio correspondent Amanda Moyer from Obama campaign headquarters. Also contributing will be CNN Radio correspondents Steve Kastenbaum, Ed McCarthy and Dick Uliano along with members of CNN’s Best Political Team on Television. CNN Newsource will provide its affiliates access to custom reports from correspondents Kate Bolduan and Sandra Endo and RunningMate correspondent Samantha Hayes.

The day after voters head to the polls, CNN Student News will focus on the last-minute campaigns and voter turnout and present the results of the presidential and congressional elections at its regularly scheduled programming time. Teachers, parents and students can visit CNN Student News for election activities and discussion questions about the elections. The “Talking Democracy” link provides additional free content that focuses on election-related concepts, such as the right to vote, campaign finance and debates. CNN Student News is a 10-minute commercial-free program on Headline News at 4 a.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, streamed online at www.CNNStudentNews.com or as a free iTunes podcast.

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.

In our earlier post, we mentioned that CNN is soliciting iReport questions for Senator Barack Obama for use in an interview with The Situation Room host Wolf Blitzer. Here is one great question from my good friend Derrick. He is a medical student in St. Louis, MO. As of this writing, almost 80 questions have been chosen.

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Producers at CNN's Global Headquarters were in touch with him earlier this afternoon about using his question. Congrats, Derrick! We'll be keeping our fingers crossed.

Just an FYI that tonight's Larry King Live interview with John McCain will be simulcast on CNN En Español.

CNN Press Release - Wolf Blitzer will sit down with Sen. Barack Obama on Friday, Oct.31, just five days before the presidential election. The interview will air throughout the three hours of The Situation Room later that day. Blitzer will travel for the face-to-face interview with Obama and plans to anchor The Situation Room from the road.

Blitzer will focus in on the most important domestic and national security issues facing voters, especially issue No. 1: the ailing U.S. economy. Blitzer discussed similar issues with Sen. John McCain during a one-on-one interview last week. Viewers can submit questions for Obama online at www.iReport.com/Obama.

The Situation Room airs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (ET). Eric Sherling is the program’s executive producer.

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.

Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain appears on CNN’s Larry King Live Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 9 p.m. (ET) for an interview with Larry King, the same evening Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama delivers his paid half-hour television network address. King and McCain will discuss the election and the quest for the presidency with just seven days left in the historic race.

Larry King Live airs nightly from 9-10 p.m. (ET). For more information on upcoming shows or to locate past transcripts, visit http://www.CNN.com/larryking. Wendy Walker is the senior executive producer of Larry King Live.

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 Domestic Debate Schedule

Presidential-Friday-9.26-9:00pm - 10:30pm ET-Oxford, MS
Presidential Replay-Saturday-9.27-12:00am – 1:30am ET-Oxford, MS
Presidential Replay-Saturday-9.27-3:00am – 4:30am ET-Oxford, MS
Vice Presidential-Thursday-10.2-9:00pm - 10:30pm ET-St. Louis, MO
Vice Presidential Replay-Friday-10.3-12:00am – 1:30am ET-St. Louis, MO
Vice Presidential Replay-Friday-10.3-3:00am – 4:30am ET-St. Louis, MO
Presidential-Tuesday-10.7-9:00pm - 10:30pm ET-Nashville, TN
Presidential Replay-Wednesday-10.8-12:00am – 1:30am ET-Nashville, TN
Presidential Replay-Wednesday-10.8-3:00am – 4:30am ET-Nashville, TN
Presidential-Wednesday-10.15-9:00pm - 10:30pm ET-Hempstead, NY
Presidential Replay-Thursday-10.16-12:00am – 1:30am ET-Hempstead, NY
Presidential Replay-Thursday-10.16-3:00am – 4:30am ET-Hempstead, NY

CNN En Español Debate Schedule

Presidential-Friday-9.26-9:00pm - 10:30pm ET-Oxford, MS
Presidential Replay-Saturday-9.27-9:00am – 10:30am ET
2:30pm – 4:00pm ET-Oxford, MS
Presidential Replay-Sunday-9.28-12:00 – 1:30pm ET-Oxford, MS
Vice Presidential-Thursday-10.2-9:00pm - 10:30pm ET-St. Louis, MO
Vice Presidential Replay-Saturday-10.4-9:00am – 10:30am ET
2:30pm – 4:00pm ET-St. Louis, MO
Vice Presidential Replay-Sunday-10.5-12:00 – 1:30pm ET-St. Louis, MO
Presidential-Tuesday-10.7-9:00pm - 10:30pm ET-Nashville, TN
Presidential Replay-Saturday-10.11-9:00am – 10:30am ET
2:30pm – 4:00pm ET-Nashville, TN
Presidential Replay-Sunday-10.12-12:00 – 1:30pm ET-Nashville, TN
Presidential-Wednesday-10.15-9:00pm - 10:30pm ET-Hempstead, NY
Presidential Replay-Saturday-10.18-9:00am – 10:30am ET
2:30pm – 4:00pm ET-Hempstead, NY
Presidential Replay-Sunday-10.19-12:00 – 1:30pm ET-Hempstead, NY

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

CNN Pressroom - CNN’s political team will report live from the CNN Election Center and across Kentucky and Oregon as returns from those key states come in on Tuesday, May 20. CNN correspondents and analysts will be on-hand throughout the day to report the results and what it means for Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

CNN’s special prime-time programming will begin at 7 p.m., following wall-to-wall politics on The Situation Room, and will run late into the night. Lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer will direct the coverage and will be joined by anchors Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper and Lou Dobbs. CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O'Brien and senior political analyst Bill Schneider will review exit poll data. Chief national correspondent John King will again provide in-depth, Kentucky- and Oregon-specific data and analysis using the CNN “multi-touch” board, which makes complex demographic and delegate data more understandable and accessible.

The coverage will lead into a special edition of Larry King Live at midnight hosted by Larry King. American Morning with John Roberts and Kyra Phillips will be live the following morning at a special time from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

In the lead-up to Tuesday, CNN’s correspondents are traveling across Kentucky and Oregon to cover the race. Candy Crowley, Suzanne Malveaux and Jessica Yellin are covering Clinton and Obama as they make their last-minute appeals to the voters. Jim Acosta and Dan Lothian will provide live reports from the trail, and Dana Bash will be covering Sen. John McCain.

Gloria Borger, senior political analyst; David Gergen, senior political analyst; and Jeff Toobin, legal analyst, will be on-hand with their insights. CNN’s nationally known contributors, Paul Begala, Bill Bennett, Donna Brazile and Roland Martin, will provide commentary, as will CNN’s newest political contributor Tony Snow. Also joining them will be commentators Alex Castellanos, Leslie Sanchez and Jamal Simmons.

Additionally, the CNN Election Express bus will make its way through Kentucky and remain in Frankfort, Ky., for the primary. Ballot Bowl will air live from that state and Oregon over the weekend.

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 provide coverage of the primary results starting at 7 p.m.

CNN Radio correspondent Ed McCarthy will anchor regular live special reports on May 20 from 6:15 p.m. to 1:45 a.m. CNN Radio correspondent Lisa Desjardins, reporting from Oregon will offer first-hand observations for the network and for affiliates worldwide. CNN Newsource will provide its affiliates access to on-site reports from RunningMate correspondent Samantha Hayes.

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).
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 - CNN International anchor and reporter Hala Gorani will lead panelists in an engaging and timely debate about Arab media coverage of the U.S. Presidential Election. It's a made-in-the-U.S. drama that seems to be stirring great interest in the Mideast audience. Arab viewers are riveted to this historic election - drama generated in part by the fact that for the first time, a woman and an African-American stand a chance of becoming U.S. president. Our panelists discuss what many say is an intensity in coverage of the election - a clear interest in a story that affects Arabs deeply. The panelists will explore how invested the Arab audience is in the outcome of this election. Certainly the war in Iraq, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, troubled relations between Lebanon and Syria, and the American-Iranian standoff are all factors driving Arab interest. Do viewers have their favorite candidates? Are they interested in the theatrics of the election? How do they view a successor to the Bush White House? Will a new president provide a different agenda for the region, or more of the same?

Saturday, May 17: Buenos Aires 0300/1100/1600 GMT
Berlin 0800/1600/2100
New Delhi 1130/1900/0300 (Sun)
Hong Kong 1400/2200/0300 (Sun)

Sunday, May 18: Buenos Aires 0300/1600 GMT
Berlin 0800/2100
New Delhi 1130/0300 (Mon)
Hong Kong 1400/0300 (Mon)