CNN Pressroom - ‘Critical Condition’ Installment Reveals Gaps in Health Care Coverage in U.S., Examines Debate over Issue

CNN Productions plans to produce a series of one-hour documentaries in 2008 under its successful Broken Government brand. As it did in the 2006 midterm election, the series seeks to offer clarity to the political topics receiving close attention during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.

The first documentary in the series, Broken Government: Health Care Critical Condition, is reported by CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Critical Condition will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 31, at 11 p.m., immediately following the CNN/Los Angeles Times/POLITICO Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate and will replay on Saturday, Feb. 2, and Sunday, Feb. 3, at 11 p.m. All times Eastern.

In Critical Condition, Gupta focuses on the gaps in health care coverage experienced by the more than 45 million Americans who lack adequate health insurance. These include consumers with health insurance still vulnerable to bankruptcy by medical bills and the uninsured who cannot afford healthcare. Gupta also examines various health care plan proposals and the pros and cons of universal health care coverage in other countries.

Other Broken Government documentaries in the 2008 series will feature CNN’s Rick Sanchez taking an in-depth look at inconsistent and ineffective U.S. immigration policies; chief technology and environment correspondent Miles O’Brien investigating the impact of government policies on the environment; and a documentary on the government failures at the federal, state and local levels that continue to plague those impacted by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Additional programs in the series will be announced later in the campaign season.

Carol Kinstle is the executive producer and the director of CNN’s health and medical unit. Mark Nelson is the vice president and senior executive producer of 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.

CNN Pressroom - Broken Government Report on Presidential Pugilism Airs on Nov. 28 Following CNN/YouTube Debate

As the 2008 presidential campaign heats up, CNN anchor Campbell Brown reports on the rising temperatures – and the pugilistic punches – that come with the territory of running for the nation’s highest political office. Following the CNN/YouTube GOP debate, CNN will premiere Broken Government – “Campaign Killers” on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 11 p.m., with replays on Friday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m., 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. on CNN/U.S. All times Eastern.

Although Americans say they are turned off by negative political campaigning, attack ads have can have enormous impact on elections. Brown interviews former Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis and adman Floyd Brown about one of the most infamous campaign ads of all time: the Willie Horton ad used to shattering effect in the 1988 presidential race.

In her first documentary for CNN, Brown also goes behind the scenes with the guerrilla warriors of this season’s presidential campaign to see what they're plotting. From the left, Eli Pariser of MoveOn.org talks candidly about the “General Betray-us” ad; from the right, the “Hillary hunters” – David Bossie of Citizens United and the “Stop Her Now” team of cartoonists – discuss the effects of lampooning the Democratic frontrunner.

Senior CNN political analyst Bill Schneider and political marketing consultants Mark McKinnon and Bill Hillsman comment on the impact of attack ads for the 2008 presidential race and the latest evolution in negative campaigning – the anonymous Internet viral attack.

“Campaign Killers” was produced by Andy Segal, Melissa Dunst and Michael Mocklar; the managing editor was Kathy Slobogin. The vice president and senior executive producer of CNN Productions is Mark Nelson.

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.