CNN Press Release - ECONOMY-FOCUSED DEBATE WILL ALSO AIR LIVE ON CNN.COM LIVE

With a week before the UK goes to the polls, the British economy is at the forefront of the final discussion among leaders Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg. The third and final 90-minute debate will be broadcast live on CNN International and CNN.com/Live today at 3.30p ET.

The network has also enlisted an expert panel to give perspective on the outcome of the economy-focused debate. Paul Marshall, who co-founded one of Europe's most high-profile hedge funds, Marshall Wace, in 1998; Andrew Roberts, an award-winning author, historian and contributor to many British papers; and Will Hutton, one of today's pre-eminent economics commentators, will join presenter Becky Anderson at 5p ET during a specially extended ‘Connect The World’.

For complete coverage of the UK election – including insight from CNN’s correspondents around the world – go to www.cnn.com/ukelection and follow the site on Twitter at twitter.com/ukelectioncnn.

About The Panel:

Will Hutton, Executive Vice Chair, The Work Foundation

Regularly called on to advise senior political and business figures and comment in the national and international media, Will is today one of the pre-eminent economics commentators in the country.

He began his career in the City, as a stockbroker and investment analyst before moving to the BBC, where he worked both on radio, as a producer and reporter, and on TV as economics correspondent for flagship current affairs programme Newsnight. Prior to joining The Work Foundation, Will spent four years as editor-in-chief of the Observer, for which he continues to write a weekly column. He also regularly contributes to the Guardian and the Financial Times.

Paul Marshall, Co-founder of Marshall Wace

Paul Marshall co-founded Marshall Wace in 1998, and it has become one of Europe’s most high-profile hedge funds. Marshall has been the Chairman of the City Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrat Business Forum. He founded the independent liberal think tank, CentreForum and is said to be an advisor to Nick Clegg. He unsuccessfully ran for Parliament in 1987 for the SDP-Liberal Alliance in Fulham, England.

Andrew Roberts, Historian

The Observer newspaper describes Andrew Roberts as “one of the greatest historians of our time”. He has published a number of best-selling books on the history of British politics, and has won the Wolfson History Prize, the James Stern Silver Pen Award for Non-Fiction and the Emery Reves Award. He appears regularly on British television and radio, writes for The Sunday Telegraph and reviews history books and biography for The Spectator, Literary Review, Mail on Sunday and The Telegraph. He sits on the boards or advisory councils of a number of think-tanks and pressure groups, including The Centre for Policy Studies, The European Foundation and The Centre for Social Cohesion.

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CNN.com announced today that CNN.com Live broadcasted its last day of programming today. All four CNN.com anchors (Reggie Aqui, Naamua Delaney, Nicole Lapin and Melissa Long) were let go as well today, as well as several members of the CNN.com Live production team.

WebNewser first broke the story earlier today and has a note from KC Estenson, Senior Vice President of CNN.com. In it, he says CNN.com Live is being closed in order "to create a unit focused on streaming major live events, producing video packages especially for CNN.com and increasing our overall on-demand offering."

Our best to the CNN.com anchors and staff being displaced during this time. No word on what will happen to Nicole's Young People Who Rock blog or other popular CNN.com Live features such as Senior Editor of Mideast Affairs Octavia Nasr's Mideast Voices.

CNN Press Release - CNN’s Wolf Blitzer will anchor special coverage of the confirmation hearings on Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination to be associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court during the week of July 13. Beginning Monday at 10 a.m., CNN will provide comprehensive coverage during the opening statements as well as the days when Judge Sotomayor faces questioning from senators on Capitol Hill.

Blitzer will be joined by members of the Best Political Team on Television including senior political analyst Gloria Borger, senior political correspondent Candy Crowley, chief national correspondent John King, senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, and national political correspondent Jessica Yellin. Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash and congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar will report live from Capitol Hill to provide updates and reaction from members of Congress. In addition, CNN contributor Alex Castellanos and guest contributor Maria Echaveste will provide analysis and commentary throughout the coverage.

CNN’s coverage will allow viewers to simultaneously observe a wide variety of incoming live video feeds, relevant file video, graphics and other visual story-telling tools. In addition, King will use the Magic Wall to report on Sotomayor’s relevant decisions, legal briefs and other documents from her years on the bench.

A special edition of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer will air at 4 p.m. on Monday, followed by regularly-scheduled programming of Lou Dobbs Tonight, Campbell Brown, Larry King Live and Anderson Cooper 360º, with a focus on the day’s happenings on Capitol Hill and a look ahead to the rest of the hearing.

Online, the Judge Sotomayor special report, located at www.CNN.com/Sotomayor, gives users access to an array of in-depth biographical information of the U.S. Supreme Court nominee, chronicling her life’s journey and career path. The special section features key case files from past rulings, sorted by topic so users can learn more about decisions she has made from the bench, as well as an interactive gallery of family snapshots that reveal her life in pictures.

When the confirmation hearings get underway, CNN.com will unveil a special series, which explores key aspects of Sotomayor’s life; from her roots in Puerto Rico to growing up in the Bronx, to entering the Ivy League and embarking on a career as prosecutor, to federal appellate judge and then becoming nominee to the highest court. Each weekday, CNN.com will publish a new story as well as special commentaries and video packages focused on one of these different parts of her life.

CNN.com Live, the Internet’s only live multi-stream video news service, also will stream the Sotomayor confirmation hearings live in their entirety.

CNN en Español will offer broad coverage of the Sotomayor hearings beginning on Thursday, July 9, with a preview special on Directo desde EE.UU. at 7:00 p.m. anchored by Patricia Janiot. This 30-minute special program, live from Washington, will review Sotomayor’s roots, her professional achievements and the facts that have made her a controversial candidate for the Court. On Sunday, July 12, at 1:30 p.m., correspondent Juan Carlos López will talk with a panel of experts to take a look at Sotomayor’s federal case rulings for clues on what judicial philosophy she may take to the highest court. Then, on Monday, July 13, the network will offer live coverage of the hearings with analysts weighing in throughout the day.

CNN International will also cover the live hearings and provide analysis from a global perspective.

CNN Radio will provide affiliates with special reports at the bottom of the hour beginning at 9:30 a.m. and running through the length of the hearing each day. There will be a one minute wrap-up at the end of the day, and this will also run in CNN Radio network newscasts. CNN Radio Capitol Hill correspondent Lisa Desjardins will be covering and providing affiliate live shots from Capitol Hill.

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 will broadcast Michael Jackson’s memorial service live on Tuesday, July 7, 2009, on CNN International, CNN/U.S. and CNN.com. Web users will also be able to share thoughts with others on Facebook while viewing the events on the CNN.com live video player if they choose.

Anderson Cooper, Larry King, Don Lemon and Soledad O’Brien will host coverage live from Los Angeles, with Campbell Brown and Roland Martin anchoring live from New York, starting at 12:00 PM ET on CNN International and CNN/U.S. CNN’s international bureaus will provide coverage of memorial events happening around the world.

Online at www.CNN.com/MichaelJackson, CNN.com will provide special coverage of Jackson’s memorial service and all related events in their entirety through a wide variety of elements, including live streaming and on-demand video, in-depth articles, photo galleries, and special interactives. In addition, CNN.com producers and correspondents will blog live from Los Angeles throughout the day.

CNN.com is once again utilizing Facebook Connect granting Internet users across the globe the ability to watch the memorial service live while communicating with their Friends on Facebook – and other Jackson fans around the world – without leaving the CNN.com Live video player. CNN.com Live begins live coverage starting on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 8:30 AM ET with a special midnight show before the complete live coverage of the memorial service begins on Tuesday, July 7, 2009 at 1 PM ET Additionally, CNN.com will offer replays of the entire memorial service at 4 PM ET and 7 PM ET. iReport.com, the network’s user-generated online news community, continues to invite contributors to share their thoughts and memories of Michael Jackson, as well as submit and share their videos and photos.

CNN will provide live coverage to it radio affiliates and television affiliates worldwide.

CNN Press Release - CNN Worldwide, in partnership with Turner BroadcastingSystem, Inc. (TBS, Inc) and 21st Century Leaders, is hosting the fourth annual Leadership Unplugged: A CNN Experience, a week-long program developed exclusively by CNN employees to teach rising high school juniors and seniors in Georgia about media literacy, journalism and personal leadership. Leadership Unplugged takes place June 22-26, 2009, on the campus of Georgia Institute of Technology.

“My CNN colleagues and I are thrilled to offer these exceptional young people a forum to further develop their personal leadership styles, as well as learn more about some of the most critical challenges facing media professionals every day,” said Susan Grant, executive vice president of CNN News Services. “The opportunity to mentor Leadership Unplugged ambassadors is an honor for CNN executives and anchors alike, and we hope each of the students gains as much from the experience as we do each year.”

During the Leadership Unplugged program, 100 high school students - selected from a competitive pool of applicants from across the state of Georgia - will learn how news stories are presented on different platforms, as well as the impact social networking is having on the media landscape. The students will participate in workshops and discussion groups on a range of topics including diversity, ethics in media and audience engagement; and will attend panels and mentoring sessions featuring CNN executives, reporters and anchors including CNN’s Kyra Phillips and Tony Harris; HLN’s Richard Lui; CNN International’s Colleen McEdwards; and CNN.com’s Reggie Aqui and Melissa Long.

The curriculum for Leadership Unplugged is developed by CNN Student News, CNN’s cost-and-commercial-free news program for middle and high school students, and the classes and workshops are led by volunteer employees at CNN and TBS, Inc. After attending the classes and workshops throughout the week, the students work in teams to develop a story idea based upon the lessons they have learned. The week concludes with the student teams presenting their proposals before a panel of judges comprised of CNN and TBS, Inc. executives.

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.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

21st Century Leaders, Inc., is a non-profit organization whose mission is to inspire the next generation of Georgia leaders by empowering high school students with essential business and community leadership skills through programs connecting a diverse group of enthusiastic peers and passionate professionals.

CNN Press Release - CNN.com Live, the site’s live, multi-stream video news service, will stream the State Funeral Mass being held in Italy tomorrow for Monday’s Earthquake victims. The service is scheduled to begin at 5 a.m. ET and is taking place at the school campus of the Italian police force, Guardia di Finanza. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is scheduled to attend as well as other prominent Italian political leaders in an exceptional Good Friday funeral mass with full state honors. To access CNN.com Live, go to www.CNN.com/Live and click on the thumbnail images under the "Happening Now" column.

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.

CNN Press Release - CNN.com and Facebook Join Forces for First Time Since Inauguration; Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper and John King Lead Network’s Special Coverage

After setting the record for the largest live video event in Internet history on the day of Pres. Obama’s inauguration, CNN.com and Facebook again will partner on Feb. 24 to enable users to connect and engage with each other while watching live the President’s first address to Congress.

Additionally, CNN continues to break new ground in its political coverage with anchor John King hosting a special online-exclusive edition of State of the Union with John King from noon to 1 p.m. on CNN.com Live, where users can watch as well as pose questions to members of the Best Political Team on Television and comment on their analysis in real-time. From 8 a.m. until midnight on Feb. 24, CNN.com Live, the Internet’s only multi-stream live video news service, will provide continuous, live coverage – featuring numerous CNN anchors and analysts – produced specifically for the digital audience.

On television, anchors Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper and John King will lead special coverage from the Election Center in New York. Throughout the evening, members of the Best Political Team on Television, including CNN Senior Political Analyst Gloria Borger and CNN Political Analyst Roland Martin, will analyze the expectations facing the president and break down his address. From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., there will be a special edition of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, followed by special editions of Lou Dobbs Tonight and Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull.

Shortly before the 9 p.m. address, Blitzer will set the stage and introduce President Obama. Both CNN and CNN.com will provide live coverage of President Obama’s speech and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s GOP response.

A special two-hour edition of Anderson Cooper 360º starts immediately after the President’s address, with Blitzer and Cooper leading the discussion with CNN’s correspondents and an ideologically diverse panel of political analysts. Larry King will host a live, midnight edition of Larry King Live on CNN’s television networks.

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, CNN.com will provide comprehensive reporting and analysis on the issues Obama is expected to raise in his evening address, in particular the economy. As part of its dedicated coverage, the site will enable users to track the current economic climate state-by-state across various categories and indicators, including unemployment rate, foreclosures and job sector changes; as well as showcase personal stories to provide perspective to the impact of the nation’s financial health.

Additionally, 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. On Facebook, the status updates for those using CNN.com Live will be published in their News Feed with hyperlinked tags that read “via CNN.com Live” so users’ friends on Facebook can click the tag and join the CNN.com Live/Facebook experience.

Following the special edition of State of the Union with John King at noon, the hosts of Your $$$$$ Ali Velshi and Christine Romans will host a CNN.com Live-exclusive program, State of the Economy beginning at 1 p.m. During the two-hour special, also featuring personal finance editor Gerri Willis, CNNMoney.com anchor Poppy Harlow and CNN.com Live anchor Melissa Long, members of the CNN Money Team will answer phone calls, emails and iReport questions from users and viewers about the economy.

Throughout the remainder of the day, CNN.com Live will be anchored by Reggie Aqui, Naamua Delaney, Nicole Lapin and Melissa Long, and will feature guests including chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour and finance expert Suze Orman.

Coverage across other CNN networks and platforms will include: viewer commentary and reaction via mobile devices, emails and Facebook on HLN; live coverage of the address, as well as analysis and reactions from around the world on CNN International; custom reports for CNN Newsource affiliates from correspondent Sandra Endo and RunningMate correspondent Samantha Hayes; live anchored coverage and special reports for affiliates which will stream live on CNN.com from CNN Radio’s Lisa Desjardins and Bob Costantini; special coverage for the classroom and teacher materials from CNN Student News; and live analysis before and after the 9 p.m. address from correspondent Juan Carlos López on CNN en Español.

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: Nearly 8.5 Million Viewers Turn to CNN for Inaugural Address; CNN.com Shatters Previous Records

CNN’s multi-platform coverage of the Inauguration of President Barack Obama reached a ratings milestone on Tuesday, Jan. 20, with CNN's television coverage dominating the competition throughout the day, and CNN.com shattering records across the board during Inauguration Day.

More Americans turned to CNN on television from 12:00 – 12:30 pm, ET (according to Nielsen Media Fast National data), which included the new president’s swearing in and inaugural address than any other cable news network. CNN dominated the competition with 8.497 million total viewers, FNC placed a distant second with 5.488 million, and MSNBC trailed with 3.076 million. In the key demographic adults 25-54, CNN attracted more viewers than FNC and MSNBC combined, with 3.459 million viewers, a 101% advantage over FNC’s 1.722 million, and a staggering 211% lead over MSNBC’s 1.113 million.

From 11:00 am – 2:00 pm yesterday, CNN was also top-rated among total viewers with 6.941 million tuning in, FNC followed with 4.438 million, and MSNBC was a distant third with 2.571 million. This represents the network’s highest 11:00 am – 2:00 pm average in history. In the key demographic adults 25-54, CNN posted 2.811 million viewers, a 104% more than FNC’s 1.379 million and a 204% advantage over MSNBC’s 924,000.

According to preliminary, internal data -- CNN.com generated more than 182 million page views and served more than 36.7 million total video streams on Inauguration Day. Of the 36.7 million video streams, CNN.com Live served 26.9 million live video streams globally, breaking its all time total daily streaming record set on Election Day with 5.3 million live streams. (Source: Omniture SiteCatalyst, global). Additionally, CNN.com Live estimates it served more than 1.3 million concurrent live streams during its peak, which occurred immediately prior to President Obama's inaugural address. (Source: Internal CDN monitoring data). Also, iReport.com, CNN’s user-generated community, more than doubled its previous submission record of 5,100 set the day before the 2008 Election with more than 11,300 photos and videos uploaded to the site on Inauguration Day. (Source: iReport.com internal data).*

Other key CNN television ratings highlights:

6:00 am – 3:00 am/Total Day coverage:

CNN was No. 1 with 3.979 million total viewers/1.626 million among adults 25-54

FOX placed second with 2.543 million total viewers/750,000 among adults 25-54

MSNBC was last with 1.689 million total viewers/610,000 among adults 25-54

6:00 am – 9:00 am/Morning Show coverage:

CNN’s American Morning was No. 1 with 1.315 million total viewers/638,000 adults 25-54

FNC Fox and Friends was second with 1.165 million total viewers/377,000 adults 25-54

MSNBC Morning Joe was third with 686,000 total viewers/253,000 adults 25-54

4:00 pm – 7:00 pm/Afternoon coverage:

CNN’s Situation Room was No. 1 with 5.487 million total viewers/2.133 million among adults 25-54

FOX Obama Parade/Glenn Beck/Special Report was second with 3.079 million/792,000 adults 25-54

MSNBC Obama Parade/Hardballwas last with 2.158 million/741,000 adults 25-54

7:00 pm – 1:00 am/Extended Prime Time coverage:

CNN was No. 1 with 3.740 million total viewers/1.585 million among adults 25-54

(includes Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull (7-9 pm), Anderson Cooper 360 (9 pm – midnight) and Larry King Live (midnight – 1:00 am).

FNC followed with 2.604 million total viewers/755,000 among adults 25-54

(includes Fox Report (7-8 pm) O’Reilly Factor (8-9 pm) and Special Coverage/The 44 President (9:00 pm -1:00 am).

MSNBC placed third with 1.915 million total viewers/712,000 among adults 25-54

(includes Hardball (7-8 pm), Countdown (8-9 pm), The Rachel Maddow Show (9-10 pm), Special Coverage/President Barack Obama (10 pm – 1:00 am).

This represents a 44% and 110% advantage over FNC in total viewers and adults 25-54 respectively, and a 95% and 123% lead over MSNBC in total viewers and adults 25-54.

CNN Public Relations - According to early data, as of 11:45a ET today, CNN.com Live has served 13.9 million live video streams globally since 6a, shattering its all time total daily streaming record set on Election Day with 5.3 million live streams. (Source: Omniture SiteCatalyst, global).

- CNN.com Live/Facebook US presidential inauguration initiative

- CNN International’s coverage of the World Economic Forum in Davos

The world’s largest wind energy company Vestas Wind Systems A/S begins its 2009 commercial association with CNN International with an online sponsorship of the network’s exclusive collaboration with Facebook around next week’s historic US Presidential Inauguration on 20th January. In a crucially important month for world news, the sustainable energy giant will also reap the benefits of increased brand exposure with online advertising around CNN.com/international’s coverage of the World Economic Forum in Davos from 28th-30th January.

“We’re delighted to be able to offer Vestas this premium branding opportunity at a time when traffic is expect to spike and when our online audience’s appetite for our compelling coverage of world events has never been greater”, says Max Raven, SVP Advertising Sales, CNN International.

In CNN’s most extensive collaboration with Facebook to date, on 20th January, users can update their own Facebook status directly from the CNN.com Live player, watch CNN’s live video coverage of the presidential inauguration and receive status updates from other Facebook users logged on via CNN.com Live. Vestas video-pre-roll advertising will run within the live player, giving the brand a unique opportunity to target millions of users across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America on a day when users will be engaged like never before.

Kasper J, Granat, Global Branding Manager, Vestas Wind Systems comments, “Vestas is always pushing the boundaries with our technology, but also how we engage with our stakeholders. We are therefore thrilled to be part of these unique media concepts. The context is highly relevant for us and our offering of modern energy, which has proven to not only be good for the environment, but also good for the economy.”


Capitalising on the network’s extensive pre-inauguration coverage, Vestas will run banner advertisements across CNN.com’s homepage from today and will continue their advertising through 21st January in order to target users logging on for post-inauguration commentary. The Vestas banner advertising will be visible to CNN.com users worldwide.

Vestas advertising will assume one hundred percent share of voice across www.cnn.com/international, targeted to users in Europe on the 28th and 30th January as CNN provides live daily coverage from its top business presenters on location at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Vestas advertising will also be associated with ‘Dear Davos’, one of CNN International’s most ambitious audience initiatives yet where online and TV viewers are invited to contribute their thoughts and opinion on the event and the themes it raises. By writing in to deardavos@cnn.com viewers have the opportunity to contribute to CNN’s coverage, with comment included in live reporting from CNN’s Charles Hodson and Richard Quest throughout the week. In addition, CNN will offer all the latest news and analysis from the event as well as behind-the-scene images and blogs from CNN business correspondents at www.cnn.com/davos.

- ends –

ABOUT CNN INTERNATIONAL
CNN International continues to be the international news channel of choice for reaching the European elite, leading all international news channels in monthly reach (EMS Select 2008), and is also market leader for combined TV and online monthly reach, confirming its position as the channel that best reaches the ‘upscale global citizen’ in the digital age. Overall lead in EMS Select positions CNN as #1 television vehicle for advertisers seeking to reach frequent business travellers and business decision makers.

Vestas – No. 1 in Modern Energy
All over the world, people must prepare to use new forms of energy. The sharp rise in energy consumption calls for a sustainable resource that does not create more greenhouse gases, pollution or waste for future generations. Wind power is a renewable, predictable and clean source of energy. Substantial capacity can be built up quickly, offering the energy independence demanded by the world's largest and fastest-growing economies. This is why we call wind power, modern energy. With a 23 per cent market share in 2007, Vestas is the world’s leading supplier of modern energy solutions. We have installed more than 35,000 wind turbines in 63 countries on five continents. We install an average of one wind turbine every four hours around the clock. In 2007 our wind turbines generated more than 60 million MWh – or enough electricity to supply millions of households. These are some of the reasons why Vestas is No. 1 in Modern Energy.

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.

CNN Press Release: CNN.com partners with Facebook to offer unprecedented social community interaction around inauguration day

As the world tunes in to see Barack Obama officially sworn in as the next President of the United States, CNN.com and Facebook will enable users to connect and engage with each other while watching live all the events of Inauguration Day on CNN.com Live, the Internet’s only multi-stream live video news service.

On Tuesday January 20th, 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.

On Facebook, the status updates for those using CNN.com Live will be published in their News Feed with hyperlinked tags that read “via CNN.com Live,” so users’ friends on Facebook can click the tag and join the CNN.com Live/Facebook experience.

CNN Press Release: CNN Blankets Washington, D.C., with Live, Multi-platform Coverage, Analysis of Inauguration Ceremonies; Brown and Cooper to Lead Primetime Coverage

Building upon the network’s record-breaking coverage of the presidential campaign and election, CNN will provide a front row seat for viewers worldwide with live coverage leading up to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday, Jan. 20, including the swearing-in ceremony and the inauguration parade.

As part of live and in-depth coverage for The Inauguration of Barack Obama, members of the Best Political Team on Television will fan out across the nation’s capital on Inauguration Day to cover every angle of Obama’s official first day in office. CNN anchors Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper guide coverage of the events from the rooftop of the Newseum, a key vantage point along the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route.

“This is one of the most historic events of our time, and CNN will utilize all of our resources to capture the magnitude of the moment,” said Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. “Throughout Inauguration Day and beyond, CNN’s winning political team will continue to offer its trademark independent coverage which has been drawing a record number of viewers throughout this election season.”

On Tuesday, Jan. 20, The Inauguration of Barack Obama kicks off with CNN’s John Roberts and Kiran Chetry anchoring a special edition of American Morning live on Capitol Hill from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Beginning at 10 a.m., CNN’s coverage location moves to the Newseum, where Blitzer and Cooper, along with senior political analysts Gloria Borger and David Gergen, will anchor the special programming. Chief national correspondent John King will transport the network’s Magic Wall to a balcony inside the Newseum in order to illustrate traffic and hotspots around Washington. Also reporting from the Newseum, Campbell Brown will cover the day’s events and will moderate a panel with members of CNN’s Best Political Team on Television, including political contributors Paul Begala, Bill Bennett, Donna Brazile,James Carville, Alex Castellanos, Amy Holmes, Roland Martin, Hilary Rosen and Tara Wall.

In the days leading up to and including Inauguration Day, CNN’s Election Express will be stationed on the National Mall to serve as the center of operations for other members of the Best Political Team on Television reporting from across the nation’s capital. On Jan. 20, anchor Soledad O’Brien and senior political analyst Jeffrey Toobin will report from Lafayette Park, the location of the presidential viewing stands and a central spot from which to narrate the parade. Senior political correspondent Candy Crowley will provide viewers with an up-close view of the parade as she reports from within the parade itself and from key locations around the capital. Senior White House correspondent Ed Henry plans to speak with politicians and dignitaries watching from the inauguration ceremony platform. White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux will be live at the White House reporting on a variety of events, including Obama’s final visit with President George W. Bush.

Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash will cover her beat from the Capitol Rotunda. National political correspondent Jessica Yellin and correspondent Jim Acosta will bring viewers into the crowds who flocked to Washington to watch the inauguration. Correspondent Joe Johns will do the same from the Washington Mall. Anchor John Roberts also will be live on Capitol Hill.

Homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve will report on the intense security measures in place for the inaugural events. White House correspondent Dan Lothian will head to Andrews Air Force Base to be on hand for Bush’s official departure from Washington. Other correspondents covering the inauguration include congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar, general assignment correspondents Kate Bolduan and Elaine Quijano, foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty, Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr, correspondent Brian Todd and news anchors Don Lemon and Zain Verjee.

The Inauguration of Barack Obama will continue with a special edition of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., which will include live coverage of the parade, as well as a recap of the day’s happenings. From 7 p.m. to midnight, Campbell Brown and Anderson Cooper will lead CNN’s prime-time coverage, live from Washington D.C., with special editions of Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull and Anderson Cooper 360º which will include live reporting from the 10 official inaugural balls. Larry King hosts a special edition of Larry King Live from the Washington, D.C. bureau from midnight to 1 a.m.

CNN.com will provide special live coverage of the presidential inauguration and all related events in their entirety. Throughout the day, the site’s coverage will showcase the sights and sounds from the events captured by CNN.com reporters and photographers, as well as 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.

CNN.com and Facebook are working together to enable users to connect and engage with each other while watching live all the events of Inauguration Day on CNN.com Live, the Internet’s only multi-stream live video news service. On Tuesday, Jan. 20, CNN.com Live users will be able to update their 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. On Facebook, the status updates for those using CNN.com Live will be published in their News Feed with hyperlinked tags that read “via CNN.com Live,” so users’ friends on Facebook can click the tag and join the CNN.com Live/Facebook experience.

Throughout the day, CNN.com Live 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 Washington and interview various guests and contributors as the day’s events unfold.

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

· The Political Ticker – 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.

HLN will feature special inaugural coverage anchored by anchor Robin Meade of Morning Express with Robin Meade. In keeping with the network’s “News and Views” format, HLN will air full live coverage of Obama’s swearing-in ceremony and inaugural address as well as other news updates but will also offer commentary and a variety of perspectives from CNN and HLN correspondents and other special guests.

CNN International will simulcast domestic programming from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

CNN en Español plans to offerextensive live coverage of Inauguration Day, with senior anchor Patricia Janiot and correspondents Juan Carlos López and Ione Molinares, reporting live from Washington. Special coverage will wrap up with a prime-time special at 9 p.m. with a focus on the events of the day.

CNN Radio’s Bob Costantini, Lisa Desjardins and Dick Uliano and will anchor coverage from the capital starting at 11:06 a.m. and continuing until 1 p.m. or through the end of the inaugural address. Coverage will be provided to affiliates, as well as streamed live on CNN.com.

CNN Newsource will provide its affiliates access to custom reports from correspondent Sandra Endo and RunningMate correspondent Samantha Hayes from one of the best rooftop shots in the nation’s capitol.

CNN Student News provides teachers, parents and students with special 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 Headline News at 4 a.m. (ET) Monday through Friday; streamed online at www.CNNStudentNews.com; or as a free iTunes podcast.

CNN Press Release: CNN’s Velshi Helps CNN Radio Listeners Get Their Money Back with New Series

After a 2008 economic crisis that left few unscathed, CNN’s chief business correspondent Ali Velshi kick starts the new year with a weeklong series of CNN Radio programming guiding listeners through the financial challenges of the moment and the months to come.

“The Ali Velshi Show: Gimme My Money Back” will be available for CNN Radio affiliates starting today and continuing through Friday, Jan. 9. The series, based on Velshi’s new book Gimme My Money Back: Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis, airs each day from 1:06 p.m. to 2 p.m. (ET) and is available on CNN.com.

Guests include John Bogle, founder of The Vanguard Group; Jean Chatzky, a personal finance expert and author; Doug Flynn, a certified financial planner; and Ryan Mack, financial planner and president of Optimum Capital Management. These guests and Velshi will provide steps for listeners to get back on track in 2009 by examining the topics below:

· Today: The root causes of the current financial crises and the chance of such an event happening again;

· Tuesday, Jan. 6: The changing world of credit and how it can affect individuals, jobs and the business world;

· Wednesday, Jan. 7: Building the new nest-egg and protecting it from investing uncertainties;

· Thursday, Jan. 8: Steps for investment success and the ins-and-outs of mutual funds;

· Friday, Jan. 9: More about mutual funds and stocks.

For the series, Velshi and expert guests will take listeners calls and e-mails with the best ones each day earning listeners a copy of Gimme My Money Back: Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis. Questions can be submitted by calling 877.266.4189 or sending an e-mail to CNNRadio@CNN.com.

CNN Press Release - CNN.com and CNNMoney.com Register Best Months On Record

In October, CNN Digital secured the No. 1 spot in the Current Events and Global News category, as it served 134 million video streams – the highest month on record since tracking began in 2006. This is a 179 percent increase over this time last year. (Source: Nielsen Video Census, October 2008)

Compared to all competitors in the category for the month, CNN Digital also ranked No. 1 in:

- Streams Per Viewer with 16.2 per visitor;
- Total Time Spent with 407 million, a 22 percent increase versus last month; and
- Time Spent per Viewer with 49.2 minutes, 40-percent increase versus last month.

CNNMoney.com ranked No.1 in the Financial News & Information category as it served over 28 million video streams—more than all other sites in the category combined. This is a 56 percent increase over September 2008 and the highest month on record for the site. CNNMoney.com also ranked No. 1 in Time Spent Viewing and reached an all-time high with 50 million viewing minutes. (Source: Nielsen Video Census, October 2008)

October usage of CNN.com Live, the Internet’s only live, multi-stream video news service, was up more than 300 percent compared to last year, serving 10.5 million streams during the month. (Source: Omniture SiteCatalyst)

The International version of CNN.com also had a record month for video in October, increasing the number of video streams it served by 225 percent over the same time last year. (Source: Omniture SiteCataylst)

CNN Press Release - On Election Day, CNN.com broke traffic records across several metrics, including unique visitors, page views and live video streams.

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

CNN.com generated a remarkable 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.

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.

CNNPolitics.com also saw record-breaking traffic on Election Day, generating 30.1 million page views - a 43 percent increase over its pervious 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)

Check out the latest issue of Eliza Magazine with CNN.com Live anchor Nicole Lapin.

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

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.