A source passed along a tip that Rima Maktabi may no longer be with CNN. Her twitter bio, which used to boast about her role as "CNN Anchor and Correspondent" is now reduced to nothing. Her bio is missing from the "Anchors" list but remains in the "Reporters M-Z" section which may mean nothing since the bio for Reynolds Wolf is still listed (and he's now freelance at The Weather Channel/NBC Universal) as well as Kathleen Parker, Bill Tucker, William Bennett, Gloria Rodriguez Mulloy, Sasha Rionda, (although those bio links are dead).
Perspectives on the ‘Arab Spring’ – and What Comes Next to be Focus of CNN Dialogues Event
CNN Press Release - February 09 Forum to be moderated by CNN International Anchor Hala Gorani at Atlanta’s Emory University
The political uprisings ignited in 2010 and 2011 in North Africa and the Middle East, labeled the ‘Arab Spring,’ have altered history and upended the balance of power in the region. The uncertainty and struggles that continue to unfold are the focus of “The ‘Arab Spring’: A Path to Democracy?,” a CNN Dialogues event that will be held at the Glenn Memorial Auditorium (1652 North Decatur Road) at Emory University in Atlanta on Thursday, Feb. 09 at 7:00pm ET.
CNN International anchor Hala Gorani will moderate a dynamic evening forum, exploring issues of democracy, women’s rights, the role of Islamists, and the role of social media in the uprisings from Tunisia to Egypt to Bahrain to Yemen with scholars, journalists, and activists. Gorani is based in Atlanta, but has reported from every country in the Middle East and North Africa, including Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. She spent much of 2011 covering the tumultuous political uprisings in the region, particularly the Egyptian revolution.
The panelists for this discussion are:
Lamees Dharif is an award-winning journalist and activist who has been active in the Bahraini resistance campaign. She has been banned from writing by the Bahraini government since the beginning of the democracy movement there;
Nic Robertson is a senior international correspondent, based in CNN’s London bureau. Robertson has been with the network for twenty years and covered every major global news event since that time, including war and conflict. Robertson has continued to provide key coverage for events associated with the ‘Arab Spring,’ including reporting on the democracy demonstrations and conflict in Libya, Egypt, Yemen, and Tunisia.
Ahed Al Hendi is a founder of the Syrian Youth for Justice and has worked as a journalist for publications including The Wall Street Journal, Foreign Affairs, and The Daily Beast. He lives in the United States.
Carrie Rosefsky Wickham is an associate professor of political science at Emory University, specializing in political opposition movements and political integration in the Arab World. She is the author of Mobilizing Islam: Religion, Activism and Political Change in Egypt: 1st Edition (2002).
Dalia Ziada is director of the Egypt office of the American Islamic Congress which promotes education and literacy for Arab youth. She is a published poet and active in pro-democracy politics.
This is the first CNN Dialogues event of 2012. Admission for this program is free, but pre-registration is required by visiting www.cnndialogues.com, or by calling the James Weldon Johnson Institute for Race and Difference at 404.727.2515, or the National Center for Civil and Human Rights at 404.991.6988.
About CNN Dialogues CNN Dialogues represents a partnership between CNN, Emory University’s James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study for Race and Difference and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights for a series of community discussions on major topics shaping our times, led by leading thinkers of the day. The planning committee for CNN Dialogues includes writer Pearl Cleage, Morehouse College President Robert Franklin, president and trustee of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Penelope McPhee, vice president for communications and marketing for Emory University Ron Sauder, executive vice president and director of programming for Atlanta’s World Affairs Council Cedric Suzman, president and CEO of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Tisha Tallman, and Eric Tanenblatt of the Atlanta-based law firm of McKenna, Long, and Aldrich.
Recently, CNN International's Hala Gorani was interviewed by Enigma Magazine for their November issue. In this article, she talks about heading out to a breaking news story, career goals, and the want to start a family.
And how does it work at a network like CNN? Who decides that critical point when they say we’re going to call in a senior anchor like you to cover a story?
To be quite honest, if I want to go, I don’t wait for them to ask me. I’ve never waited for someone to ask me to do anything. Sometimes it’s ‘yes’, sometimes its ‘no’, sometimes it’s doable, sometimes it’s not. But when it’s a historic story like Egypt, there’s little push back. I’ve been extremely lucky to have the support of my bosses to anchor big stories internationally. Whether it’s the Middle East, Haiti, or the Gulf oil spill, I’ve hardly had to ask. From the moment I send my first email they say, ‘Fine pack up and go’. While I was waiting for a visa to Syria to cover their uprising, it was nice to come to Egypt and cover important developments here following the Revolution. The world hasn’t been paying much attention to Egypt because of what’s happened in Japan and Libya, but I’m very glad I came.
What is your ultimate dream for yourself?
I’d like a family of my own. I think it’s about time. I hope it happens in the next two years.
CNN International's New Promotional Campaign Targets Europe, Middle East & Africa
CNN International last week launched a new promotional poster campaign in airports across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, including: London, Frankfurt, Paris, Stockholm, Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg. The print campaign will be backed up with an online presence and promotional spots to be aired on CNN International.
Click the images to the right of this post for a closer look at some of the new posters. CNN's press release follows below.
CNN Press Release:CNN International launches pan-EMEA brand campaign. Outdoor, print and digital executions focus on anchors’ expertise
CNN International is launching a pan-EMEA advertising campaign designed to underline its credentials as the world’s leading international news channel. The campaign seeks to build the profiles of its individual anchors, cementing their relationships with existing viewers and growing the channel’s core audience.
The creative uses hyper-real portrait photography of CNN International’s key presenters, including Richard Quest, Hala Gorani, Dan Rivers, Pedro Pinto and Becky Anderson, alongside lines such as “Richard. Your competitive advantage is my business”; “Pedro. Behind every sporting hero, there’s a story”; and “Hala. When we know it, you know it.”
Each of the executions uses the campaign line, “Go beyond borders, wherever you are.”
Posters will form the backbone of the campaign, running across airports in London, Frankfurt, Paris, Stockholm, Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg. Print ads will supplement the posters in key markets, as well as digital executions across a number of major online portals and promos on CNN International itself.
Gillian Power, marketing manager at CNN International, said: “The focus of the campaign is very much on our presenters, and the intelligence, relevance and credibility they have as individuals, but it’s also about our viewers. We want to remind them of the reasons they watch CNN International and the benefits they gain from it.”
The campaign runs from this month until early 2012. The creative agency was Play People, and media was planned and bought by MJ Media and PSI.
CNN International's Hala Gorani is scheduled to host a World Bank live webcast debate on gender equality later this morning. (via:Linking to Hala)
The brief from the World Bank Open Forum website says:
It’s 2011, and inequality is still a lifelong experience for girls and women. Women make up the majority of unpaid workers worldwide. Only 15% of landowners and one in five lawmakers globally are women. More girls are out of school than boys. Violence against women is still widespread.
It’s time to increase women’s economic opportunity and their voice in decision making. But how do we get to equal?
Join the conversation at the Open Forum: Gender – Getting to Equal in 3 ways:
1) SUBMIT IDEAS about ways “to get to equal” and overcome gender inequality in your community. Tell your friends to agree with your idea - the most popular ones will be debated during the Open Forum.
2) PARTICIPATE IN THE CHAT FORUM beginning Tuesday, September 20 at 12 pm Washington, DC, time. Gender activists, entrepreneurs, and academics will rotate as hosts for the 24-hour chat forum. Sign up for an email reminder on the right.
3) WATCH THE LIVE DEBATE hosted by CNN International's Hala Gorani, a distinguished panel of experts will continue the discussion about your ideas in a live webcast debate.
The webcast begins at 10:00am (eastern) and can be viewed by following the links on this website.
CNN Domestic/International Simulcast on Lybia Uprising
CNN is simulcasting with CNN International tonight live coverage of the uprising in Lybia. Here is an updated programming schedule tonight. We'll keep this post updated as new developments come in.
CNN Domestic and CNN International will jointly produce special coverage of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to Congress today.
Wolf Blitzer, Suzanne Malveaux and Hala Gorani will anchor, with Dana Bash, Elise Labott, Gloria Borger, Kevin Flower and Matthew Chance contributing reports and analysis from Washington, D.C. and Jerusalem.
In addition to television coverage, CNN will also stream Netanyahu's address on its mobile applications and CNN.com, where Elise Labott will host Foreign Policy magazine's Josh Rogin and Israeli spokesman Mark Regev in a live discussion focusing on the speech, its implications on peace efforts in the Middle East, and broader security issues around the region.
CNN special coverage begins at 10:45 (eastern) on CNN Domestic and CNN International.
CNN Domestic and CNN International will jointly produce coverage of President Obama's speech on Middle East Policy today.
According to CNN's press note, Wolf Blitzer, Suzanne Malveaux and Hala Gorani will anchor, with contributions from Fareed Zakaria, Gloria Borger, Ed Henry and Jill Dougherty. CNN reporters currently deployed in the Middle East will also report on reaction from their respective regions, including Nic Robertson from Tunisia, Kevin Flower from Israel, Rima Maktabi in Lebanon, and Sara Sidner, Ben Wedeman and Nima Elbagir all reporting from Libya.
The CNN / CNN International simulcast begins at 11:30a (eastern). Viewers can also view a live stream of the speech on CNN.com, as well as the CNN apps for smart phones.
CNN crews, including anchors Anderson Cooper and Hala Gorani, were among journalists attacked during violent clashes in Cairo today.
CNN International's Hala Gorani describes the moment when she was caught up in the chaos.
Below is dramatic video of Anderson Cooper and his team being roughed up.
During a live hit after the attack, Anderson Cooper describes how he and his team were set upon.
Anderson Cooper tweeted an update on how the CNN crew were feeling a short time ago:
Thanks for tweets of concern..I'm sore and head hurts but fine. Neil and mary anne are bruised but ok too. Thanks
CNN senior photojournalist Neil Hallsworth – who is working alongside Anderson Cooper – describes being attacked.
Live coverage of the unrest in Egypt continues across CNN Domestic, CNN International and CNN en Español. Coverage of events is also streaming online at CNN.com.
CNN Saturday Live Programming on Protests in Egypt
CNN Programming Release - CNN will air special editions of live Egypt-themed programming on Saturday include:
CNN/US and CNNI live simulcast programming all day on the protests in Egypt, includes primetime listed below:
6pmE - Crisis in Egypt with Wolf Blitzer and Hala Gorani Isha Sesay 7pmE - CNN Newsroom 8pmE - Crisis in Egypt with Wolf Blitzer and Hala Gorani Isha Sesay 9pmE - Crisis in Egypt with Wolf Blitzer and Hala Gorani Isha Sesay 10pmE - CNN Newsroom
UPDATE: Hala is headed to Egypt right now which explains the on-air personnel change.
CNN International today launched a new weekend edition of 'International Desk'. Anchored by Jonathan Mann, the 30 minute version of the program airs twice on Saturday and Sunday in the same time slot the weekend programs airs (1500 GMT & 1800 GMT).
Meanwhile, some viewers have expressed concern and outrage over CNN International's decision to reduce the main weekday European prime time version of 'International Desk' to 30 minutes (from 60 minutes).
"Hala's IDESK is one of the best programs during the European primetime lineup. Cutting it down is the worst decision they've made so far." - Axl0706
"I can't believe this is happening! Don't they realised that the I-Desk is one the most popular shows ever?" - jualexandria
"IDESK has probably the best flow of any CNNI show, with the best coverage of news. And the whole 1 hour never drags down as it is so fast-paced. With this news, this show will be no different than some of the weekend WR or W1, which to me, is not a good thing." - Junk Junk.
"I can say one thing about tghis decesion: Boooooooooooooooooooooo!" -hound815
"They are going to regret this one. Hala's one of the most popular anchors on CNNI. I'd probably still watch, but DEFINITELY not as often, if it wasn't for her." - Cee
Fans have also been taking to the program's facebook page to vent their anger at the move, and a protest page has also been started on the social networking site. The 'Linking to Hala Gorani' blog also calls on viewers of the show to express their disappointment via CNN's feedback page.
The move to shave 30 minutes off the 1800 GMT weekday edition is apparently a result of 'Prism' being extended to 60 minutes from this Monday. The taped feature program that normally aired following that show moves to 1830 GMT. The 1500 GMT edition of 'International Desk' will still run for 60 minutes.
** Edit to clarify: the weekday European prime time version is reduced to 30 minutes from 60 minutes.
CNN International's weekday news show, 'International Desk', received a fresh new look on Monday. Along with enhanced graphics - which builds on the previous set with added elements - the show also got a new theme. A video and some stills from the program are below.
CNN Press Release - A magnitude 8.8 earthquake strikes central Chile. The full extent of the damage is not yet known although there are reports of collapsed buildings and hundreds of people in the streets. MORE AT CNN.COM.
CNN teams heading to the area:
CNN Domestic Soledad O'Brien, anchor and special correspondent Dan Simon, national correspondent (coverage in Hawaii) John Zarella, Miami correspondent
CNN International Hala Gorani, CNNI anchor and reporter Sara Sidner, international correspondent Karl Penhaul, correspondent
CNN en Espanol Daniel Viotto, anchor
CNN Chile is a joint-venture between CNN and Liberty Global's VTR, CNN Chile launched in December 2008. In addition to a fully staffed local news production center based in Santiago, CNN Chile has complete access to CNN Worldwide’s newsgathering resources including the support of 4,000 journalists based around the globe.
FACTS: Launch: Dec. 4, 2008 Language: Spanish
Live Report from CNN Chile President Rolando Santos: click here.
CNN.com/live is streaming live coverage from CNN Chile and from affiliates in Honolulu http://live.cnn.com/
CNN TELEVISION PROGRAMMING UPDATES FOR SATURDAY, FEB. 27 ~ Live until 1pm ET ~ CNN Breaking News with Fredricka Whitfield and Rick Sanchez ~ 1pm-3pm ET ~ Simulcast CNNI ~ 3pm-7pm ET ~ CNN Breaking News with Fredricka Whitfield and Rick Sanchez ~ 7pm-9pm ET ~ CNN Breaking News with Don Lemon ~ 9pm-10pm ET ~ Live Larry King Live ~10pm-Midnight ET ~ CNN Breaking News with Don Lemon ~Midnight to 6am ET ~ Simulcast CNNI
CNN Press Release - CNN’s new monthly series i-List takes you to countries that are changing the way we live and look at the world around us.
The i-List will highlight innovation and influence in industry, business, technology, culture and more. It showcases a nation’s people and places – those having an impact inside and outside their borders.
From 8th February, CNN International turns its cameras on France in i-List: France, a special week of prime time programming and reports from the country that will uncover some of the economic, social, cultural and political developments currently shaping France and positioning the nation for the future. Throughout 2010, i-List is set to come from a number of Asian countries.
Mike McCarthy, CNN International’s Vice President of coverage and feature programming commented: “With i-List, we wanted to give our viewers and users insightful and intelligent programming about countries that are changing the way we think and how we live in an Interconnected world.
“It will highlight the inventive people, innovative businesses and inspirational cultural trends in nations that directly impact the way we live and do business in the future.
“We are delighted to launch our showpiece series in France. It’s a country that fascinates and intrigues our audience and we are looking forward to a week of compelling programming”.
CNN will anchor two of its signature European prime time shows from France. Hala Gorani will be in Paris with ‘I-Desk’ and Fionnuala Sweeney in Lyon with ‘World One’. As well there will be a series of specially commissioned reports by correspondents Jim Bittermann and Atika Schubert.
CNN’s Paris-based Senior Correspondent Jim Bittermann – recently awarded the Legion of Honour for his 30 years of distinguished reporting on France – examines how France is leveraging long established ties with China and India through the entrepreneurial spirit of business leaders such as the legendary Pierre Cardin, former French Prime Minister and Senator Pierre Rafferin and inspirational Club Med chairman Henri Giscard d’Estaing.
Atika Shubert begins our week at the Lyon Library which has joined up with Google Books to post 500,000 ancient manuscripts online. French officials fear that the scanning project by Google will put the country's national literary treasures in the control of corporate hands. Lyon's Library Director shows CNN the rare document he believes need to be scanned by Google. Atika Shubert then travels to Marseilles – the nation’s third largest city, a standard bearer for cultural integration and set to be Europe’s Capital of Culture in 2013. Two Islamic leaders give viewers an insight into the “Muslim Marseilles” in a report that highlights how immigration and integration in the city can set an example, not just for other French cities, but for cities beyond its borders.
The high energy rappers Fonky Family offer an intriguing insight into what the accolade “Capital of Culture” could mean for the future of this historical port city in 2013 and a day spent with the superstars of the Olympic Marseilles explains what makes this Mediterranean city so special for football fans around France.
The special week of coverage will culminate with a 30 minute debate hosted by CNN’s Hala Gorani with a panel of French personalities including Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon. Online users will be able to visit the i-List microsite, www.cnn.com/ilist for video packages and more.
Program schedule (subject to change) :
Airtimes: Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore and Taipei (minus 1 hr for Bangkok & Jakarta
Feb 9 – 12 : Fionnuala Sweeney anchors ‘World One’ live at 0430 from Lyon (Feb 9, 10) and Paris (Feb 11, 12)
Feb 9 – 13: Hala Gorani anchors “I-Desk” live at 0200 from Paris Feb 9 – 12: Reports and live interviews across Europe prime time programming, from 0000 to 0500
[Editor's Note:Click here to view the current promo for the iList French Special.]
Becky Anderson's new show Connect The World is set to launch on CNN International in the coming days. You can check in with her show page/blog at http://www.cnn.com/connect.
The page describes her show as:
Connect The World takes viewers on a sweeping journey across continents, beyond headlines and into histories, possibilities and depths of the stories that are changing our world. Host Becky Anderson and guests will join the dots of stories and events by exploring how an event or circumstance in one part of the world can have significant impact and reach elsewhere.
Look for Connect The World to debut Monday after International Desk.
Speaking of International Desk... it is moving to a new time starting Monday. Look for the show to air at 3 PM EST/9 PM CET.
International Desk brings viewers into the heart of the largest news gathering operation in the world. Viewers don't come here to "watch" the news; they come here to be immersed in it, to feel the rush of being the first to know what's happening as stories break, and to leave knowing they've gotten the best and latest information available.
We're hearing rumors of who the host of this new show might be... actually, we might just know who it is. ;) But we want to know who YOU think it should be!
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)
At 0849 gmt this morning, CNN/I broke into the live edition of World Sport, with Candy Reid in Atlanta, to bring breaking news coverage of the sentence of Saddam Hussein's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid, "Chemical Ali", for his role in the death of Iraqi Kurds in Anfal in the late 80s.
Rather than Shihab Rattansi bring this breaking news from CNN Center, Hala Gorani did so live from Baghdad. (This allowed World Sport to continue off-air, for the rebroadcasts later today). Hala spoke to several people on the phone with archive footage of the attacks and the aftermath shown on-screen. Delayed footage of the trial in Baghdad was also shown.
Coverage broke off for a break at 0857 gmt, and at 0900 gmt Shihab Rattansi returned at CNN Center and together with Hala Gorani in Baghdad, breaking news coverage continued. Larry King Replay started at 0907 gmt in progress.
(As an aside...I always assumed that the airing of Larry King at 0900 gmt was a recording CNN/I had made, and then played out. But I've recently realised that Larry King Live is also rebroadcast on CNN/US at the same time. So, technically, I wonder if CNN/I actually cuts to CNN/US for this?)
CNN/I cut into Larry King at 0925 gmt to bring further breaking news coverage of the Chemical Ali sentencing. Due to the delay of the courtroom video footage, there was no footage of Ali receiving his sentence until now, and this was aired while Shihab spoke to Hala in Baghdad.
CNN Press Release - 
