CNN Press Release - On Monday, February 18, CNN International anchor Michael Holmes will join Suzanne Malveaux as co-anchor of Newsroom International. Malveaux and Holmes will take viewers around the world in 60 minutes covering the day's most important global news, trends and destinations.

 In addition to Newsroom International on CNN/US, Holmes will continue to anchor CNN International's daily news program, International Desk.

CNN Press Release - Liza McGuirk named Executive Producer of Amanpour

Christiane Amanpour returns to CNN Worldwide this spring and will broadcast her signature program, Amanpour, in primetime in Europe and throughout the world in more than 200 countries as the centerpiece of a new CNN International lineup, it was announced today by Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International.

Each weeknight on CNN International, Amanpour will deliver the definitive international news and interview program that CNN’s worldwide audience has come to expect of the preeminent global journalist. Amanpour will air weekdays at 3 p.m. and replay at 5 p.m. (ET) on CNN International. The half-hour show will air twice during European primetime, providing viewers with an additional opportunity to tune in for a distinct take on the challenging issues facing the world.

Liza McGuirk, an award-winning producer who has more than two decades of experience in television journalism both producing and reporting, will be the executive producer of Amanpour. McGuirk will be based in New York along with Amanpour.

In the unique relationship announced in December, Amanpour’s primary role is as global affairs anchor for ABC News blazing a trail in international reporting for American viewers, in addition to her new program on CNN International reaching a vast global audience. She will continue her courageous reporting in war-torn countries for all ABC News programs, platforms and online, including her unmatched ability to land major and rare exclusive interviews with world leaders - including last year’s only interviews with Moammar Gadhafi and Hosni Mubarak. As global affairs anchor for ABC News, her ongoing assignments range from the uprisings in the Middle East to Iran's nuclear program to the Eurozone crisis. Amanpour will also report on new conflicts, natural disasters and humanitarian crises, anchor four primetime specials on ABC and continue Around the World with Christiane Amanpour, her recently launched video series for ABCNews.com and Yahoo News.

“We are delighted to see Amanpour return to the heart of CNN International’s lineup,” said Maddox. “Christiane has proven herself time and time again to be the leading international journalist in television news and with Liza’s commitment to producing compelling television, Amanpour will showcase the very best CNN has to offer.”

“I’m thrilled that Christiane’s powerful, utterly original journalistic voice will once again be heard around the world, and I look forward to helping her shape an important program at a time of great global change,” said McGuirk.

Amanpour will be at the center of a dynamic new lineup featuring existing programs International Desk, Quest Means Business, Connect the World with Becky Anderson and Piers Morgan Tonight as well as a new weekday news program anchored by CNN’s Isha Sesay, who also appears on Anderson Cooper 360°.

With the launch of Amanpour, CNN International is once again offering Europe’s primetime audience a destination program featuring one of the world’s most distinguished journalists. Known for her tough questions and extraordinary depth of knowledge, Amanpour will focus on international stories shaping the news agenda, delivering sharp analysis to an audience of more than 280 million households in more than 200 countries around the world with CNN International.

Amanpour and McGuirk have previously collaborated on a number of projects for CNN, including the award-winning 1999 documentary about Iran, Revolutionary Journey. In June 2008, McGuirk launched the Sunday morning news and discussion program Fareed Zakaria: GPS, which was nominated for an Emmy after just months of being on air. Most recently she served as the executive producer of Parker Spitzer. She also worked at CBS News for eight years, including four years producing and writing segments for the late 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley. McGuirk reports to Mike McCarthy, senior vice president of programming for CNN International.

Amanpour spent more than 25 years reporting from around the globe for CNN. Most recently, she was CNN's chief international correspondent and anchored Amanpour on CNN International from September 2009 to April 2010. In the summer of 2010, Amanpour joined ABC News and became host of ABC News’ This Week, where she was the only Sunday morning anchor nominated for an Emmy award. Her body of work has earned nine News and Documentary Emmys, four George Foster Peabody Awards, two George Polk Awards, three duPont-Columbia Awards, the Courage in Journalism Award, an Edward R. Murrow award, an inaugural Television Academy Honor and nine honorary degrees.

CNNI’s new European primetime lineup (All times Eastern): 1 p.m. International Desk; 2 p.m. Quest Means Business; 3 p.m. Amanpour; 3:30 p.m. new Isha Sesay-anchored show; 4 p.m. Connect the World with Becky Anderson; 5 p.m. Amanpour (encore); 5:30 p.m. World Sport; 6 p.m. Piers Morgan Tonight.

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.

Michael Holmes is leaving CNN International's Back|Story, effective this Friday.

Holmes will swap roles with fellow CNN International anchor Isha Sesay and move to hosting duties of the 10:00am (eastern) edition of International Desk. Sesay, a regular fill-in host on Back|Story, assumes the Back|Story role fulltime from next Monday.

Holmes made the announcement on Back|Story's facebook page earlier today:

"I shall very much miss working with our amazing team (although I'll probably keep my desk, so I'll be all of three feet away from them!) and enjoying the routine of putting this terrific show together. It's really been an honour to work on this show, with these people and I'm going to miss it. But the new challenge awaits and I'm looking forward to anchoring an hour of hard news every day.

I shall also very much miss you - our incredibly loyal, enthusiastic and "involved" viewers. You guys have been amazing from day one, offering your thoughts, story ideas and even questions for our interviews with guests and correspondents.

From Africa to Europe to Asia to North and South America, you have been fantastic - and have made the BackStory FB page by far the most popular of all CNNi's shows!

I'll be here for the rest of the week and my last show will be this Friday. I do hope you can be with me this week, give Isha a great welcome, and tune in to Idesk as well as BackStory!! :)"

Michael Holmes has hosted the popular daily program since its launch in 2008. Each day, Back|Story provides a behind-the-scenes look at CNN's worldwide newsgathering efforts, giving viewers extra insight into the day's top stories.

CNN Press Release: Isha Sesay Joins Anderson Cooper 360° Beginning Monday, January 17th

Isha Sesay is an anchor for CNN International based at the network’s global headquarters in Atlanta. Sesay joins the Anderson Cooper 360° team and will provide news updates throughout the hour. She is expected to appear on the program on a nightly basis while still continuing her duties at CNN International.

In addition to her role on AC360, Sesay anchors 10am ET edition of International Desk Monday through Thursday from Atlanta. She also hosts and reports for Inside Africa, CNN International’s award-winning, weekly program dedicated to providing viewers with an inside look at political, economic, social and cultural affairs and trends in Africa.

A seasoned journalist, Sesay has covered numerous breaking news and world news events such as the kidnapping of British toddler, Margaret Hill, in the Niger Delta; death of Slobodan Milosevic; Liberia’s historic election of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf; the hospitalization of Ariel Sharon; the foiled transatlantic plane bomb plot; the Israeli-Hezbollah war; and the Live Earth concert in Johannesburg, South Africa.

While on assignment in South Africa in 2007, she covered the launch of ‘The Elders’- an initiative founded by Nelson Mandela to tackle the world’s intractable problems. Sesay also traveled to Nigeria to cover the country’s historic presidential elections in April 2007, which saw the transfer of power from one civilian government to another for the first time in the nation’s history. While there, she conducted one-on-one interviews with both the outgoing president Olusegun Obasanjo, and the new leader, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Sesay joined CNN in November 2005 from the UK broadcaster ITN, where she anchored ITV’s Early Morning News programme, as well news bulletins for the UK’s most watched breakfast programme ‘GMTV.’Prior to this, Sesay spent over three years presenting ‘Good Morning Sports Fans’ for Sky Sports. From 1998-2001, Sesay presented a wide range of programmes across the BBC networks.

A Briton of Sierra Leonean parentage, Sesay holds a BA honours English degree from Trinity College, Cambridge University.

CNN Press Release: CNN CONNECTS VIEWERS TO NEW EVENING PRIMETIME LINE-UP USING AUGMENTED REALITY TECHNOLOGY

CNN is redefining the news experience for its viewers debuting a unique technology-driven global marketing campaign. To launch CNN's new weekday evening primetime line up in Asia Pacific, led by News Stream airing at 9pm Hong Kong time, the campaign uses Augmented Reality technology to animate CNN anchor Kristie Lu Stout.

Using image recognition and 3D graphics, the News Stream host appears on the computer screen once the application is downloaded from www.tonightoncnn.com/ar and activated by a webcam. Users can then share their experience through Facebook and Twitter.

The Augmented Reality experience also serves to introduce CNN's global audience to its new Asia primetime evening line up from 9pm to midnight Hong Kong time, while connecting them further to the CNN brand.

In Asia Pacific the digital campaign further extends to an extensive print and on-ground experience across Hong Kong, Singapore and India. Starting November 17 in Hong Kong, the network brings its news studio to the city's streets in branded CNN Augmented Reality Vans to allow consumers the opportunity to experience the technology first hand.

The new campaign launches as the global news network continues its month of dedicated Asia coverage, encompassing special programming weeks from Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia.


About CNN's weekday evening primetime line up (all Hong Kong time)

21:00 News Stream is an hour-long show hosted by award-winning anchor Kristie Lu Stout that uses smart, cutting-edge technology to better relate news stories and forge relationships with viewers.

22:00 World Business Today, anchored from the world's three most influential financial hubs with Andrew Stevens in Hong Kong, Charles Hodson in London and Maggie Lake in New York, the program follows the opening of the New York Stock Exchange and provides an hour of insightful business news and analysis.

23:00 International Desk with Isha Sesay brings viewers into the heart of CNN as news stories develop and break.

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).

Some example comments from the International Desk and Hala Gorani threads on the forum:

"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.

Title card:

In-show title projection and gizmo:

"Live" hit transition:

"Developing Story" bump:


Commercial playoff window:

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.

CNN Press Release - With G-20 looming, CNN International harnesses its newly expanded newsgathering operation with an ambitious slate of new programming, and a comprehensive audience engagement initiative, to search for global solutions and personal success stories amongst the daily headlines of lay-offs and bail-outs.

Continuing the extensive viewer dialogue that started in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos featuring feedback from online users, YouTubers and bloggers, beginning today CNN will solicit viewers and users on air and online at http://www.ireport.com one thing, as well as social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube, to ask the question ‘What is the one thing you are doing to beat the recession?'

"We want to get the world view on how people are navigating, surviving and thriving in these difficult times," said Katherine Green, senior vice president of CNN International. "With correspondents based around the world, we will bring regular updates of how different countries are tackling the issues, and we also want to hear directly from people themselves and put their own stories at the heart of our programming."

This global user-generated content initiative will sit alongside CNN's extensive on-air commitment to showcase not only the challenges but also the opportunities arising from the economic situation. The newly launched business show ‘Quest Means Business', hosted by business expert Richard Quest, leads the network's coverage with a combination of A-list interviews and regular real-time ‘tweeting' with viewers via Twitter.

From the streets of Mumbai to the cafes of Paris and the sushi bars of Tokyo to the London Stock Exchange, CNN brings you the human stories of the recession and the road to recovery, as well as the jargon, numbers, company statements and share prices from the corporate world to give the full perspective from both the boardroom and the high street. The TV output will be complemented by a full interactive companion site at www.CNN.com/recovery, which hosts a customized, interactive Google Earth map featuring stories, videos, blogs and iReports that represent a snapshot of the global recession. The map also includes introductory videos from CNN correspondents around the world that show how their local regions are dealing with the recession.

The launch of ‘Road to Recovery' coincides with the expansion of CNN's programming line up, including ‘Quest Means Business' and soon to be enhanced by additional shows anchored by European talent like Becky Anderson and Fionnuala Sweeney, and culminating later this year in a nightly interview show hosted by internationally acclaimed chief international reporter Christiane Amanpour.

"Richard's business expertise, coupled with that of other presenter colleagues and a roster of correspondent reports from around the world, will bring a breadth of reporting that we doubt you'll see elsewhere" added Green. "And that's what you need on this most globally interconnected of stories."

About CNN's coverage:

Together with ‘World Business Today' anchored by Andrew Stevens from Hong Kong, Charles Hodson from London and Maggie Lake from New York at 1530 and 2100 HKT, other weekday programs driving this ‘Road to Recovery' coverage include ‘Quest Means Business' at 0200 HKT and ‘International Desk' hosted by Hala Gorani from Atlanta at 0000 HKT.

Taking full advantage of CNN's global resources, these destination programs will be instrumental in covering the G-20 on April 2 for the network. Richard Quest, Charles Hodson and Paula Newton will report live throughout the day from the ExCel center while Nic Robertson, Phil Black and Jim Boulden will offer reports on local reaction to the economy-focused summit. White House correspondents Suzanne Malveaux and Ed Henry will be present covering U.S. President Barack Obama's first trip to Europe since being elected president.

iReport.com is reaching out to users, specifically those who live in a G-20 country, to submit videos and photos of the message they want their representatives to pass on at the summit and what changes, if any, they expect to occur. CNN's iReport correspondent, Errol Barnett, plans to take some of these G-20 focused iReports, highlight them in special segments on air and designate the iReporters as regular contributors during CNN's coverage of the G-20.

"Live from CNN Center..." International Desk launched just minutes ago on CNN International. Anchored by Hala Gorani, this show is based very much on CNN Domestic's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.

What are your thoughts of this new show? Hit the comment button below and let us know what you think!

View more captures of the new show at our partner site, cnnfan.org!

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!

For the past two months, users at the CNNFan.org forum have been speculating on a graphics revamp coming to CNN International. In a sign that the new look could be imminent, a new CNN International bug has been spotted within the last 12 hours. The apparent new bug appears on an “Impact Your World” report that is airing on the network, as well as streaming on CNN.com (where we grabbed the picture below from)


CNN US introduced a new graphics package in December last year, and some are pointing out the similarities to that package, and the look of the apparent new CNN International bug. There is some speculation that the new look will mostly mirror that of CNN US. If this is the case, it will be the first time both networks have shared a common look since the mid 90’s.

Also in news from CNN International, the first in a series of new programs launching this year will debut on the network over the next fortnight: “Quest Means Business” - Richard Quest's new program - premieres this coming Monday at 1900 GMT, while ‘International Desk” will premiere at 1700 GMT on February 2.