CNN Reveals the Winners of the 'Your Political Ticket' iReport Convention Contest
CNN Press Release - CNN revealed the winners of the 'Your Political Ticket' iReport contest, who will join the network at this year's political conventions.
The iReporters will receive an all-expense paid trip alongside a guest to attend the one of the conventions. Three will attend the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, August 27-30, followed by the other three at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, September 3-6.
The winners will cover the conventions from a variety of angles, from first-person video commentary and on-air reporting, to photography coverage and interviews with convention attendees and local residents.
The winners are:
TAMPA – RNC
Alex Anderson Plymouth, Minnesota
Anderson is a student at Hillsdale College, where he majors in History. He is also an intern for the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington, D.C.
Matt Sky New York, New York
Sky is a web consultant freelancer, puppeteer, and long-time contributor to iReport who tackles newsy issues with a funny twist. Sky, who considers himself an Independent, but leans liberal, says he's interested to see whether Republican voters can unite behind Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Elizabeth Lauten Alexandria, Virginia
Lauten is a 29-year-old media consultant who has volunteered for every Republican presidential campaign since 2000. She has experience with print, broadcast, and online journalism, and says she bleeds "blood, sweat and politics."
CHARLOTTE – DNC
Omekongo Dibinga Washington, D.C.
Dibinga is a motivational speaker and diversity consultant. A member of the iReport community since 2009, Omekongo often tackles hot political topics with engaging video commentaries.
Melissa Fazli Yorba Linda, California
Fazli is a volunteer with "Organizing for America," Obama's grassroots campaign, and joined iReport in 2009. The mother of three is an aspiring documentarian and recent graduate from California State University of Fullerton.
Willie Harris Ewing, New Jersey
Harris is a 23-year-old student at Mercer County Community College and mentor with inner-city youth in Trenton. The Obama supporter described going to Charlotte during the DNC as "a dream."
Check out CNNiReport.com to follow the latest iReports from the conventions.
CNN iReport Kills Gotye? Singer Denies Death In A Tweet
An unvetted post on CNN iReport sparked a flurry of internet activity after it claimed singer Gotye had committed suicide, according to The Daily Telegraph.
"The CNN iReport stated: "At 4:32 AM EST, it was reported that Gotye had shot himself in the head with a 9mm handgun.
"He was pronounced dead at 4.45AM, and the investigation concluded that the cause of death was suicide.
"It was confirmed shortly after by family and friends. He was quickly taken to the Central Montmorency Hospital, but died from his injuries shortly after.
His family has stated that they plan a closed funeral."
Since the fake report was published, the musician took to Twitter to confirm he was still alive by tweeting: "I'm not dead", with the hashtag #pinkalbumtitles."
zap2it.com has an apparent screengrab of the false report on their blog and a link to the iReport - which has since been removed from the CNN site.
CNN has announced a new initiative enabling viewers to post questions on topics surrounding this year's election, to be answered by candidates and their campaign officials. CNN's press release below.
CNN Press Release:CNN iReport,
the network’s global participatory news community, announced today the
iReport Debate – the first fully user-generated debate series of the
2012 election cycle. Through the iReport platform anyone can participate
by raising the political topics and policy questions that matter most
to them, debating them with the community, and submitting their issues
for response by campaigns, candidates, and other newsmakers.
"We know CNN will cover the candidates
and big political events like no other network can. But we also know
they're only part of the story,” said Lila King, participation director
for CNN Digital. “The iReport Debate is meant to draw out the voices of
the voters and make sure that they are reflected in the way CNN covers
the election."
For the next several months, iReport will take a three-phased approach to put voters in the spotlight:
1) Name your issue: From
now until May 4, voters can nominate the election issue that matters
most to them by uploading video or text iReports. CNN will then identify
their top 20 issues and allow users to rank them by importance.
2)Talk it out:
Once the community selects their most pressing issues, iReporters will
be invited to go head-to-head and debate those topics throughout the
summer.
3)Make them listen:
Leading up to the general elections, CNN will invite the presidential
campaigns to participate in an iReport Interview, where community
members will have the opportunity to ask questions about the top issues
raised throughout the debate process.
CNN today announced that CNN iReport has reached a major milestone - one million users worldwide. Details from CNN's press release below.
CNN Press Release: CNN iReport, the network’s global participatory news community announces a major milestone – the platform has reached more than one million registered contributors.
The news comes on the heels of a complete overhaul of the iReport site last November, the launch of Open Story, a storytelling tool that allows the community to participate in the news in real time and the release of a custom built app for Android.
iReport continues to set the standard in citizen journalism and has further plans to grow the platform in 2012. Included in those plans will be new tools and features designed to carry iReport into all the places where people are telling stories, and then connect them back to CNN and the wider web.
CNN Press Release:Nominees to be Featured on CNN/U.S. and CNN International Week of March 7th. CNN.com Users to Select Community Choice Winner
CNN today announced that CNN iReport, the network’s user-generated news community, is launching the CNN iReport Awards to honor the best examples of participatory journalism in 2010 from CNN’s more than 740,000 iReporters globally. The final winners of the CNN iReport Awards will be announced on March 15.
“The collaborative relationship that we have with our iReporters is one of the unique strengths of CNN, and in many ways represents the future of storytelling,” said Meredith Artley, managing editor and vice president of CNN.com. “These awards are designed to celebrate those outstanding efforts.”
“iReport Awards are a great way for CNN to recognize some of the outstanding work in the iReport community,” said Lila King, participation director, CNN.com. “Every day, iReporters share their stories with CNN, and it is an honor to be able to showcase and recognize them for the impact they make on the news.”
The iReport Awards are divided into six categories: Breaking News, Original Reporting, Compelling Imagery (photos or video), Commentary, Personal Story, and Interview. From the more than 150,000 iReports received in 2010, a team of CNN journalists and producers selected five iReports as nominees in each category.
A panel of judges comprised of innovators and trailblazers in participatory storytelling will select a final winner in each category. The panel of judges for the CNN iReport Awards includes Errol Barnett, anchor and correspondent, CNN International; Rachel Campos Duffy, columnist, Parentdish.com; Ze Frank, CEO, Star.me; Dave Isay, founder, StoryCorps; Laura Brunow Miner, founder, Pictorymag.com; Shane Smith, president./co-founder VICE; Tim Shey, president/co-founder, Next News Network.
Of the 30 total nominees, online users also can show their support for the iReport they think best enhanced CNN’s storytelling in 2010 by voting for the Community Choice winner at www.CNNiReport.com/awards . Voting is open until noon ET on March 7.
Nominees will be featured the week of March 7 from 3-5pm ET, on CNN/U.S. during CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin. On CNN International, the nominees will be featured on iReport for CNN which airs Thursday, Febuary 17th at 11:30 p.m. ET and replays the following weekend.
CNN Press Release - Today, Google held a press event at its Mountain View, Calif., headquarters to preview Honeycomb 3.0 and how developers are using the platform. CNN was one of three brands selected to join Google on stage to give a sneak peek of CNN's latest mobile application: the CNN App on Android.
The app is scheduled to launch in Android Market soon in conjunction with the Android tablet's commercial launch.
Some highlights of the CNN App on Android Tablet are as follows:
Available for the Honeycomb platform, 3.0 SDK at launch
iReport capture and upload functionality is available first on Android tablets
Live and on-demand video, plus CNN Radio updates
Available for free on Android Market
During the event, CNN vice president of mobile Louis Gump and CNN.com participation director Lila King demonstrated a select few of the application's features, including:
Broadsheet: This main screen makes a broad range of stories easily accessible to the user by presenting up to 350 of the latest news stories in a grid-format that features powerful imagery and headlines. Users can dive more deeply into a topic by selecting from the navigation fragment or by swiping left and right. Further, the customized action bar offers direct access to iReport, Live Video and CNN Radio updates.
Live Video: Taking advantage of Honeycomb’s HTTP live streaming capabilities, CNN is delivering raw domestic and international live feeds for major stories and in breaking news scenarios
iReport: This is the first time that iReport has been available on a tablet. The CNN App for Android lets users browse user-generated content; register, sign-in to their account or sign on as a guest to capture and instantly upload user-generated photos and videos (through the front and rear cameras). Users can also browse iReport’s latest “assignments,” asking the community to weigh in on various news stories. Honeycomb's status bar pops up in the notifications tray, which lets a user know that their story has been uploaded. It continues to upload even when the app is closed.
CNN Press Release:CNN launches a multi-month network initiative to mark the most iconic moments and news events of the past 30 years.
CNN is asking viewers from around the world to submit their photos, memories, videos via iReport, the network’s user-generated news community, online or directly via the CNN international iPhone app.
"We're delighted that this landmark anniversary for CNN allows us to engage with our global audiences to produce a definitive take on the most significant events of the last three decades. The idea that attics and cellars may be hiding never-before-seen footage from iconic newsgathering moments is hugely exciting. 'CNN30: Were You There?' will take us beyond history's borders to reveal new insights on the events which have shaped our world," said Katherine Green, senior vice president of programming for CNN International.
"With this project, CNN is asking our audience to reflect on our shared history, and help us layer personal memories against iconic images from the biggest news events over the last 30 years,” said Lila King, participation director, CNN.com. "Our hope is that this ambitious project of marrying personal snapshots and original news footage will shine a new light on the moments that changed our lives as well as our world."
Viewers are together invited to help build an interactive timeline on CNN.com at www.cnn.com/30 of the past three decades, sharing their recollections and any archival footage, pictures and more. The best of these submissions will be featured in a half-hour special program premiering on CNN International on October 23 at 8:30pm (HKT). Users can also comment and like individual iReports on Facebook and Twitter.
Submissions are encouraged beyond the 30 events that CNN have listed which include:
The assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984
The 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union
The 1981 wedding of Charles and Diana
The 1997 Hong Kong handover
The 2008 Mumbai terror attacks
Chernobyl in 1986
The 2001 September 11 terror attacks
The 1989 Fall of the Berlin Wall
The 1990 release of Nelson Mandela
The 2004 Asia tsunami
The 1994 Rwandan genocide
Hurricane Katrina in 2005
The Haiti Earthquake in 2010.
The full list is at www.cnn.com/30 and deadline for submissions is October 15.
CNN Press Release: CNN Commemorates the Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with Special Programming throughout the Month of August
This month marks five years since Hurricane Katrina roared ashore in Louisiana and Mississippi, killing over 1,800 people and displacing many more. Just as residents were rebuilding their cities and towns after the storm, the Gulf oil disaster has crippled the region's fishing and tourism industries. CNN programming throughout dayside and into primetime will commemorate the 5th anniversary of the storm with special coverage across all platforms that will chronicle how communities, people and businesses have changed over the past five years and how far the region has come in their rebuilding efforts.
CNN Heroes: Coming Back from Katrina,hosted by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper kicks off CNN’s coverage and checks in with past CNN Heroes who are still in the area including: 2008’s CNN Hero of the Year Liz McCartney and her progress rebuilding homes with her group The St. Bernard Project; Top Ten CNN Hero Tad Agoglia and his First Response Team of first responders to natural disasters; 2009 Top Ten CNN Hero Derrick Tabb and his Roots of Music program for New Orleans kids; as well as additional new interviews with others in New Orleans who are doing great things to help rebuild the city. The half-hour special premieres Saturday & Sunday August 14th & 15th at 7:30pm ET. CNN International will broadcast the special on Sunday, August 22nd at 7am, 2:30pm and 10pm ET and Tuesday, August 24th at 8:30am and 12:30pmET.
New Orleans Rising, reported by CNN’s In America anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien, is an in-depth look at how five years after the hurricane; even a united and highly successful middle-class community like Pontchartrain Park struggles to rebuild. The one-hour documentary, premiering on August 21st at 8pm ET& PT, tells the story of actor and accidental developer Wendell Pierce. Pierce evacuated his elderly parents from their Pontchartrain home before the storm, and it became his mission to lead a charge to return his beloved childhood community to its former glory. While heagreed to lead the effort, Pierce had no experience as a neighborhood developer. But being ‘Pontchartrain to the core,’ he assembles a home-grown team of experts and forms a non-profit community development corporation. CNN documents his battle against bureaucratic red tape, miniscule financing and residents reluctant to return. Terence Blanchard composed and performed the theme music for New Orleans Rising. CNN International will broadcast New OrleansRising on Sunday, August 22nd at 3pm ET.
In 2005, CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reported from the darkened, flooded hallways of New Orleans’ Charity Hospital with doctors and nurses who had refused to abandon their patients during the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. For Sanjay Gupta M.D. (airs in two parts on Saturday and Sunday, August 28th & 29th at 7:30am ET), Gupta revisits the now-shuttered Charity Hospital with Dr. Ben Deboisblanc, the last doctor standing at Charity following the storm – and learns how the terrible storm has affected his life. Caring for patients during Katrina turned out to be a reprieve of sorts, his 20-year marriage ended shortly before the storm, and living alone and depressed as he battled to rebuild Charity, he discusses with Gupta the challenges many in New Orleans with medical needs have faced five years ago – and now.
CNN.com will feature a special section commemorating the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina at www.cnn.com/katrina. The site will feature select video packages and photos from New Orleans Rising and CNN Heroes: Coming Back from Katrina. Additionally, the section will showcase the rebuilding effort by featuring select photos and videos from CNN iReport, the network's user-generated news community. At CNN iReport, users can find dozens of CNN images taken in 2005 and early 2006 of the aftermath of the storm. iReporters can share information about the neighborhood or area where each photo was taken in the comments section, as well as download the image. Those iReporters located in the Gulf Coast region are encouraged to print the downloaded image, find its original location, and take a photograph lining the old photo up to the present-day view. iReporters can upload these dramatic, past-meets-present photos here.
CNN en Español senior correspondent Juan Carlos López will go back to New Orleans to talk to the families that he encountered when the powerful hurricane hit the coast. He’ll find out where the communities are in their rebuilding efforts. Live coverage will begin Thursday, August 26th and continue through Monday, August 30th.
CNN Press Release:Weeklong coverage anchored by Fionnuala Sweeney will feature live interviews, countrywide reports from Fred Pleitgen and viewer videos.
Fionnuala Sweeney will front a week of live interviews with guests from the world of politics, business, sport and culture, interspersed with reports from by CNN’s Fred Pleitgen, who will be in Poland earlier in June to file a range of stories for the i-list team.
As Poland’s upcoming elections determine the future of its political landscape in the aftermath of terrible tragedy, and as severe floods compound the country’s internal challenges, CNN looks at the country’s response to its difficulties at a critical time in its history and asks how well it is faring.
With Poland’s new leaders set to shape the country anew on the world stage, CNN also gauges Poland’s infrastructural progress towards hosting the European Championships in 2012, set against the backdrop of this year’s World Cup in South Africa.
The week examines the country’s economic health as well, as one of the few countries to record positive GDP growth rate during the global financial crisis: an in-depth look at Poland’s ‘Brain Gain’ examines how those who left Poland after the country joined the EU in 2004 are returning home to set up new businesses with newly acquired skills. Other reports will include a look at Poland’s role in the Community of Democracies movement as it marks its tenth anniversary and an examination of Poland’s reprivatisation of property.
“Since the start of the year i-list has been bringing our viewers a fresh insight into countries that are helping to shape the international community. The story of modern Poland is reverberating onto the broader world stage politically, socio-economically, culturally and in the sporting arena. i-list puts Poland’s role in the world today under the microscope through a diverse mix of interviews, reports and of course, our viewers’ own views,” said Mike McCarthy, vice president of coverage and feature programming for CNN International.
The programming also looks at some of the cultural and social aspects that shape its national identity including the legacy of its famous musical son Frederic Chopin in this his 200th anniversary year, and a look at Wroclaw, a new arrival on Europe’s list of hip cities.
CNN is asking viewers to submit their pictures and videos about Poland to iReport, and the best will be used on-air and online as part of the week-long programming.
This latest instalment of i-list continues a global journey which to date has included Bahrain, France, Georgia and Macedonia.
About CNN’s ‘i-List’
The ‘i-List’ highlights innovation and influence in industry, business, technology, culture and more, from a list of destinations that combines the familiar with the unfamiliar. It showcases a nation’s people and places – those having an impact inside and outside their borders. ‘i-List Poland’ is the fifth in the series, with France, Bahrain, Georgia and Macedonia profiled in earlier instalments this year.
CNN.com/ilist has an interactive map showcasing iList’s global journey so far, allowing users to test their knowledge on Poland in an online quiz. There’s a profile of Poland’s hippest city with CNN’s guide to Wroclaw and users can read about the first biometric ATM machine in Europe.
Tapping into CNN’s iReport community, the network is inviting passionate football fans around the world to submit videos outlining why they should be considered a ‘Super Fan’. CNN Press Release: CNN International Recruits Global Army of Football Fanatics with call for ‘Super Fans’
With less than three months until the 2010 World Cup kicks off in South Africa, CNN International is signing up a global army of football fanatics to become ‘Super Fans’.
Whether they are planning to cheer from the stadiums across South Africa, their local sports bars and pubs or are armchair pundits watching from their homes, all they need to do is have a passionate opinion about football and record a short video which needs to be submitted to www.cnn.com/ireport.
We want to hear about the impact of the World Cup in every competing country and the selected ‘Super Fans’ will appear on air on CNN International and online at www.cnn.com/superfans over the coming weeks and months as the world counts down to 11th June.
Please visit www.cnn.com/worldcup for an overview of CNN’s coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup including the latest football headlines; interviews with top players and coaches; a panoramic view inside Soccer City Stadium; a guide to all of South Africa’s World Cup venues; updates from the host country; and quizzes to test World Cup knowledge.
Also, follow CNN’s World Cup team on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/WorldCupCNN to receive updates on teams and footballers plus information about CNN’s on-air and online coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.
Audience Participation Drives CNNI's 'Road To Recovery' Coverage
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.
CNN Press Release - Building upon the popularity of iReport in the virtual world of Second Life, CNN has relocated to its own island. This island features new ‘in-world’ geographic elements and meeting spaces, including a virtual drive-in theater complete with a snack bar and vintage cars where visitors can view recent in-world iReports, pick up iReport gear to dress their avatars and check out the iReport.com/secondlife page.
CNN’s mission for iReport within Second Life remains as it did upon launch in 2008: to provide Second Life residents a way to identify and share news and events happening within their virtual community through the submission of “SL iReports.”
On the new iReport island, residents also will find the SL iReport news desk and an amphitheater, which where part of the original iReport hub and will continue to serve as places to host weekly editorial discussions, training and appearances by CNN journalists and correspondents. During the weekly discussions, held each Tuesday at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. SLT), CNN’s SL iReport ambassadors, CNN producers and editors active in virtual worlds moderate conversations with residents about the prior week’s SL iReports and upcoming in-world events that might be interesting to cover.
In our earlier post, we mentioned that CNN is soliciting iReport questions for Senator Barack Obama for use in an interview with The Situation Room host Wolf Blitzer. Here is one great question from my good friend Derrick. He is a medical student in St. Louis, MO. As of this writing, almost 80 questions have been chosen.
.
Producers at CNN's Global Headquarters were in touch with him earlier this afternoon about using his question. Congrats, Derrick! We'll be keeping our fingers crossed.
‘13th Amendment’ Wins Grand Jury Award in Inaugural iReport Film Festival
CNN Press Release - CNN Worldwide this week announced the winners of the iReport Film Festival, the network’s first user-generated short film competition. Following the theme “Campaign 2008,” the iReport Film Festival challenged filmmakers to document this year’s presidential campaign from their personal vantage point, whether they were volunteering for a campaign or had compelling stories about this election they wanted to document creatively.
Two short films were honored: “13th Amendment” received the Grand Jury Award, selected by a blue ribbon panel of judges; and “The Electoral College: Barack Obama and John McCain College Roommates” was bestowed the Audience Award, voted on by the iReport.com community.
“It's exciting to give our audience the opportunity to express their creativity around this election,” said Sue Bunda, executive vice president of content development and strategy for CNN Worldwide. “This film festival marks just one of numerous ways where we have engaged our users and empowered them to take a part in this election.”
For the Grand Jury Award-winning short film “13th Amendment,” Mike Dennis of Philadelphia, Pa., followed his 90-year-old grandmother on her trek to vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 Pennsylvania primary. The film, depicting the lifelong voter’s first opportunity to cast a vote on behalf of a black man for U.S. president, can be found at http://www.iReport.com/docs/DOC-90261.
In comments about “13th Amendment,” Grand Jury member and film reviewer Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times said: “In less than five minutes, Mike Dennis tells a complete story with an inspirational message. I was impressed by all the entries, and I'm sure I'll see many of these names on feature-length films and documentaries in the years to come.”
CNN also presented an “Audience Award” to “The Electoral College: Barack Obama and John McCain College Roommates” based on votes cast by iReport.com users. Submitted by Franco Carapellotti and Zach Hawrot, this short film takes a comedic look at the trails and tribulations of what would happen if Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama were assigned to the same dorm room in college. This short film can be found at http://www.iReport.com/docs/DOC-114339.
As part of their awards, the filmmakers will receive a trip to Washington, D.C., during the presidential inauguration and a high-definition video camera.
For the selection of the Grand Jury Award, CNN enlisted the following blue ribbon panel of industry experts: Lee Daniels, president and CEO of Lee Daniels Entertainment and producer of the award-winning film Monster’s Ball; Robert Davi, an actor whose resume includes a villainous role in the James Bond film License to Kill; Rachel Campos Duffy, a pioneer of reality television pioneer and host of the AOL Living Web site; Alex Gibney, 2008 Academy Award® winner for best documentary for Taxi to the Dark Side; Dennis Haysbert, an actor best known for his role as President David Palmer in the television series 24; Evan Coyne Maloney, a documentary filmmaker, video blogger and editor of the Web site Brain Terminal; Kimberly Rivers Roberts, 2008 Grand Jury Sundance Film Festival winner for Trouble the Water; Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times columnist and former co-host of At The Movies with Ebert and Roeper; and Fred Willard, an actor known for his comedic roles in such films as Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman.
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's iReport Film Festival selection Grand Jury Winner
CNN Press Release - For his short film “13th Amendment,” Mike Dennis of Philadelphia, Pa., followed his 90-year-old great-great-grandmother on her trek to vote for Barack Obama in the 2008 Pennsylvania primary. The film, depicting the lifelong voter’s first opportunity to cast a vote on behalf of a black man for U.S. president, took the Grand Jury Award at the iReport Film Festival, CNN’s first user-generated short film competition.
In comments about “13th Amendment,” film reviewer Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times said: “In less than five minutes, Mike Dennis tells a complete story with an inspirational message. I was impressed by all the entries, and I'm sure I'll see many of these names on feature-length films and documentaries in the years to come.”
Following the theme “Campaign 2008,” the iReport Film Festival provided a platform for filmmakers to document this year’s presidential campaign from their personal vantage point, whether they were volunteering for a campaign or had compelling stories about this election they wanted to document creatively. This short film can be found at http://www.iReport.com/docs/DOC-90261.
CNN Pressroom - Winners of Online Competition Announced on Anderson Cooper 360° Thursday, Nov. 13
CNN today announced the launch of the iReport Film Festival, CNN’s first user-generated short film competition, providing a platform for voters to document this year’s presidential campaign from their personal vantage point, whether they are volunteering for a campaign or have compelling stories about this election they want to document creatively. Winning submissions, judged by both CNN.com users and a panel of judges from the film and television industry, will be announced during Anderson Cooper 360° on Thursday, November 13.
“CNN was the first network to launch user-generated news coverage, with iReport, and then pioneered its integration into political coverage beginning with last year’s groundbreaking CNN/YouTube presidential debates,” said Jon Klein, president of CNN/U.S. “We remain committed to empowering Americans with the ability to engage directly with other viewers and voters, and we look forward to showcasing the raw, firsthand accounts from the campaign trail captured by the iReport.com community.”
Through iReport.com, CNN Worldwide’s uncensored, unfiltered, unedited, user-generated community news Web site, the iReport Film Festival will enable viewers to share their experiences of this memorable presidential campaign. To submit videos, filmmakers can go to www.iReport.com/filmfestival, where all of the entries also are available for viewing by the iReport.com community. Festival entrants must be 14 years of age or older. Their films must be no longer than eight minutes and must be uploaded to the site by midnight on Sunday, October 12.
Each Tuesday leading up to the announcement of the festival winners, one of the videos will be featured on Anderson Cooper 360°. Additionally, Headline News will showcase submissions Wednesday mornings on Morning Express with Robin Meade, Friday evenings on Showbiz Tonight, and over the weekend on News to Me.
“Since the launch of iReport.com, we have observed the formation of a community invested in voicing and documenting news as they see it with no boundaries,” said Sue Bunda, executive vice president of content development and strategy for CNN Worldwide. “The iReport Film Festival is an exciting opportunity to feature the iReport community’s viewpoints specific to this historic election year.”
Of the entries uploaded to www.iReport.com/filmfestival, 20 finalists will be selected by a committee composed of CNN producers, iReporters and students from film schools and high schools across the country. Those 20 films will be posted to CNN.com, where the site’s users will vote to determine the winner of the CNN Audience Award. The finalists also will be judged by a panel of professionals from the television and film industry for the Festival’s Grand Jury Award. Winners of the CNN Audience Award and the Grand Jury Award will be invited to travel to Washington, D.C., during the Presidential Inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009, to shoot another film for CNN’s consideration.
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.
Anderson Cooper Hosts New Year’s Eve Coverage Live from Times Square
CNN Pressroom - For the fourth year in a row, CNN’s Anderson Cooper will host live coverage of the New Year’s Eve celebration at New York City’s Times Square on Monday, Dec. 31, from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. (ET). For “New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper,” CNN anchors and correspondents will provide reports from celebrations across the country and around the world.
Joining Cooper in Times Square will be American Morning anchor Kiran Chetry and Headline News anchor Erica Hill. CNN correspondent Gary Tuchman will report live from New York City’s Central Park for the annual Midnight Run. Correspondent Sean Callebs will report from New Orleans, while correspondent Kareen Wynter will be in Las Vegas.
The program will feature musical performances from Earth, Wind & Fire in Las Vegas and Miranda Lambert and Widespread Panic, both in Atlanta. Also joining Cooper throughout the night will be comedienne Kathy Griffin.
Throughout the day and into the evening, CNN will solicit iReport contributions from its global audience and broadcast and post video, images and other submissions about celebrations around the world.
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.
Year-End Special Explores Impact of User-Generated Content on News
CNN Pressroom - CNN’s ‘iReport: Caught on Camera’ Premieres Wednesday, Dec. 26, at 8 p.m. (ET)
As 2007 comes to a close, CNN reviews the year’s most talked-about stories including the Virginia Tech tragedy, the Minneapolis bridge collapse and California’s wildfire through the eyes of its citizen journalists. “iReport: Caught on Camera” will highlight the most memorable news events of 2007 by showcasing material from iReporters – viewers and users who submit their own pictures and video of the news of the day via cell phones, cameras and other devices.
Hosted by Out in the Open’s Rick Sanchez, “iReport: Caught on Camera” will premiere on CNN/U.S. and CNN HD on Wednesday, Dec. 26, at 8 p.m., and replays on Tuesday, Jan. 1, at 8 p.m. All times Eastern. The special will also air on CNN International at various times depending on location.
“It’s hard to turn away when watching a news story unfold in the raw – unfiltered and user-generated,” Sanchez said. “iReport is cutting edge and has become a meeting place where news, television and today’s technology intersect and keep us in awe.”
The one-hour special is packed with the best iReports of 2007, featuring interviews with iReporters and CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein about the year’s biggest stories including the Virginia Tech tragedy, the riots in Myanmar, the Minneapolis bridge collapse and California’s wildfires. CNN anchors and correspondents Jim Acosta, Wolf Blitzer, Matthew Chance, Heidi Collins, Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon, David Mattingly, Chad Myers, Nic Robertson and Ted Rowlands also add dimension to the top stories from their own reporting during the year.
With more than 73,000 submissions in 2007, CNN’s iReport exposed the world to some of the most compelling images in the news over the last year and helped establish user-generated content as a powerful and viable means of newsgathering. The special replays compelling iReports of an earthquake in Peru, an eyewitness to a suicide bombing in Afghanistan, the top political iReports with Tom Foreman, a Taser incident during a John Kerry speech, severe weather around the world and contributions from U.S. troops and their families.
On the morning of April 16, iReport created a remarkable impression when chilling cell phone video from the campus of Virginia Tech provided viewers with a first-hand look at the tragedy that claimed the lives of 32 victims. Within 24 hours of the Virginia Tech tragedy, CNN received more than 420 submissions, ranging from eyewitness accounts of the events on campus to reflective and emotional tributes to those that lost their lives. The latest submission record was set during the recent California wildfires, when iReporters shared 11,680 videos and photos.
Viewers submit iReport material through a “Send Your iReport” link at CNN.com or by e-mail at ireport@cnn.com. Submitted material undergoes the same extensive vetting process CNN employs for all content that goes on air or online.
“iReport: Caught on Camera” will be broadcast in high definition. The executive producer is Michael Kane.
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 Creates Presence in Second Life, Extends iReport into Virtual World
CNN Pressroom - CNN Worldwide today announced it has opened a hub within Second Life, a three-dimensional virtual world entirely created by its residents. The network will look to those most familiar with the virtual world – the Second Life residents themselves – to determine what constitutes news “in-world.”
Just as CNN asks its real-life audience to submit iReports – user-generated content submitted from cell phones, computers, cameras and other equipment for broadcast and online reports – the network invites the residents of Second Life to share their own “SL iReports” about events occurring within the virtual world.
“The thing we most hope to gain by having a CNN presence in Second Life is to learn about virtual worlds and understand what news is most interesting and valuable to their residents,” said Susan Grant, executive vice president of CNN News Services. “Our iReport initiative has generated a great response from CNN viewers and users who contribute a wide variety of news, events and perspectives every day; and we are genuinely excited about the opportunity to forge a similar relationship with Second Life residents, albeit recognizing the need to customize the process for the virtual world.”
When Second Life residents observe an in-world event, they can take snapshots, shoot video, or write a report about the event and submit to CNN with a click. Submissions selected by CNN iReport producers will go back into Second Life as SL iReports for residents to view throughout the virtual world. SL iReports may also be viewed and discussed in the real world at CNN.com’s SL iReport Blog at www.CNN.com/secondlife, where users are invited to share comments and subscribe to daily e-mail updates sent via Real Simple Syndication (RSS).
CNN’s in-world hub includes a news desk where weekly editorial discussions will be held and an amphitheater for in-world events, such as training sessions and appearances by CNN anchors and correspondents. During the weekly editorial discussions, held each Tuesday at 5 p.m. (ET), one of CNN’s SL iReport ambassadors, CNN producers and editors with experience in virtual worlds, will moderate a conversation with residents about the prior week’s SL iReports and upcoming in-world events that might be interesting to cover.
At the network’s hub, residents also can meet SL iReport ambassadors and other resident reporters, as well as access iReport kiosks, free-standing terminals where residents can pick up free gear and tools for gathering and viewing in-world user-generated content.
Kiosks offer a variety of free gear and tools including:
· A “HUD” or “heads-up display,” a small, collapsible window that resides on the user’s computer screen enabling them to view the latest photo and text SL iReports while they are in Second Life;
· A continuous stream of the latest video SL iReports;
· An instructional video on what an SL iReport is and how to submit one;
· Avatar-ready apparel, including hats, T -shirts and press badges; and
· A duplicate copy of the kiosk itself, which residents can place wherever they choose across Second Life.
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.
