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Cable News Network, almost always referred to by its initialism CNN, is a major US Cable News Network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first station to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television network in the United States. While the news network has numerous affiliates, CNN primarily broadcasts from its headquarters at the CNN Center in Atlanta, the Time Warner Center in New York City, and studios in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.
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Encyclopedia
Cable News Network, almost always referred to by its initialism CNN, is a major US Cable News Network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first station to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television network in the United States. While the news network has numerous affiliates, CNN primarily broadcasts from its headquarters at the CNN Center in Atlanta, the Time Warner Center in New York City, and studios in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. CNN is owned by parent company Time Warner, and the U.S. news network is a division of the Turner Broadcasting System.
CNN is sometimes referred to as CNN/U.S. to distinguish the North American channel from its international counterpart, CNN International. Its news gathering resources are second only to Britain's BBC News in the number of employed news journalists and worldwide news bureaus. As of June 2008, CNN is available in over 93 million U.S. households. Broadcast coverage extends to over 890,000 American hotel rooms, and the U.S broadcast is also shown in Canada. Globally, CNN programming airs through CNN International, which can be seen by viewers in over 212 countries and territories.
The first CNN broadcast went live on June 1, 1980. By providing around-the-clock news reports and updates, the network became an alternative to the traditional morning and evening news cycle that had dominated television news since its inception. CNN gained further prominence with its exclusive live coverage of the Gulf War in 1991, which brought global attention to the network. A sister channel, Headline News (originally called CNN2), launched in 1982, and CNN International debuted in 1985. Since CNN's debut, more than 70 television networks have launched with 24-hour news coverage.
In terms of unique viewers (Nielsen Cume Ratings), CNN rates as America's number one cable news network, and is ranked number two behind Fox News in total audience Nielsen ratings. Like MSNBC, CNN has been accused of leaning left and catering to a more liberal audience, whereas Fox News has been regarded as catering to a more conservative audience.
CNN's main slogan is "The Most Trusted Name in News."
History
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The Cable News Network was launched at 5:00 p.m. EST on Sunday June 1, 1980. After an introduction by Ted Turner, the husband and wife team of David Walker and Lois Hart anchored the first newscast. Since its debut, CNN has expanded its reach to a number of cable and satellite television networks, several web sites, specialized closed-circuit networks (such as CNN Airport Network), and a radio network. The network has 36 bureaus (10 domestic, 26 international), more than 900 affiliated local stations, and several regional and foreign-language networks around the world. The network's success made a bona-fide mogul of founder Ted Turner and set the stage for the Time Warner conglomerate's eventual acquisition of Turner Broadcasting.
A companion network, Headline News (originally called CNN2) was launched on January 1, 1982 and featured a continuous 24-hour cycle of 30-minute news broadcasts. Headline News broke from its original format in 2005 with the addition of Headline Prime. The added Headline Prime programs featured confrontational personalities like radio talk-show host Glenn Beck and former Fulton County, Georgia prosecutor Nancy Grace.
CNN HD was launched September 1, 2007, and was first nationally distributed by DirecTV on September 26, 2007.
The rescue of Baby Jessica
On October 14, 1987, an eighteen-month-old todler named Jessica McClure fell down a well Midland, Texas. CNN was quickly on the spot, and the event helped make their name. The New York Times ran a retrospective article in 1995 on the impact of live video news. "If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a moving picture is worth many times that, and a live moving picture makes an emotional connection that goes deeper than logic and lasts well beyond the actual event. This was before correspondents reported live from the enemy capital while American bombs were falling. Before Saddam Hussein held a surreal press conference with a few of the hundreds of Americans he was holding hostage. Before the nation watched, riveted but powerless, as Los Angeles was looted and burned. Before O. J. Simpson took a slow ride in a white Bronco, and before everyone close to his case had an agent and a book contract. This was uncharted territory just a short time ago."
The Gulf War
The first Persian Gulf War in 1991 was a watershed event for CNN that catapulted the network past the "big three" American networks for the first time in its history, largely due to an unprecedented, historical scoop: CNN was the only news outlet with the ability to communicate from inside Iraq during the initial hours of the American bombing campaign, with live reports from the al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad by reporters Bernard Shaw, John Holliman, and Peter Arnett.
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The moment when bombing began was announced on CNN by Bernard Shaw on January 16, 1991 as follows:
The Gulf War experience brought CNN some much sought-after legitimacy and made household names of previously obscure (and infamously low-paid) reporters. Many of these reporters now comprise CNN's "old guard." Bernard Shaw became CNN's chief anchor until his retirement in 2001. Others include then-Pentagon correspondent Wolf Blitzer (now host of The Situation Room and Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer) and international correspondent Christiane Amanpour. Amanpour's presence in Iraq was caricatured by actress Nora Dunn as the ruthless reporter "Adriana Cruz" in the film Three Kings (1999). Time Warner later produced a television movie, Live from Baghdad, about the network's coverage of the first Gulf War, which aired on HBO.
The CNN effect
Coverage of the first Gulf War and other crises of the early 1990s (particularly the infamous Battle of Mogadishu) led officials at the Pentagon to coin the term "the CNN effect" to describe the perceived impact of real time, 24-hour news coverage on the decision-making processes of the American government.
September 11
CNN was the first network to break the news of the September 11 attacks. Anchor Carol Lin was on the air to deliver the first public report of the event. She broke into a commercial at 8:49 a.m. ET and said:
Daryn Kagan and Leon Harris were live on the air just after 9 a.m. ET as the second plane hit the World Trade Center and through an interview with CNN correspondent David Ensor, reported the news that U.S. officials determined "that this is a terrorist act." Later, Aaron Brown anchored through the day and night as the attacks unfolded. Brown had just come to CNN from ABC to be the Breaking News anchor.
Sean Murtagh, CNN vice-president for finance & administration, was the first network employee on the air in New York.
2008 U.S. election
Leading up to the 2008 U.S. presidential election, CNN devoted large amounts of coverage to politics, including hosting candidate debates during the Democratic and Republican primary seasons. In 2007, the network hosted the first CNN-YouTube presidential debates, a non-traditional format where viewers were invited to pre-submit questions over the internet via the YouTube video-sharing service. In 2008, CNN partnered with The Los Angeles Times to host two primary debates leading up to its coverage of Super Tuesday. CNN's debate and election night coverage led to its highest ratings of the year, with January 2008 viewership averaging 1.1 million viewers, a 41% increase over the previous year.
Experiments
CNN launched two specialty news channels for the American market which would later close amid competitive pressure: CNNSI shut down in 2002, and CNNfn shut down after nine years on the air in December 2004. CNN and Sports Illustrated's partnership continues today online at CNNSI.com. CNNfn's former website now redirects to money.cnn.com, a product of CNN's strategic partnership with Money magazine. Money and SI are both properties of Time Warner, along with CNN.
Programming
Current shows
Weekdays |
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| ET | Program | Host(s) | Location | Description |
|---|
| 6a-9a | | John Roberts and Kiran Chetry | New York | The network's morning news program. | | 9a-11a | | Heidi Collins | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. | | 11a-1p | Tony Harris | | 1p-3p | Kyra Phillips | | 3p-4p | Rick Sanchez | Sanchez is built around viewer interaction using social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook. | | 4p-7p | | Wolf Blitzer | Washington D.C. | A fast-paced look at the day's top stories, focusing on politics, homeland security, and human interest stories. | | 7p-8p | | Lou Dobbs | New York | A nightly news and discussion program. | | 8p-9p | Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull | Campbell Brown | New York | Discussion of the day's top political news and issues that matter to voters. | | 9p-10p | | Larry King | Los Angeles | A nightly talk / call in program, often featuring live celebrity interviews. | | 10p-12a | Anderson Cooper 360 | Anderson Cooper | New York | A fast-paced, nightly news program. The second hour is typically a repeat of the first, unless special events or breaking news warrant it to be live. |
Saturday |
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| ET | Program | Hosts | Location | Description |
|---|
| 6a-730a | CNN Saturday Morning | Betty Nguyen and T. J. Holmes | Atlanta | The network's weekend morning news program. | | 730a-8a | | Dr. Sanjay Gupta | New York | Medical news program. | | 8a-930a | CNN Saturday Morning | Betty Nguyen and T. J. Holmes | Atlanta | The network's weekend morning news program. | | 930a-10a | | Gerri Willis | New York | A personal finance show with a focus on the viewer's bottom line. | | 10a-12p | | Betty Nguyen and T. J. Holmes | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. | | 12p-1p | Fredricka Whitfield | | 1p-2p | | Ali Velshi and Christine Romans | New York | A weekend business news program. | | 2p-5p | | Fredricka Whitfield | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. | | 5p-6p | Don Lemon | | 6p-7p | | Wolf Blitzer | Washington D.C. | Weekly look at political news. | | 7p-8p | | Don Lemon | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. | | 8p-9p | | Various special programming | | 9p-10p | | Larry King | Los Angeles | A nightly talk program. | | 10p-11p | | D.L. Hughley | New York | Weekend program where the comedian gives his take on the week that was. | | 11p-12a | | Don Lemon | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. |
Sunday |
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| ET | Program | Host(s) | Location | Description |
|---|
| 6a-730a | CNN Sunday Morning | Betty Nguyen and T. J. Holmes | Atlanta | The network's weekend morning news program. | | 730a-8a | | Dr. Sanjay Gupta | New York | Medical news program. | | 8a-9a | CNN Sunday Morning | Betty Nguyen and T. J. Holmes | Atlanta | The network's weekend morning news program. | | 9a-10a | | John King | Washington D.C. | CNN's political talk show. | | 10a-11a | Howard Kurtz | Kurtz hosts Reliable Sources segment, critical look at the media. | | 11a-1p | John King | CNN's political talk show. | | 1p-2p | | Fareed Zakaria | Various | A weekly talk show focused on international issues. | | 2p-3p | | Fredricka Whitfield | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. | | 3p-4p | | Ali Velshi and Christine Romans | New York | A weekend business news program. | | 4p-6p | | Fredricka Whitfield | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. | | 6p-7p | | Fareed Zakaria | Various | A weekly talk show focused on international issues. | | 7p-8p | | Don Lemon | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. | 8p-9p | | John King | Washington D.C. | Prime time political talk. | | 9p-10p | | Larry King | Los Angeles | A nightly talk program. | | 10p-11p | | Don Lemon | Atlanta | A daily look at what's making news. | | 11p-12a | | D.L. Hughley | New York | Weekend program where the comedian gives his take on the week that was. |
On-air presentation
In December 2008, CNN introduced its new graphics package, a comprehensive redesign replacing the existing style that had been used since 2004. The design replaced the scrolling ticker that had been in use since 2001. Also, since March 1, 2009, the CNN HD logo has been missing from the bottom left corner of the screen.
CNN HD
CNN HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of CNN. Only shows based out of CNN's New York City studios at Time Warner Center such as American Morning, Lou Dobbs Tonight, Campbell Brown: No Bias, No Bull, Anderson Cooper 360, D.L. Hughley Breaks the News and Your Money are in HD. Stylized boxing is used for normal programs that are not available in HD, as well as remotely shot video that's only available in SD, even during shows that are in HD. During American Morning, CNN HD viewers see weather forecasts in graphic form on the right side of the screen. The documentary Planet in Peril was CNN's first documentary program produced in HD, followed by Black in America.
Special events
All special events are aired in full HD. During primary and caucus nights, America Votes 2008 was produced in complete HD with Wolf Blitzer anchoring from CNN's main New York studio which was renamed the CNN Election Center. During this time, CNN HD viewers got additional information on the side of their TV screens such as poll numbers, charts and graphs. This also happened for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the 2008 Republican National Convention, the 2008 United States Presidential Debates, the 2008 United States Vice Presidential Debate and the 2008 United States Presidential Election Day coverage on November 4, all of which were also shot in HD. The 2009 United States Presidential Inauguration Day coverage on January 20 was also shot in full HD. President Obama's first primetime press conference on February 9, 2009 was also aired in full HD, as well as his address to a joint session of Congress on February 24.
CNN's political coverage in HD was given mobility by the introduction of the CNN Election Express bus in October 2007. The Election Express vehicle, capable of five simultaneous HD feeds, was used for the network's CNN-YouTube presidential debates and for presidential candidate interviews.
Coverage
Initial carriage of CNN HD on cable and satellite systems was limited. DirecTV launched CNN HD in September, 2007. By June 2008, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications, AT&T U-verse, Rogers Cable, Midcontinent Communications, Bright House Networks, and Dish Network launched carriage of CNN HD. Verizon is currently in the process of adding CNN HD to its FiOS service on a market by market basis.
Online
CNN debuted its news website (then known as CNN Interactive) on August 30, 1995. Initially an experiment, interest in CNN.com grew steadily over its first decade and today CNN.com is now one of the most popular news websites in the world. The widespread growth of blogs, social media and user-generated content have influenced the site, and blogs in particular have focused CNN's previously scattershot online offerings, most noticeably in the development and launch of CNN Pipeline in late 2005.
CNN Pipeline was the name of a paid subscription service, its corresponding website, and a content delivery client that provided streams of live video from up to four sources (or "pipes"), on-demand access to CNN stories and reports, and optional pop-up "news alerts" to computer users. The installable client was available to users of PCs running Microsoft Windows. There was also a browser-based "web client" that did not require installation. In July 2007 the service was discontinued and replaced with a free streaming service.
The now-defunct topical news-program Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics was the first CNN program to feature a round-up of blogs in 2005. Blog coverage was expanded when Inside Politics was folded into The Situation Room. In 2006 CNN launched CNN Exchange and CNN iReport, initiatives designed to further introduce and centralize the impact of everything from blogging to citizen journalism within the CNN brand. CNN iReport which features user-submitted photos and video, has achieved considerable traction, with increasingly professional-looking reports filed by amateur journalists, many still in high school or college. The iReport gained more prominence when observers of the Virginia Tech Shootings sent-in first hand photos of what was going during the shootings.
As of early 2008, CNN maintains a free live broadcast. CNN International is broadcasted live, as part of the RealNetworks SuperPass subscription outside US. CNN also offers several RSS feeds and podcasts.
On April 18, 2008 CNN.com was targeted by Chinese hackers in retaliation for the network's coverage on the 2008 Tibetan unrest. CNN reported that they took preventative measures after news broke of the impending attack.
The company was honored at the 2008 Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for development and implementation of an integrated and portable IP-based live, edit and store-and-forward digital newsgathering system.
Specialized channels
Former channels
Bureaus
: Note: Boldface indicates that they are CNN's original bureaus, meaning they have been in operation since the network's founding.
United States
| Columbus Denver Houston Las Vegas Minneapolis Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Raleigh-Durham Seattle |
Worldwide |
- Baghdad, Iraq
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Beijing, China
- Beirut, Lebanon
- Berlin, Germany
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Cairo, Egypt
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Havana, Cuba
- Hong Kong (Asia/Pacific regional headquarters)
- Islamabad, Pakistan
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Jerusalem, Israel
| Johannesburg, South Africa Lagos, Nigeria London, United Kingdom (European regional headquarters) Madrid, Spain Mexico City, Mexico Moscow, Russia Nairobi, Kenya New Delhi, India Paris, France Rome, Italy Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Săo Paulo, Brazil Seoul, South Korea Sydney, Australia Tokyo, Japan |
Anchors and reporters
Political Contributors
Liberals:
Conservatives:
Political Analysts
Former programs
| Program | Terms | Description |
|---|
| Both Sides with Jesse Jackson | 1992-2000 | A political talk show, hosted by civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate Jesse Jackson, that aired Sundays. Each program began with a short taped report on the topic by CNN Correspondent John Bisney. The show ran from 1992 to 2000. | | The Capital Gang | 1988-2005 | One of cable news' longest running programs, focusing on discussion of the political news of the week. The original panelists were Pat Buchanan, Al Hunt, Mark Shields, and Robert Novak. When Buchanan left the network to run for president, Margaret Warner, Mona Charen, and later Margaret Carlson and Kate O'Beirne became regular panelists. The Capital Gang aired Saturday nights at 7 p.m. ET from 1988 to 2005. | | Crossfire | 1980-2005 | A political "debate" program, anchored by hosts from left-wing and right-wing ideologies, that aired during prime time and daytime until mid-2005. Originally hosted by Tom Braden and Pat Buchanan, other hosts included Robert Novak, Michael Kinsley, John H. Sununu, Bill Press, Geraldine Ferraro, Mary Matalin, Tucker Carlson, James Carville, and Paul Begala. Crossfire was discontinued in 2005. | | Evans and Novak | | Saturday night political interview program with Rowland Evans and Robert Novak. The name changed to Evans, Novak, Hunt and Shields in 1998 when Al Hunt and Mark Shields became permanent panelists. When Evans died in 2001, the name changed to Novak, Hunt, and Shields for its final year on CNN. | | Next@CNN | 2002-2005 | A scientific and technology oriented program hosted by Daniel Sieberg. Aired on weekends. Despite its cancellation on CNN in the U.S., the show continues to air new episodes on CNN International. | | Inside Politics | | A political program that aired from 3:30–5 p.m. ET weekdays. Replaced by The Situation Room in 2005. | | Wolf Blitzer Reports | 2001-2005 | A daily look at the day's stories that aired live from Washington at 5 p.m. ET. Replaced by The Situation Room in 2005. | | NewsNight With Aaron Brown | 2001-2005 | A hard-news program anchored by Aaron Brown which took an in-depth look at the main U.S. and international stories of the day. Was axed from CNN's schedule on November 5, 2005, leading to Brown's immediate resignation from the network. | | CNN Daybreak | | A first look at the day's stories that aired live from New York City at 5 a.m. ET. | | CNN Sports Sunday | | Co-anchored by Bob Kurtz and Nick Charles. | | Connie Chung Tonight | 2002-2003 | Hosted by Connie Chung. Cancelled in March 2003. | | Freeman Reports | | one of the original programs from 1980. Host Sonja Freeman interviewed guests and took live telephone call-ins regarding current news events and other topics of interest. For a brief period the program featured a live audience in Atlanta. Freeman's former time slot is now occupied by Larry King. | | People Now | | another original program. Host Lee Leonard interviewed celebrities and discussed entertainment news in a one hour program live from the CNN Los Angeles bureau. Leonard was replaced by Mike Douglas, who himself was replaced by Bill Tush in December 1982. | | Pinnacle with Tom Cassidy | unknown-2004 | Business news and leaders | | Computer Connection | | Technological issues | | Future Watch | | Technological issues | | Your Health | | Health news | | Style with Elsa Klensch | | Weekly half hour on Saturday mornings featuring news on style and fashion. | | Talk Back Live | 1994-2003 | A call-in talk show with a live audience hosted most recently by Arthel Neville. | | On the Story | unknown-2006 | CNN's interactive "week-in-review" series featuring an in-depth look at the story behind some of the week's biggest stories. Anchored by Ali Velshi. However, the show was suspended in June 2006, later cancelled in July. | | Burden of Proof | 1995-2001 | A show that discussed legal issues of the day, hosted by Greta Van Susteren and Roger Cossack. | | Newsstand | 1999-2001 | Newsmagazine | | Newshour | | Daily news | | Sonya / Sonya Live In LA | | A weekday call-in show airing at 1PM Eastern in the late 80's & Early 90s hosted by Dr. Sonya Friedman. | | CNN Live Today | 2001-2006 | Daily look at what's making news, airing live from Atlanta at 10 a.m. ET on weekdays. Anchored by Daryn Kagan. | | Live From... | | A lively look at the day's stories airing live from Atlanta at 1 p.m. ET. Anchored by Kyra Phillips. | | CNN Live Saturday / CNN Live Sunday | | A look at what's making news on the weekends, airing live from Atlanta. Anchored by Fredricka Whitfield 12:00–6:00pm and Carol Lin 6:00–11:00pm. Replaced in 2006 by CNN Newsroom Weekend. | | CNN Saturday Night / CNN Sunday Night | | The network's weekend evening news program, airing at 6 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET. Anchored by Carol Lin. Replaced in 2006 by CNN Newsroom Weekend. | | People in the News | unknown-2005 | CNN's feature-format program with People Magazine profiling newsmakers from politics, sports, business, medicine, and entertainment. The program aired on the weekend and was first hosted by Daryn Kagan and later by Paula Zahn. | | Diplomatic License | 1994-2006 | Weekly program on CNNI hosted by Richard Roth, focusing on the United Nations. | | Live From the Headlines | 2003 | Was Paula Zahn's prime-time show after moving from her morning slot, airing from 7-9 PM and later co-hosted by Anderson Cooper; replaced by Paula Zahn Now in 2003. | | Paula Zahn Now | 2003-2007 | Was a look at the current issues affecting the world, with former CBS and Fox News anchor Paula Zahn. Last broadcast was on August 2, 2007. | | CNN Tonight | 2001 | Anchored by Bill Hemmer (10pm ET) and Catherine Callaway (1am ET/10pm PT) | | First Evening News | 2001 | Bill Hemmer anchors half-hour news show at 6pm(in June) or 7pm(in July to Sept 10) | | The Spin Room | 2001 | Tucker Carlson and Bill Press host political talk show (aired at 10.30pm ET) | | Greenfield at Large | 2001-2002 | Anchored by Jeff Greenfield in New York (aired at 10.30pm ET weeknights) | | CNN NewsSite | 2001 | Anchored by Joie Chen from Atlanta (aired at 4pm ET weekdays: integrated the news and internet) | | The Point with Greta Van Susteren | 2001-2002 | Primetime news and interviews | | Ballot Bowl | 2008 | Election 2008 news | |
Criticism and controversy
CNN has been accused of perpetrating media bias for allegedly promoting both a conservative and a liberal agenda based on previous incidents. Media Matters for America has documented several hundred separate instances of what it sees as conservative editorializing during CNN broadcasts. Accuracy in Media and MRC have claimed that CNN's reporting contains liberal editorializing within news stories.Their conclusions concerning a liberal bias at CNN find support in the academic literature. For instance, in a joint study by the Joan Shorenstein Center on Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University and the Project for Excellence in Journalism, the authors found disparate treatment by the network of Republican and Democrat candidates in the most recent presidential election: whereas CNN “tended to cast a negative light on Republican candidates – by a margin of three-to-one … with McCain fairing the worst,” the network gave “extremely favorable coverage for Obama.” The study’s findings of a liberal bias at CNN are echoed in other academic studies.
Despite its domestic standing, CNN remains a distant second in international news coverage, reaching just over half of the audience of the older BBC World News. Unlike the BBC's network of reporters and bureaus, CNN International makes extensive use of affiliated reporters that are local to, and often directly affected by, the events they are reporting. The effect is a more immediate, less detached style of on-the-ground coverage. This has done little to stem criticism, largely from Middle Eastern nations, that CNN International reports news from a pro-American perspective. This is a marked contrast to domestic criticisms that often portray CNN as having a "liberal" or "anti-American" bias. In 2002, Honest Reporting spearheaded a campaign to expose CNN for pro-Palestinian bias, citing public remarks in which Ted Turner equated Palestinian suicide bombing with Israeli military strikes.
Several prominent former CNN personalities have come to criticize certain aspects of the news network. Aaron Brown has said that CNN has committed "huge mistakes" and frames CNN as an "organization that is trying to figure out if it can be all things to all people." However, he also praised CNN's journalistic superiority, saying, "[...] CNN's a better journalism organization." Bernard Shaw has expressed that he is "very very disappointed with the way the news management" has handled his favorite network. He criticised the effects of Fox News' "commentary [and] personal analysis" on the news reporting of CNN, saying that "CNN continues to ape many of the on-air mannerisms of the Fox News Network, and I don't like that."As said by Ted Turner, founder of CNN, “There really isn’t much of a point getting some Tom, Dick or Harry off the streets to report on when we can snag a big name whom everyone identifies with. After all, it’s all part of the business.” However, in April 2008, Turner criticized the direction CNN has taken.
A Chinese website, anti-cnn.com, has accused CNN and western media in general of biased reporting against China, with the catch-phrase "Don't be so CNN" catching on in the Chinese mainstream as jokingly meaning "Don't be so biased". Pictures used by CNN are allegedly edited to have completely different meanings from the original ones. In addition, the network was accused of largely ignoring pro-China voices during the Olympic Torch Relay in San Francisco. Though these allegations exist, none have been proven to be true.
On April 24, 2008 beautician Liang Shubing and teacher Li Lilan sued commentator Jack Cafferty and CNN $1.3 billion damages ($1 per person in China), in New York, for "violating the dignity and reputation of the Chinese people". This was in response to an incident during CNN's "The Situation Room" on April 9, where Cafferty stated his opinion that "[the USA] continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food" despite his view that "[the Chinese leaders were] basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years". Further, amid China's Foreign Ministry demand for an apology, 14 lawyers filed a similar suit in Beijing.
CNN has also been accused of pro-Georgian coverage of the 2008 South Ossetia war. Allegedly, it stole Rusiya Al-Yaum records from Tskhinvali and represented them as shots from Gori.
CNN in popular culture
- CNN has been parodied many times. Many movies outside of the Turner Broadcasting Network also mention CNN in their storylines. Several television shows (i.e. Seven Days, JAG, and NCIS) use a parody of CNN known as ZNN. During the run of the series Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, LNN was used to stand for the Luthor News Network. In the movie Mr Bones appears a news network with the name "CCN", its logo being in the same font as CNN's. In the video game Desert Strike, the in-game news station is called EANN, with the EA standing for the video game company's name, Electronic Arts. The movie Batman Forever shows a newscast on "GNN" (presumably standing for Gotham News Network). The logo is very similar to the "CNN" logo. GNN also appears on the Nolan series of Batman films. Other parodies or references include Command & Conquer: Generals – Zero Hour's American campaign, featuring updates on missions with a correspondent from BNN, the rapper Eminem included a similar alteration in his song "Without Me", where, dressed up as Osama Bin Laden he was reported on by ENN, due to his name being Eminem. Finally, the movie The Dark Knight had its own version of CNN called
GCN. In the DVD, episiods of Gotham Tonight of the GCN network are founded explain events before the movie.
- CNN's most famous station ID is a five-second musical jingle with James Earl Jones' simple but classic line,
"This is CNN." Jones' voice can still be heard today in updated station IDs. The line has also been referenced in other programming, including The Simpsons. Australian satirist group The Chaser produced 12 half-hour episodes of CNNNN, a show that parodied the logo and slogan, with taglines such as "We report, You believe". The Chaser was shown on CNN in July 2007 after their APEC 2007 stunt on their show The Chaser's War on Everything created considerable controversy.
See also
External links
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