CNN Headline News
One CNN Center, P.O. Box 105366,
Atlanta, Ga. 30348; Phone: 404/827-1500
Editor's Note: Only a small percentage, between 5 and 10 percent, of the news that makes it beyond Headline News's cutting room floor is generated from ideas pitched by PR professionals and other outsiders. So, the chances of having your idea blossom into a piece is slim. Those that do make it must have that big-picture national or international angle and present meaty copy - but not fringe stuff - and it has to be strong enough for CNN execs to think some other major outlet might grab at the chance. The way it works at Headline News is that stories are done by CNN's correspondents and content is re-packaged for Headline News. Many of the story ideas are generated at the bureau level.
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News There are 48 30-minute CNN Headline News segments every day on CNN and affiliates also buy the content that's featured during each broadcast: 8 minutes of hard news (national and international); 2 minutes of business news; 2 minutes of features or lifestyle-related news; 2 minutes of sports; 3 commercial breaks and an updates wrap-up. |
Managing Editor David Willis
Address: One CNN Center P.O. Box 105366 Atlanta, Ga. 30348 |
There are several dozens CNN staffers and execs putting together Headline News and every day's hectic so these guys and gals don't have a lot of down time. Although they didn't have a lot of time to speak with us, the execs we reached were polite and informative. We also got in touch with CNN's PR department and received the same kind of courteous and timely response. | Willis considers pitches (in writing and sent via snail mail) that come his way but they have to be sent on to the assignment desk so those staffers can work out the concepts' kinks and plan what needs to be done for the story to come to fruition. Willis told us he opens every piece of mail he gets. About 90 percent of what they showcase is generated in-house. | Any story that airs on Headline News is managed through CNN's assignment desk. Although Willis (and other staffers) suggest certain coverage, ideas are also generated at the individual bureaus and passed on to the assignment desk, which is headquartered in Atlanta. At CNN, that's protocol for all of its brands, including CNN Espanol, CNN Int'l, CNN Interactive (including cnn.com and CNNFN), CNN Airport Network News, CNN Radio and CNN All Politics. |
Editorial/Production Contacts at CNN News Bureaus: 404/827-1500
U.S. - Headquarters: Atlanta Bureau Chief - Graylian Young, 404/827-2350 One CNN Center P.O. Box 105366 Atlanta, GA 30348 Chicago Dallas Detroit Los Angeles Miami New York San Francisco Washington, D.C. Int'l - Amman: BC - Ben Wedeman, Beijing: BC - Andrea Koppel, 861-512-8351 Beirut: BC- Brent Sadler, 961-3-204-899 Berlin: BC- Bill Delaney, 49-30-231-25-650 Brussels: BC - Patricia Kelly, 322-735-0971 Buenos Aires: BC - Luis Clemens, |
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