CNN has hired a local news veteran as its new deputy director of programming, TVNewser has learned. John Antonio, who is currently managing editor at WABC-TV in New York is heading to CNN HQ in Atlanta later this month.

“John will be playing a key role in the restructuring of CNN and its programming,” writes Antonio’s current boss at WABC, Kenny Plotnik in an email to his staff, which was obtained by TVNewser.

Antonio began at WABC in 1993 as a Producer. He moved his way up to EP and has been ME for the last 4 years.  Antonio worked at WABC with the station’s former news director, Bart Feder who is CNN’s SVP of current programming, based in New York. WABC is the #1 news station in New York, just finishing up another strong November sweeps.

CNN’s director of programming Janelle Rodriguez announced the hire in a memo to staffers. That memo is after the jump.

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TVNewser stopped by the book party for CNN anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien Friday night at Russell Simmons‘ lower Manhattan apartment .

In The Next Big Story, co-authored by CNN producer Rose Arce, O’Brien takes a page from her award-winning …In America series, and other reporting experiences, and blends her personal story and mixed-race background (Cuban, Irish, Scottish, Long Island-ish) crafting an inspiring story of hope amidst the tragedies that are a staple of the TV news stories she covers.

The party was a mix itself, of hip-hop stars and tvnewsers: Katie Couric, HLN anchor Jane Velez-Mitchell, CNN correspondents Alina Cho, Susan Candiotti; CNN SVP Bart Feder, …In America EP  Geraldine Moriba, New York bureau chief Darius Walker, development EP David Doss and newly appointed EP of Piers Morgan‘s show Jonathan Wald were all in attendance.

O’Brien mingled with guests all while getting around with a cane. “It’s a step up from the crutches,” O’Brien told us. She’s still nursing a knee injury after being thrown from a horse in early October. O’Brien will continue the book tour with a stop in New Orleans. That event will be a fundraiser as residents continue to recover from Hurricane Katrina, a story O’Brien covered extensively.

Also at the party:

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A week in to CNN’s “Parker-Spitzer” we’re starting to hear the “we’ll give it some time” line from CNN. How much time is not known. In today’s Wall Street Journal Sam Schechner writes about some of the tweaks the show has gone through in its first five outings:

By Thursday night, the hosts’ newspaper-strewn table was free of most detritus. A segment called “Our Political Party!” featured a bigger table that can accommodate six people without seeming cramped.

Producers are also experimenting with new ways to juggle segments and add energy to the broadcast. “Parker Spitzer” led off Thursday’s show with a taped CNN interview with Christine O’Donnell, the tea-party-backed U.S. Senate candidate from Delaware. Later in the show, a roundtable with former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed included some sparring.

“We weren’t in this for the first night,” Bart Feder, CNN SVP told Schechter. “We’re in this to launch and to let it grow. And we’re confident it will.”

This story appeared in the mediabistro.com Morning Media Newsfeed. Click here to receive the Newsfeed in your inbox.

An interesting side note to today’s executive shakeup at CNN: the network is looking for another executive.

“We will be naming an executive vice president and managing editor of CNN Worldwide to lead collaboration across all platforms and elevate CNN’s unique journalism and analysis,” wrote CNN Worldwide president Jim Walton (right) in his note announcing the changes.

During his conference call with reporters late this morning, Walton said the managing editor would be at the same EVP level that  CNN/U.S. president Ken Jautz, HLN head Scot Safon, and CNN International managing director Tony Maddox hold.

“The managing editor will come in and he or she will be a strong editorial mind who will help shape our coverage,” said Walton who indicated there are internal candidates for the job. TVNewser has learned Bart Feder, who joined the network as SVP of current programming in January 2008, is among them.

Unlike the broadcast network model which generally gives the managing editor title to anchors — think Brian Williams, Diane Sawyer and Katie Couric — Walton said,  “There is no way that the managing editor here would have additional duties on the air.”

“This is a big job and there is no doubt in my mind that we will find somebody great for it,” said Walton

Continuing CNN’s recent trend of announcing moves via tweet, CNN/US President Jon Klein announces today that “Campbell Brown” EP Janelle Rodriguez becomes CNN’s new Director of Programming in Atlanta. Kathy O’Hearn takes her spot in New York.

O’Hearn was once executive producer of ABC’s “This Week,” and left ABC News in 2009 to take over CNNI’s “Amanpour.” In an odd twist, Christiane Amanpour will be leaving that CNN program to become anchor of “This Week.” Rodriguez took over EP duties at “Campbell Brown” in May of 2009, when she moved from EP of “American Morning.”

According to Klein, Rodriguez will “arrive just in time to work with all of our show teams in launching our new set and continuing the ambitious development of our dayside and weekend programming.” She’ll continue to report to Bart Feder, SVP or Programming.

The director of programming position has been open for a bit, as Scott Matthews moved over to head up the CNN Productions and Investigations unit in November.

Klein’s note to staff after the jump.

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First on TVNewser: A shake-up announced today at CNN. Mark Nelson, who has overseen CNN Productions since 2005, is leaving the network while Atlanta-based head of live programming Scott Matthews leaves that position to head up a combined CNN Productions and Investigative unit. Matthews will remain in Atlanta, while the search is on for his replacement.

Additionally, CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein announced that Soledad O’Brien‘s “In America” franchise, which Nelson had overseen, will be expanded in 2010. The unit, will add “more than a dozen positions” writes Klein in an email to staff, obtained by TVNewser. That unit will be headed up by CNN’s SVP of current programming Bart Feder (pictured). Current CNN Productions staffers will have the first opportunity to apply for the positions.

Feder and Matthews joined CNN in January 2008.

A longtime-ABC News “Nightline” staffer, Nelson joined CNN in 2004 as the senior executive producer of “Paula Zahn Now.” In addition to his departure, Jody Gottlieb, CNN Productions’ Executive Director, is also leaving as a result of the restructuring.

TVNewser headed over to Michael’s this afternoon for a launch lunch for Christiane Amanpour‘s new international news program, “Amanpour.” It’s a culmination of sorts for Amanpour who “grew up with the network” having gotten her start 26 years ago on CNN’s foreign desk when she was a self-described “little dweeb.”

The new show will be quite a shift for Amanpour who, as CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein put it, “made her name in a war zone.” But Amanpour certainly doesn’t expect it to be any easier. “It might sound strange but my comfort zone is out there dodging the bullets and the bombs, fighting to get the story. This, for me, is going to be the danger zone because I’ve never done this before. There’s a lot of competition, even at our own network.”

“Nightline” co-anchor Cynthia McFadden was there and tells TVNewser, “I think it’s an obvious move. She is such an important voice and it’s great for everyone interested in serious journalism. Everyone who cares about what’s going on in the world will be tuning in to get her perspective.” CNN SVP Bart Feder says the Sunday line-up of “State of the Union with John King,” “Fareed Zakaria GPS,” and now “Amanpour” is “one of the smartest three hours of TV you can find. You’ll feel smarter after watching it.”

Also in attendance: CNN Worldwide EVP Ken Jautz, CNN commentator Jack Cafferty, “Amanpour” senior producer Barclay Palmer, Gloria Steinem, and Tony Maddox, EVP of CNN International.

TVNewser caught up with Amanpour for a quick video interview to discuss the new show and the nature of international news in general:

After the interview, Amanpour remarked, “That’s the tiniest lens I’ve every looked into.”

Jamie Kraft has been named EP of CNN’s American Morning, it was announced by Bart Feder, CNN’s SVP for current programming.

“Jamie is an extremely talented journalist, a dynamic leader and the right person to carry on CNN’s tradition of offering the most hard news in morning television,” Feder said in a statement.

Kraft says he is “excited and honored be at the helm of CNN’s morning program. I am so proud of John Roberts, Kiran Chetry and this entire team and what we have accomplished this past year.”

Kraft has been acting EP of the show since May, and before that, senior broadcast producer. Previously, he was a senior producer for AC360. Kraft joined CNN after thirteen years at CBS News.

Click continued to read the press release…

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CNN wants their banners to be less “stinky.”

TVNewser obtained an email sent by a CNN producer to some staff members which warned against using certain “stinky words” in banners. From seemingly harmless words like “still” and “may,” to topical words like “Africa” and “Iraq,” the list featured more than 30 words and phrases. The full list is after the jump.

Today we were forwarded a follow-up email from CNN SVP Bart Feder to CNN executive producers clarifying the “effort to improve the writing of our banners.”

“Challenge the writers to go beyond overused words and terms that don’t have impact and don’t explain what a specific story is about,” Feder writes. “For example, to have a banner on multiple shows that says STIMULUS DEBATE doesn’t tell viewers what’s current or immediate.”

Click continued to see the full list of “stinky words” and Feder’s note…

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In the biggest change to the CNN “look” since 2004 the CNN logo has moved from lower left to lower right and the network has added a “flipper.” As B&C’s Glen Dickson explains, the “flipper” replaces the scrolling news ticker at the bottom of the screen with a graphic that “presents information one item at a time.”

“It’s easier to read, understand and absorb the information,” says CNN SVP Bart Feder.

The “flipper” has been in use on CNN International for almost three years. Dickson reports, the information on the “flipper” can either be driven by producers through the iNews computer system or delivered using RSS feeds.

• More: CNN Observations has more on the new looks for CNN and CNN Headline News.