Bill Bennett - TVNewser

Election 2010: Technology Front and Center for CNN’s Midterm Election Coverage

Alex Weprin — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:10:03 +0000

CNN has announced its coverage plans for the 2010 midterm elections. As in previous elections, new technology will be a major part of the coverage, with returning favorites like the “magic wall” and “data wall’ being joined by the “CNN Election Matrix,” which will break down data in a visual way.

The network already revealed it will be adding more “virtual objects” to its coverage.

“We are taking capabilities of the Data Wall and quadrupling it in order to report the story in the clearest way we can,” said CNN senior VP and Washington bureau chief David Bohrman in a statement. “Viewers are ready for a rich meal of election items and with CNN’s technology on air and online, paired with the Best Political Team, we will serve an unparalleled election night experience.”

Wolf Blitzer will lead the network’s coverage, and will be joined by Anderson Cooper, Candy Crowley, John King and Soledad O’Brien. Other anchors, reporters and hosts that will be contributing to the program include Jessica Yellin, Dana Bash, Brianna Keilar, Ed Henry, Dan Lothian, Suzanne Malveaux and new 8 PM hosts Eliot Spitzer and Kathleen Parker.

More information after the jump.

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No More Talk Radio Hosts on CNN?

Chris Ariens — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:20:57 +0000

Exclusive: TVNewser has learned, and a CNN spokesperson confirms, that in his morning editorial meeting today, CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein asked his show producers to avoid booking talk radio hosts. “Complex issues require world class reporting,” Klein is quoted as saying, adding that talk radio hosts too often add to the noise, and that what they say is “all too predictable.”

One of CNN’s longtime show hosts, Lou Dobbs, hosts a daily radio show. A few political contributors also host radio shows including Bill Bennett and Roland Martin. They are presumably not affected by this.

But this means other talk radio hosts who appear regularly on CNN, probably won’t in the near future including names like Stephanie Miller, Michael Medved, and Ben Ferguson.

> Update: Roland Martin stopped hosting his show on WVON last October when he became senior analyst for the “Tom Joyner Morning Show.”

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Brody Up Next For Saturday CNN Special

SteveK — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:01:35 +0000

Christian Broadcasting Network senior correspondent, and CNN contributor, David Brody, will host a one-hour political roundtable show on CNN this weekend.

The recent-Twitterer made the announcement on his Website today.

The 5pmET special airs this Saturday and will focus on, “how conservatives view this 2008 election and the future of the GOP.”

Guests on the show include Kevin Madden, Stephen Hayes, Amanda Carpenter and Brian Debose.

Previous CNN contributors who hosted weekend programs have included Roland Martin and Bill Bennett.

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Bennett Special Airs This Weekend

SteveK — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:53:13 +0000

Following three weeks of specials hosted by Roland Martin, another CNN contributor takes the helm for two specials.

Bill Bennett hosts his first, titled “Beyond the Politics,” premiering Saturday at 8pmET. It will be repeated on Sunday at 2 and 8pmET as well.

The special focuses on “the fundamentals of American society and its ideals,” according to the release. Guests include CNN contributor Amy Holmes, Yale professor David Gerlernter and Steve Waldman (EIC of Beliefnet.com).

Bennett’s second special premieres the following Saturday at 6pmET.

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CNN HD Brings New Technology

SteveK — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:54:50 +0000

CNN HD is premiering some new technology tonight, which includes an “analyst scorecard” in the side panels and an “audience reaction” bar in the lower third. While the “audience reaction” lines, which show real time reaction from a focus group regarding the debate, is displayed on the non-HD channel as well (and is fairly difficult to decipher), the scorecards are exclusive to HD. They allow six of the BPTOT to give their opinions while the debate is occurring. Some notes: Alex Castellanos has been most active, Bill Bennett has been most positive to both candidates and Gloria Borger has been most critical of Sen. John McCain and most complimentary of Sen. Barack Obama:

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Bennett: “That Bit of Advocacy Has No Place on CNN”

SteveK — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 10:51:47 +0000

As the cablers discuss the impact of Bristol Palin’s pregnancy, and then discuss whether it should be a topic of discussion, CNN commentator Bill Bennett may be the first to attack his own network for delving into the issue.

Newsbusters reports Bennett took on CNN and correspondent Kyra Phillips last night, who was filing a Gov. Sarah Palin report from Anchorage.

“That was really out and out outrageous. That should not happen on CNN,” he said following Phillips report (and after agreeing the Trooper-gate portion was fair game).

After being pressed by anchor Wolf Blitzer for his thoughts on abstinence only education, Bennett continued.

“Abstinence education I believe, the best programs are the most effective. But these are decisions that can be made at the state level,” Bennett said. “But that bit of advocacy has no place on CNN and its respectable journalism.”

Click continued to see Bennett’s argument…

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Cablers on the McCain Veep Chase

Chris Ariens — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 09:30:40 +0000

With less than two and a half hours until his official announcement, TV journalists are scrambling to confirm that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is his pick for Vice President. Fox News and NBC News are confirming that Govs. Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney are out of the running, with Palin’s name surfacing onto the news networks just this morning.

At 7:10am Fox News reported a plane had left Anchorage overnight en route to Ohio. CNN reported Palin’s name in the mix at 7:37am. MSNBC began discussing her name a couple minutes later. But by 7:57am, on Morning Joe, NBC’s Washington bureau chief Mark Whitaker said, “Our David Gregory is just reporting that his sources within the McCain campaign are telling him ‘no’” about a Palin pick. Still, Palin’s name played prominently for the next hour.

Then at 9:14, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough reported, “Joe Lieberman is in Dayton.”

So, as of 9:30amET, no one has confirmed a pick. The McCain campaign is doing a heck of a job making sure the reporters can’t report, only speculate.

And, is it us, or does Palin look a bit like TV president Mackenzie Allen, played by Gena Davis in the short-lived 2005-06 ABC show “Commander-in-Chief?”

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