CNN International & Domestic

CNN started leaving the LIVE tag up a few years ago. I hate that it. Its so irritating. They used to be very good at it disappearing off the screen when it its in tape. I never have found the rational behind leaving it up. MSNBC started doing the same thing, if the programme itself is broadcasting live its there. But if its a repeat its gone. They indicate the footage is live by adding more screen clutter just by putting up the locator and the time. Which makes it even more confusing. Because if the location is east coast and live you just see the time repeated again at the top of the screen with a city locator. So if they are showing 2 shots in a double box from say from Boston. Both shots will be labeled BOSTON, MA 10:00 AM ET, Adding more clutter. Dont let them show a quad box. its so annoying. Idiotic.

By any chance, does CNN/I use Domestic's galleries during overnight simulcasts, hence why we get those quirky graphic features?

All output is currently run by the Atlanta control rooms. Flick back a page or two and there's an interesting read on how they are keeping things going during the crisis.

In normal times, the New York control room kicks in when New Day starts.

It's because CNNI is simulcasting to CNNUS. When CNNI isn't been simulcast to US the LIVE DOG goes up and down depending on whether the footage is live or not. But when they're simulcasting to CNNUS the LIVE DOG is up for the whole show. It's the easiest way to tell if CNNI is simulcasting to US.

Isn't it because of the different time zones in the US and particularly on the West Coast, where depending on circumstances sometimes certain hours will be broadcast live and sometimes they will be recorded and put out 'as live'. So it becomes important to distinguish whether the show is live or not. Correct me if I'm wrong!

Julia Chatterley has gone from overdramatic doom and gloom to sobbing and almost crying at the end of today's edition of First Move, when she talked about Good Friday mass without audience.

What an actress.....

Not a fan of Miss Chatterely either. I’d much prefer business news and analysis from Christine Romans, Cristina Alesci and of course the wonderful Maggie Lake. Chatterley just doesn’t command much authority IMO.

CNN are utilizing her a lot on ‘New Day’ since this rolling Coronavirus coverage started.

Today, @jchatterleyCNN ended the show with a heartfelt tribute to the Good Friday mass held at Notre-Dame Cathedral pic.twitter.com/sEWJfh31PQ

— First Move CNN (@firstmove) April 10, 2020

I've got nothing against newsreaders showing emotion from time to time - I know news programmes are serious broadcasts but it's nice to see a more human to the presenters sometimes (though you'd not want it to be a daily thing). I remember Kate Silverton getting a little bit emotional after a report of an injured Syrian boy and her reaction was rather touching.

Have to agree though on Julia Chatterley. I like most of the CNNI anchors but her style just rubs me up the wrong way. She may be a lovely person but she comes across more as a host than a journalist if you get what I mean. I don't think too the ridiculous advert for her show does any favours in that regard - her prancing around New York,slo-mo glamour shots and makes it seem like it's more about her in the actual news which is a shame as she does seem to know her stuff actually.

Give me Quest, Zain Asher, Nina Dos Santos (who rarely seems to cover business programs these days), Paula Newton or Christine Romans any day. I remember watching a segment about coronavirus with her on Quest a while back and she was laying the gloom and doom on thick in a way that seemed irresponsible and left me more anxious than I was before. There was surely a way to say the information without the apocalyptic tone she had.

EVERY sector is affected as we systematically shut-down the global economy to cure a health crisis. We're out of time, if the WH/Congress don't do more it's game over & forget the 2020 elections. Oh and btw - remove the tariffs!! On @questCNN earlier today. #CoronavirusOutbreak pic.twitter.com/9ePfVPeQBu

— Julia Chatterley (@jchatterleyCNN) March 19, 2020

Newsreaders showing real emotion has become a common occurrence these days. They’re human beings, just like any of us, but it’s nothing new.

Rewinding years and years, both Martyn Lewis and Peter Sissons both had their moments. Lewis famously covering Princess Diana’s death and the murder of Jill Dando and Sissons covering 9/11.

It was only yesterday that Jane Hill told an interviewee and viewers she’d welled up but vowed to carry on when discussing the NHS, reflecting on her own experiences.

At CNN Domestic, it’s very common for an anchor to shed tears, excluding Wolf Blitzer.

I have no issues with anchors showing REAL emotion, in proper situations and the examples mentioned above (Syrian boy, royal deaths, major tragedies etc) are all justified.

With Julia, everything comes off a bit fake, to me. Her constant posing, pouting, flirting with the camera, as showcased in her promo, makes it hard for one to focus on what she's actually saying and she does know her stuff.

Also, the situation today (empty church on Good Friday) certainly did not warrant such OTT reaction. It's as if she's been coached by CNN's chief religion emoter Chris Cuomo himself.

Just my view of it but I think CNN Domestic switched to the LIVE bug so you know a program was live rather than just a segment. Someone probably conjured that idea to help with the ratings back around 2013/2014 and figured more people would stick around if they knew right away their show was live. CNNI never succumbed to that; however, for the 4AM and 5AM ET hours on weekends the LIVE bug sticks and the time changes back and forth from local time to ET. I think all of this is to convince viewers in the US that the program is live. Even on channel guides over here the programs are always called “CNN Newsroom LIVE”. I guess they’re nervous that if it isn’t obvious people might tune into a competing channel or not watch. I always wondered if they could manipulate the live bug and time stamps from different control rooms overnight with the US getting the stuck bug and CNNI broadcasting as normal.