CNN To Boost International Operations

ATLANTA, November 15: In
its biggest expansion of news operations since it was founded 27 years ago, CNN
will invest an estimated $10 million to raise the number of its correspondents
worldwide and build up its international newsgathering operations by creating
as many as 16 new reporting jobs in several countries.

Places slated for new CNN
newsgathering operations include Afghanistan, Belgium, India, Malaysia,
Nigeria, the Philippines, Poland and Vietnam. Additional correspondents will
join existing posts in Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Johannesburg, Kenya,
London, Istanbul and Pakistan. Further resources will also be devoted to
bureaus in Tokyo and South Korea.

The company also intends
to expand its existing newsgathering hub and production facilities in the
United Arab Emirates. Investments are already underway at CNN’s Asia-Pacific
hub in Hong Kong.

CNN en Español will hire a
news anchor and other personnel for its Mexico City headquarters. It will also
add people to its editorial team in Atlanta.

In addition, the plan also
calls for CNN to further develop its International Newsource and in-house wire
operations, which serve over 1,000 affiliates around the world.

“Owning the content we
broadcast, publish and make available to affiliates and other platforms is the
backbone of this business,” said Tony Maddox, executive VP and managing
director of CNN International. “This multimillion-dollar investment in staff
and resources will bolster our world-class, award-winning journalism as well as
give us the power to move swiftly into developing new business models.”

The expansion is seen as
necessary to supply the rapidly growing number of new digital platforms that
CNN serves worldwide.

—By Peter Caranicas