April 27th, 2011

CNN invites global audience to watch, share and report the Royal Wedding

On-air integration of iReport, Facebook and Twitter places viewers at the center of CNN’s coverage

On Friday, April 29, beginning at 4 a.m., ET, CNN’s global coverage of the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton will uniquely incorporate Facebook, Twitter and iReport, the network’s global participatory news community, into its television programming. These on-air integrations will enable consumers to share in the experience with their family and friends in real-time, as well as contribute first-person perspectives on the day’s events – all while witnessing the biggest royal wedding event since Charles married Diana.

“CNN’s three-screen coverage of the Royal Wedding is unique because it empowers the global audience to interact with each other and with our anchors, whose knowledge of the Royal Family is unparalleled,” said Janelle Rodriguez, director of programming for CNN/U.S.

The primary social media integrations on CNN’s and CNN International’s simulcast of the special coverage of the Royal Wedding will include:

  • Twitter: Utilizing the hashtag #CNNtv, CNN will solicit responses and reaction from viewers on Twitter during the live broadcast. Selected tweets from viewers will be displayed alongside the live video coverage in a “slow stream.” Additionally, CNN will curate tweets from relevant influentials, such as celebrities, fashion designers, politicians and friends of the Royal Family, which will appear in the lower-third banner of the broadcast.
  • Facebook: During the live broadcast, the lower third also will feature select Facebook Status Updates, providing a snapshot of sentiment on Facebook about different aspects of the Royal Wedding through real-time keywords analysis.
  • CNN Scan It: Special two-dimensional barcodes will appear throughout CNN’s special coverage of the Royal Wedding prompting viewers with smartphones to “scan” the code, which automatically loads the CNN Mobile Royal Wedding Planner – no typing required. This simple, point-and-shoot tool allows television viewers to seamlessly transition to CNN’s special coverage of the wedding available on smartphones.

Additionally, the winner of CNN’s Royal Wedding iReporter Contest, Jason Sauter of Orlando, Florida, will travel to London to join CNN’s Royal Wedding team, and will appear during the network’s special coverage beginning on Thursday. With more than 750,000 iReporters around the globe and an iReport submitted from every country in the world, CNN also is issuing an open invitation for people to share their Royal Wedding experiences via iReport, whether they are in London or simply celebrating at home by visiting http://on.cnn.com/fucnKE. Select vetted iReports about the Wedding will be featured throughout CNN’s television coverage of the wedding.

Finally, on GetGlue, the leading social network for entertainment where users can check-in and share what they are watching, listening to and reading with friends, people who watch CNN’s special coverage the week of the Royal Wedding can unlock exclusive CNN Royal Wedding stickers, including:

For more about CNN’s coverage of the Royal Wedding, check out CNN’s Royal Wedding coverage plans on the CNN Pressroom.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively-syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

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Contacts:
Bridget Leininger        404.827.1621        bridget.leininger@turner.com
Jennifer Martin        404.878.2175        jennifer.martin@turner.com