“THE FIGHTERS”: NEW FEATURE-LENGTH CNN FREEDOM PROJECT DOCUMENTARY
HUMAN RIGHTS PIONEER CECILIA FLORES-OEBANDA, BOXER MANNY PACQUIAO JOIN THE BATTLE AGAINST MODERN-DAY SLAVERY IN THE PHILIPPINES
**Premiere: Friday, 17 May (Part I) & Saturday, 18 May (Part II)**
Following a two-year CNN investigation, the two-hour documentary The Fighters chronicles Philippine human rights pioneer Cecilia Flores-Oebanda in her journey to protect children from the sex trade and convince the Philippines' biggest star, Manny Pacquiao, to join her as a fighter in the battle against modern-day slavery.
It's estimated more than 100,000 children work in the sex trade in the Philippines. Since founding her anti-trafficking organization, Visayan Forum, in 1991, Cecilia Flores-Oebanda has helped more than 70,000 victims or potential victims of human trafficking. She believes if Pacquiao, an elected congressman in the Philippines and the country’s biggest star, champions her cause, it could mean a turning point.
But just when it begins to look like she's winning, allegations of fraud and missing funds threaten to ruin her life's work as she is forced to change her focus from saving children to saving the organization she set up to help them.
“The Fighters is a remarkable film that represents the very core of the CNN Freedom Project, namely a desire to shine a spotlight into the darkness of human trafficking and to champion those who have dedicated their lives to ending it,” said Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director for CNN International. FULL POST
With exclusive access to ‘superlawyers’ Theodore Olson and David Boies – as well as actor, director, producer Rob Reiner – CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger traces the unusual legal journey of the case for same-sex marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC, this week. Borger’s 30-minute documentary, The Marriage Warriors, debuts Saturday, Mar. 30 at 7:30pm and 10:30pm on CNN. All times Eastern.
Borger’s reporting contains exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Olson and Boies as they prepare and practice their arguments for the high court. The two men discuss their unlikely legal alliance – they were opponents in the epic battle, Bush v. Gore, the case that decided the 2000 presidential election.
Just as the nation elected its first African-American president, in California, the election also brought another development. A ballot initiative, California’s Proposition 8, was approved by voters, denying the right to marry for same-sex couples in the state. Reiner recounts how he and LGBT rights activist Chad Griffin, met shortly after the election to decide whether to take the issue to the courts. A Reiner friend told them that Olson, a conservative, was actually a supporter of same-sex marriage. Having him in front of the court challenge would be a “home run,” Reiner said. Olson then suggested his former Democratic rival, Boies, to be his co-counsel, resulting in a bipartisan “dream team” for those fighting Proposition 8. FULL POST
Tapper to Anchor New Weekday Program Beginning in 2013
Accomplished Washington journalist Jake Tapper, who has served the last four years as ABC’s senior White House correspondent and is a best-selling author, joins CNN as anchor of a new weekday program and CNN’s chief Washington correspondent, it was announced today by Ken Jautz, executive vice president of CNN/U.S.
Tapper has been a widely-respected reporter in the nation’s capital for 14 years and his most recent book, The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, is currently on The New York Times best seller list. In his new role at CNN, he will be a key Washington, D.C. anchor and correspondent for CNN.
“We are thrilled to have Jake join CNN and take the helm of a brand new weekday program,” said Jautz. “Jake is an exceptional reporter and communicator, and we look forward to developing a program that takes advantage of all of his strengths, his passion and his knowledge of national issues and events.”
“With CNN’s impeccable reporting during the elections and the exciting changes in the works for the network, this is a perfect time to join the CNN team,” said Tapper. “I am excited about the prospect of working with both the new leadership and some old friends and colleagues.” FULL POST
CNN chief political analyst Gloria Borger reports on the life, politics, and mission of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, for a 90-minute documentary airing on the eve of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL.
Borger's insightful profile includes interviews with Mitt and Ann Romney, eldest son Tagg, and former gubernatorial chief of staff, former campaign manager, and closest aide Beth Myers for an intimate look at a personal side of the candidate as father, family man, business leader, politician, and man of faith. Adding commentary about Romney’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns for president are senior campaign adviser Eric Fehrnstrom, CNN contributor and Romney 2008 campaign adviser Alex Castellanos, CNN contributor Erick Erickson, and Democratic consultant Tad Devine.
Borger also speaks with former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) about Romney’s run for the U.S. Senate against his father, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), and reviews Romney’s tenure as Governor of Massachusetts, CEO of the 2002 Olympics Organizing Committee, his missionary work, as well as his current history-making campaign.
ROMNEY REVEALED: FAMILY, FAITH AND THE ROAD TO POWER premieres Sunday, August 26 at 8:00pm and 11:00pm ET & PT on CNN/US.
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As the proven destination for politics across all platforms, CNN plans extensive coverage of the Super Tuesday caucus and primary contests on March 6. Anchors Wolf Blitzer, Anderson Cooper, Erin Burnett, John King and Candy Crowley will headline the network’s America’s Choice 2012: Super Tuesday special programming from the CNN Election Center beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Gloria Borger and David Gergen, along with CNN political contributors Donna Brazile, Ari Fleischer, Hilary Rosen, Erick Erickson, Paul Begala and Alex Castellanos, will join the coverage to provide analysis and insight. Beginning at 1 a.m. on March 7, the network will air a live special edition of Anderson Cooper 360º.
“CNN will deploy more resources in the field to cover Super Tuesday than any other television network,” said Sam Feist, CNN Washington bureau chief and senior vice president. “These contests will play a pivotal role in determining the direction of the rest of this campaign.”
READ THE FULL RELEASE AFTER THE JUMP
CNN and the Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC) will host a Republican presidential town hall debate in Charleston, South Carolina on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012, as part of the SRLC’s biennial conference. South Carolina has been chosen by the Republican National Committee (RNC) as one of the first states to vote in the Republican presidential primary process in 2012.
Read the full release after the jump.
Major staff hires, new programming, and a greater focus on long-form story telling has kept CNN Radio at the forefront of the current international news cycle, serving its more than one-thousand terrestrial radio affiliates, and also launching new content for new platforms.
With a growing amount of CNN Radio content now available on-line and via wireless services as well as traditional radio affiliates Victor Kong, vice president of CNN News Services, a division of CNN Worldwide has put in place an aggressive growth strategy for the team.
The Western Republican Leadership Conference (WRLC) announced Wednesday that it has selected CNN to host a Republican presidential primary debate in Las Vegas on Tuesday, October 18, 2011. Nevada has been chosen by the Republican National Committee (RNC) to be one of the first states to vote in the Republican presidential primary process in 2012.
Republican leaders and activists from 16 states and territories that make up the RNC’s Western Region will meet at the The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas during the week of October 17 for the “Western Republican Leadership Conference.” The debate will take place as part of the WRLC’s four-day conference and will provide voters from across the nation an opportunity to hear Republican presidential candidates offer their visions for the future.
The full press release is after the jump.
CNN Political Ticker: CNN chosen to host Las Vegas GOP presidential debate
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