CNN EXPANDS LONDON OPERATIONS

CNN are continuing expansion of their European programming with the launch of three new daily business shows in February.
Richard Quest will be joining the network’s London headquarters from the BBC as co-anchor of the new ‘Business International’ programme.
Quest, the BBC’s North America correspondents since 1989, move to CNN as one of approximately 30 new positions to be based in London, Atlanta and New York, of which 20 will be in London, recruited to support the extra two and a half hours daily of live business programming.
Produced and anchored live from CNN’s European production centre in London, the hour-long ‘Business International’ will air twice daily at 11am and 2pm. Quest will co-anchor the shows with CNN presenter Becky Anderson, who moves from presenting the CNN breakfast show ‘World Business This Morning’.
Tony Maddox, Vice President and Managing Editor for CNN Europe, Africa and the Middle East, said: “The new shows enable us to enhance our business programming to cover each of the major financial and business markets around the world. Richard and Becky will bring lively but authoritative dynamic to this key addition to our output.”
The shows will feature fully interactive elements including pages on CNN.com Europe featuring background and content of the new business programme, carrying the breaking financial news and interviews featured in each show. In addition, a new business section on CNN.com Europe will include all the business, markets and financial coverage that impacts on Europe from CNNfn.com along with added features, data and business coverage. With teams working in Asia, Europe and America the site will be updated with the latest movement in the markets with pieces written as trading rooms open and close.
CNN are also introducing an additional live edition of the channel’s current evening flagship programme ‘World Business Today’, to be called ‘World Business Tonight'. The programme will cover the close of Wall Street, both hosted by CNN presenter Charles Hodson.
The new shows take London’s live production total to eight hours a day, Monday to Friday.
CNN are rumoured to be in the process of laying off between 500 and 1,000 workers in their global television and interactive operations worldwide. A CNN spokesperson declined to comment. (CMcL)