A pivotal part of CNN's content ownership strategy comes on stream Tuesday, November 3rd with the launch of a new state-of-the-art production center and newsgathering hub in the heart of the Middle East; it was announced yesterday in Abu Dhabi by Tony Maddox, managing director and executive vice president of CNN International.

Maddox was joined for the announcement by Phil Kent, Chairman and CEO of CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and by Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour.

"The Middle East has played a significant role in CNN's heritage and is part of our DNA, two of our earliest bureaus were in Cairo and Jerusalem," said Maddox. "This region unquestionably plays an integral part in world affairs, and the new hub in Abu Dhabi gives us the opportunity to get to the heart of the rich and diverse stories across the political, business, social and cultural spectrums."

"The establishment of a permanent broadcast and production center in the Middle East by CNN is a significant and unique move by a Western news broadcaster," added Maddox. "It gives CNN a powerful base from which to coordinate seven regional bureaus and showcase a new daily news show from the Middle East." 

The new online and TV production facility sits alongside CNN's existing 32 international newsgathering operations which also includes digital production centers in Hong Kong, London, Mexico City and Atlanta. 

Overseen by Tom Fenton, CNN's managing editor for the Middle East, CNN Abu Dhabi will also coordinate newsgathering for the seven CNN operations in the region: Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Dubai, Jerusalem, Kabul and Islamabad.

With more than two dozen staff, CNN Abu Dhabi not only consolidates CNN Worldwide's investment in global newsgathering, but it also underlines CNN's growth strategy that includes the commercial launch of the CNN Wire, the unveiling of the new CNN.com and the addition of new prime-time shows across HLN and CNN International. 

Built as a fully high definition and online production facility, CNN Abu Dhabi houses a four-camera digital studio with 24/7 live capability, edit suites and fully integrated newsroom.

 ‘PRISM' host Stan Grant introduces ‘Inside Abu Dhabi' video:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/11/02/abu.dhabi.bureau.launch/

First Daily News Show From the Region
For the first time in its history, CNN will broadcast a daily live news show from the Middle East. ‘Prism', presented by Stan Grant, will air Monday to Friday at 1am HKT. CNN Abu Dhabi will also be the home to CNN's perennially popular feature shows Inside the Middle East, now in its sixth year, and Marketplace Middle East which launched two years ago.

‘Prism', which launched yesterday, is the 10th new show to be launched on CNN International in the past 12 months and joins the network's new primetime line-up, uniting Stan Grant, Christiane Amanpour, Richard Quest, Becky Anderson, Fionnuala Sweeney, Michael Holmes and Hala Gorani in a schedule that between them covers off business and current affairs programming, breaking news and behind-the-scenes reportage in distinctive formats.

Content Ownership
CNN's content ownership strategy has provided a wealth of new material for all of CNN's platforms across TV, online, mobile and CNN's commercial wire service, while also allowing that content to be aggregated to affiliates.

Since early 2008 CNN has opened seven new editorial operations across Africa, Asia, Latin America and now the Middle East, as well as placing additional correspondents in many existing operations.       

CNN is the world's leading global 24-hour news network and one of the world's most respected and trusted sources for news and information. The CNN brand is available to two billion people via 18 CNN branded TV, internet and mobile services produced by CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System Inc and a Time Warner company. CNN International is the international directorate of CNN Worldwide and distributes news via 14 services in seven different languages. CNN International can be seen in more than 257 million households and hotel rooms in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, including more than 37 million across the Asia Pacific region and online at www.cnn.com/international

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For more information, please visit www.CNNPressroomAsia.com.