17 replies to this topic

[fer]

CNN en Español is using cnn domestic and international studios in Atlanta for their coverage.

Edited by fer, 03 November 2010 - 02:12 AM.

[peramirez]

Here are some notes about CNNE's US midterm elections. I didn't watch the complete coverage because I had an exam this morning, but the bits I did were encouraging.

1. If last night was a live rehearsal of what CNNE is showing starting Nov 22, I may check news sites less often and watch more of the network. Production was unbelievable. It doesn't even begin to compare to what the network usually airs. It was a HUGE improvement over CNNE's 2008 US presidential election coverage. The quality of the reports doesn't conflict with a nice set and different camera angles.

2. Kudos for Juan Carlos López. He kinda looked like Wolf Blitzer at one point, when talking about projections. He had big shoes to fill in when he arrived from New York to replace Julio Aliaga and Jorge Gestoso, but man he is comfortable there and everywhere. Last night, he proved he's skillful in a studio. He was the best of the coverage.

3. In my opinion, the lowest point of the night was that crazy unnecesarily bilingual "VOTO USA" name shining all over the studio and the gizmo, with some company from "CNN VOTER ALERT". What happened between 2008 and 2010? What's wrong with "Voto EE. UU." or "Alerta Electoral CNN"? With the "En Español" part of the name retiring (they are even referring to the channel on air as CNN, pronouncing the letters in Spanish) is it still going to be "CNN en Español" or are they changing it to "CNN USA en Español"? It's a valid question since they are making the Nov 22 changes thinking of ways to increase its US audience. This brings me to an old subject...

4. The network had an amazing display of talent and technology for a MIDTERM election in the US. On Sunday, Brazil went to the polls and elected a new PRESIDENT. Yet it was just another story and this happens with every Latin American election except for Mexican elections. They kept saying the US midterm election will have a huge impact in Latin America. So, what's the deal with Brazilian elections? No impact? CNNE didn't even sent a personality there. It used Skype and contacted a freelance reporter! Well, to be honest, Fabiana Frayssinet is a great reporter and has a charming accent, but you know it's not the same. Seriously, if it's supposed to be the CNN network for hispanics in the Americas, the US is not the only country in the map.

Other notes:
1. Europa Hoy has a Twitter profile and a Facebook page. An anchor? Not that I know, though if anyone heard anything... I'm still waiting to know if Claudia Palacios is finally moving to weekdays, and if LCV will have his own not-monthly show.
2. Poder 360° reports CNNE will debut a breakfast show, named Café CNN in January, featuring "new talent" live from "Ted Turner’s former penthouse apartment atop the CNN Center in Atlanta". I hope they keep Carlos Montero around, if not for Café CNN, for late morning newscasts or a primetime job.
3. More new people are landing on the screen. I've watched Sebastián Castro for a month now and he reminds me of LCV when he joined the channel. Class act producer Patricia Ramos is appearing more often, too.

By the way, I read somewhere that FoxNewsLatino.com was supposed to challenge CNNE's lack of a website, but it sucks. Days-old stories right in the front page? And horoscopes? Really?

[Wilma]

I must confess that I find that "Gizmo" CNN en Espanol uses is much worse than the one CNN used to have. It looks quite odd just sitting there.

[Nuggle]

From what I can gather from this translated article, CNN en Espanol will kick off a series of special reports from Monday on the 2012 US election. http://translate.goo...s/display/18338

[peramirez]

CNÑ announced today the addition of two political analysts: Jorge Castañeda and Carlos Alberto Montaner. They will "bring a broad perspective and deep understanding of the diversity of Latin America and the United States".

The latter is yet another exiled Cuban joining the network. His columns are published in several newspapers in the region and I'm actually one of his regular readers. That doesn't mean I don't disagree with some of his views, though. He's a terrific addition to the network as an analyst but I hope I never see him anchoring a news program. If he ever gets a full program, I hope to see him as part of a roundtable kind of show, a la Choque de Opiniones, but with regular panelists and a heavier focus on Latin America.

Castañeda? I don't know much of him. He was the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico under the administration of Vicente Fox. On Wikipedia it says his political views were from the left, but changed recently to become a right-leaning conservative. I guess I'll have to wait and eventually watch him on air before saying more.

Do you know what I'd like, too? A regular contributor that supports Chávez and Castro. There has to be someone, I mean, TeleSUR seems to have a lot of them. I'm not saying CNÑ is unfair to those governments, but having a regular analyst commenting favorably the actions of those two and other similar leaders from time to time would help the "we-listen-to-all-sides" brand of the diminished news branch of the network.

Diario de Cuba's story in Spanish Google Translate version

Edited by peramirez, 30 June 2011 - 01:00 AM.

[newser]

Do you know what I'd like, too? A regular contributor that supports Chávez and Castro. There has to be someone, I mean, TeleSUR seems to have a lot of them. I'm not saying CNÑ is unfair to those governments, but having a regular analyst commenting favorably the actions of those two and other similar leaders from time to time would help the "we-listen-to-all-sides" brand of the diminished news branch of the network.

I think this is a reasonable idea. I mean, both of them are pretty controversial, particularly from the Western perspective, but despite their bad human rights record, political prisoners and lack of democracy, these guys are not genocidal types like Saddam, Gaddafi or the "Dear Leader" of North Korea, so having someone that is leaning towards their point of view would be interesting to see. Although, with CNNE apparently focusing now more on US audience, you could bet the Cuban expat community in Florida would be pretty loud in its demands to get this pro-Castro (or pro-socialism) contributor off air.

[Leeroy]

Here's some more details (mentioned previously) on a debate CNN en Espanol will co-sponsor: http://www.prnewswir...-131799078.html

[Nuggle]

This might be a stupid question, so apologies in advance, but I read that CNNe simulcasted the latest CNN US Presidential debate. I'm wondering if CNNe translated it into Spanish, or just simulcasted it in English. If it was translated, do they use different translators, or does the 1 translator do the whole lot. I imagine that would get a little confusing having the 1 voice for all those people.

[peramirez]

Last night was the first time I was able to watch CNN Domestic coverage of a U.S. election, though I had to bail before they announced the winner.

But I still watched some pieces of CNÑ's coverage.

Let me start with the positive notes:

1. Juan Carlos López. I'm glad the management is consolidating Juan Carlos López as the lead U.S. election anchor. He did it so well during the 2010 mid-term elections and he has that Washington insider feel that makes him deserving of the spot. I'm all for having specialized anchors and Juan Carlos López is CNÑ's go-to guy when it comes to U.S. politics. He's Wolf Blitzer meets John King meets Jorge Gestoso.

2. Patricia Janiot. It was probably a demotion from her 2008 lead anchor spot, as she was reduced to doing what Anderson Cooper does on CNN/US, talking with the analysts. It's not a bad thing for Patricia. She's a good interviewer and can moderate any debate. She's (still in my head) the lead CNÑ anchor and can bring a lot to any coverage, but it's better that they give this kind of events to Juan Carlos. You wouldn't have her anchoring coverage of a major football match, do you? You would prefer Diego Bustos and it's the same thing here.

3. No Fernando del Rincón in the CNÑ set. He was in the CNNI Atlanta studios filling the John King role with the magic wall. I'll say it again: he's better doing separate reports than reading teleprompters and breaking news, so it was the perfect role for him. If he did join everyone else in the CNÑ studio at one point, I missed it.

4. The analysts. Republican Juan Hernández and Democrat María Cardona were pretty clear and I'm sure people who didn't follow past caucuses understood what was at stake and why it mattered. They seem to work nicely, without the usual bickering, interrupting and shouting I watch in clips from U.S. networks. Overall, a civil conversation every time I watched. I missed Roberto Izurieta, who was indeed part of the coverage according to a CNN.com video from last night.

I'm not sure about...

1. The graphics. It uses the same colorful opening graphics as CNN/US, but the thing is they look a lot like CNÑ's now one-year old Directo USA intro and background graphics, so it just looks like an extension of Directo USA. The lower-thirds are unchanged but upped a little bit to give room to the same CNN election bar.

2. "Asambleas partidarias". I wonder if the CNÑ people know that the word "caucus" is accepted by Fundéu-BBVA. However, I see no harm in using the long "asambleas partidarias", which is more understandable than "caucus" anyway.

CNÑ can do better in terms of...

1. The brand. I complained (a lot) when CNÑ used the Voto USA brand for the 2010 mid-term elections, so I was initially relieved to see the network dropping it. The replacement? Voto Latino ("Latin Vote"), which honestly doesn't make any sense. I remember a strategist saying during the 2008 election that Florida was the only state where the GOP had a significant number of registered Latin voters (and decreasing, if I remember correctly), so I wonder what's up with the new brand when they are discussing Iowa, New Hampshire or any of the other 47 states where most Latin voters are Democrats. More so, they are recycling an old name. Voto Latino used to be a segment of the former program Directo desde EE.UU. and focused on the impact of Latin voters. And that made sense because it only appeared on primary nights if the state had a significant number of Latin voters.

2. The gizmo. It's just a flashy and rapidly changing graphic showing CNN Política and Voto Latino 2012 over and over again. So, with the election bar also displaying rapidly changing information and promos for CNN's upcoming political coverage and with an aspect ratio of 4:3, why do they need to clutter the screen?

3. The set. It was always an issue with CNN en Español and watching CNN/US (via CNNI) opened my eyes. Having a couple of stray plasmas behind Juan Carlos López with Patricia Janiot and the analysts in the small desk they use for news shows with a semi-empty newsroom in the background was depressing. The network added a few stars to the walls of the newsroom and a banner but they don't look that nice. Maybe Domestic is just exaggerating, but Español could have used the Deportes CNÑ set with its apparently larger desk for Patricia and the contributors. Or better yet, get a round table!

Caps from CNN.com/video, hence the stretching images:
 cnneiowa2.jpg   27K   31 downloads
 cnneiowa.jpg   38.29K   40 downloads  cnneiowa3.jpg   31.89K   24 downloads (Voto Latino 2012 x 2)

Edited by peramirez, 04 January 2012 - 04:51 PM.

[Bilka]

Thank you for the comprehensive update on their coverage. I am surprised to read that CNNe produced their own coverage. I thought they would have simulcast CNNUS with a translation or something.

[peramirez]

Thank you for the comprehensive update on their coverage. I am surprised to read that CNNe produced their own coverage. I thought they would have simulcast CNNUS with a translation or something.

Thanks! They always produce their own U.S. election coverage. I've never seen the network simulcasting a live segment of Domestic's coverage, except for the hologram thingy with Jessica Yellin.

[Lendai]

Starting Monday, June 4th through Wednesday, June 6th, CNN en Español will broadcast a special coverage of the California and New Jersey primaries, hosted live by anchor Juan Carlos Lopez, New York correspondent Rafael Fuenmayor and Los Angeles correspondent Karina Dalmas, collaborating with CNN throughout the coverage.

During the California primary, 169 delegates will be chosen for a total of 172 delegates to attend the national convention. At the same time, the New Jersey primary will send 50 delegates to the national convention.

Throughout the coverage, there will be a comprehensive analysis of the electoral candidates with an emphasis on the importance of the Latino vote and its growing population in the United States.

This special presidential primary coverage will cover issues of immigration, the economy, education, and the job industry, among other topics, which are important to the Hispanic community in the United States.

CNN en Español will broadcast the special coverage of the California and New Jersey primaries, starting Monday, June 4th through Wednesday, June 6th.

http://cnnpressroom....rsey-primaries/

[peramirez]

CNÑ is preparing for the U.S. election night coverage. Juan Carlos López will be anchoring the night, alongside Patricia Janiot, Fernando del Rincón and several other faces of the network. Correspondents will be based in Chicago (Obama HQ), Boston (Romney HQ), New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Jerusalem, Madrid, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Bogota, Havana, Caracas and San Juan.

CNÑ stuck with the awfully restrictive Voto Latino 2012 ("Latin Vote 2012") as the name of the coverage but hey, now that I have CNN International back (and a bunch of other Engish language channels), I don't need to watch their coverage.

Nevertheless, I think I will hop in from time to time. That the special will be originating from CNN Center's Studio 7 is a big incentive. I still remember Patricia Janiot showing us live the infamous hologram back in 2008 and telling us that she hoped soooooomeday CNN en Español had a piece of that. The 2008 coverage was presented from their dark studios with nothing but two little flat screens on the sides of their one-person desk and they still have the same studio with some minor adjustments, so this is a big change.



Note on the special: Entorno Inteligente / Google Translate version
Note on CNÑ using Studio 7: Excelsior / Google Translate version

[ginnyfan]

Great that you have CNNI back Pedro.

Also nice to see CNN en Espanol using the fancy Atlanta set, that's one thing they did before CNNI (the heck, they will probably go widescreen before CNNI at this point).

[Solar System]

Also nice to see CNN en Espanol using the fancy Atlanta set, that's one thing they did before CNNI (the heck, they will probably go widescreen before CNNI at this point).

[fer]

CNNE in widescreen for election night coverage

[peramirez]

CNNE in widescreen for election night coverage

Considering that the coverage was also simulcast in some U.S. Hispanic local stations and that Studio 7 is HD-ready, I have to wonder if they actually even presented it in full HD, at least locally, which would be another first for the network.

Anyway, from what I saw the coverage seemed to be more upbeat than four years ago, complete with the sound effects used in CNN/U.S.

However, analysts and special anchors (business, immigration) played a bigger role in between projections. I failed to watch in my admittedly short spans watching CNÑ someone using a magic wall to break down the results of states and counties. Did Fernando del Rincón use his touchscreen for something other than map-less demographic analysis?

Here are some caps from CNN.com:
 cnneelec1.jpg   41.16K   15 downloads  cnneelec2.jpg   44.02K   20 downloads  cnneelec3.jpg   39.93K   15 downloads  cnneelec4.jpg   34.81K   18 downloads  cnneelec5.jpg   45.09K   18 downloads  cnneelec6.jpg   32.3K   15 downloads  cnneelec7.jpg   36.64K   11 downloads  cnneelec8.jpg   37.37K   11 downloads  cnneelec9.jpg   42.61K   11 downloads  cnneelec10.jpg   29.52K   14 downloads  cnneelec11.jpg   39.79K   17 downloads  cnneelec12.jpg   44.37K   20 downloads  cnneelec13.jpg   41.04K   17 downloads  cnneelec14.jpg   41.69K   17 downloads  cnneelec15.jpg   40.37K   16 downloads  cnneelec16.jpg   34.01K   12 downloads

Here are some clips I found on YouTube. I didn't watch any of these moments on TV:

Juan Carlos López announces Barack Obama won the election. Apparently, he missed it at first, as he said Obama was "getting close" to 270, until the electoral map on the RP wall updated to reflect his victory.


Analysis after CNN declared Obama the winner.


Analysis of economic problems the U.S. will face in the next months.


There are more clips available in the Estados Unidos section of edition.cnn.com/video.

CNÑ should make a highlights video of the coverage and promote the hell out of it through social media. It was a technical marvel and the mere prospect of CNÑ being capable of something like this out of nowhere could make people be drawn to the now tabloidy infotainment network. (Or, maybe they are afraid to do so because people would be thoroughly disappointed with their technical limitations.)

[Solar System]

Peramirez, thanks for posting all of this!