Monday, March 24, 2014

Final Stop in Atlanta - CNN


The last place we visited in Atlanta was the Headquarters for CNN.  You all know that CNN (Cable News Network) is a popular television station that is broadcast all over the world.  At their headquarters location, they conduct a 55 minute tour eight times a day.  The tour starts on the 8th floor after you cross a security checkpoint on the ground floor. 
 
Now how do you get to the 8th floor of the CNN Center in Atlanta? 
Elevator?…nope!  Good guess though.
Stairs?  Heck NO!
Maybe an Escalator?  What…are you kidding me!  Really?  An escalator?
An escalator that goes up to the 8th floor from the ground floor with no stops in between?
YESSSS!  This is the world’s largest free standing escalator (according to the Guinness book of World records) and the only way to get to your tour.
 
 
CNN was founded by Ted Turner, who was the owner of Turner Broadcasting System which is now part of Time Warner.  CNN started operating at 5 PM on June 1, 1980.  Turner’s intent was to provide fierce competition to the three TV news networks that were dominating at that time (ABC, CBS and NBC).
 
 
On this tour, we could see in detail the Control Room Theater, Special Effects studio, and the Interactive News Desk section.  We were able to understand what all it takes to produce a newscast.
 
 
At any given moment there are 99 cameras in various places in the world ready to be shown as news.  Now which one will they show for the TV viewers?  The Programming Director decides that…and makes quick decisions if there is breaking news at any time.
 
What if another news network breaks the news first?  Oh yes, CNN is also monitoring/watching the other networks…just in case someone else gets the jump on CNN when a developing story occurs that CNN also should report on.
 
We were also able to see how tele-prompters work and how the news anchor is able to read the news while staring into the television camera. Watching how the weather anchors do the weather is also pretty cool (no pun intended). 
 
What we see at home is the weather anchor standing in front of the weather map and giving us a weather forecast.  That is not how it works in the studio.  The weather board is somewhere else and the weather reporter is standing in front of a plain green wall.  Somehow, due to the technical magic of television, we watch the reporter right next to (or in front of) the weather map on our TV.  Cool stuff.
 
Why Green? Well…
 
When applying artificially created backgrounds or effects, two separate series of images have to be combined. The technical term for this is 'chroma key'. Any color can be used for the background that will be 'dropped' but the two most popular choices are Green and Blue - this is because these two colors are the most unlike skin tones and will not cause problems when removed.
 
Did that make sense?  Or was that explanation as clear as mud?

                                                          Flags from all the countries

                                                                          Newsroom

 
 
 
 

 

30 comments:

  1. loved reading this post..i would be scared o going on that escalator..
    would love to see how teleprompter work..

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  2. And look at this.I missed it while in Atlanta

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  3. Thanks for your comments Renu. It was a fascinating tour.

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  4. Thanks for your comments Mr. Chowla. On your next visit, please include the CNN Headquarters in your itinerary.

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  5. Wow!! That must be an awesome experience!! An escalator to the 8th floor? How much time does that take? Thanks for the virtual tour :)

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  6. Longest escalator, wow, I can only imagine how huge the actual building must be to have such a long, uninterrupted ride. thank you for the virtual tour with photos and apt explanations SG :) Will put this down on a must visit list

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  7. That's cool. I loved the pics. I wish television stations here would allow us to go for such a tour.

    I guessed that the weather anchor may not be standing right in front of the map - your post confirms it.

    Destination Infinity

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  8. Thanks for your comments Shilpa. I think it took about 8 to 10 minutes to reach the 8th floor.

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  9. Thanks for your comments Reshma. Yes, it is a huge building. Please visit here whenever you can.

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  10. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. Your observation is correct.

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  11. Is it situated in just one floor, the eighth? Did you walk inside to all the sections?

    It must a very tough job to decide about the 'breaking news' which occurs all over the world throughout the day, every minute! And they monitor other channels too, great!

    I think I should remember to visit this place during my next visit. Sounds very interesting! Thank you!

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  12. Lovely post.In fact I enjoyed all the aspects the tour. Useful for those who are confined within the walls of domestic space like me.

    Aha! Thrilled to imagine an escalator like that.

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  13. Thanks for your comments Sandhya. No. It is situated in all the 8 floors. They have many divisions - Prime News, News Analysis, Control Room, Interactive News Desk, Head Line News, Cartoon Network, etc. etc.

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  14. Thanks for your comments Sarala. Riding on that escalator is a thrilling experience.

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  15. Escalator for 8 floors?! wow.. that would be really interesting to take. Looks like a lovely tour. I really want to take the tour someday. I had no idea about the reason behind using green or blue walls. Thanks for all the information SG.

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  16. Thanks for your comments Ash. Please make a point to visit CNN whenever you are in Atlanta.

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  17. Nice post SG. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks.

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  18. Thanks for your comments Aakanksha. I am glad you enjoyed this post.

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  19. Would be such fun to ride the escalator..thoroughly enjoyed your virtual tour..may be some day I would be lucky enough to visit it..:)

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  20. Thanks for your comments Ranita. Please visit in the future. It is an interesting place.

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  21. Thanks for your comments Krishna. I am glad you liked this post.

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  22. Omg, no elevator? When I visited the Vatican I wanted to climb to the top of the church. Were five hundred and I don't know how many steps... But it was (in Brazil we say stairs snails) with narrow walls without windows to breath. It was suffocating, but it was worth it!

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  23. Thanks for your comments Camila. Here, you do not have to climb the stairs. A long escalator takes you from first floor to eighth floor.

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  24. I didnt know about the escalator. CNN did few things bad. For one; I miss the old Cartoon Network.

    I have never been in the South SG. Good one; maybe I can visit the CNN center some day

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  25. Thanks for your comments Insignia. Please visit Atlanta and CNN on your next visit.

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  26. I am scared of escalators. So I wonder if I would be comfortable inside the CNN office though I very much want to visit it ( especially after your description)!!!

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  27. Thanks for your comments Meera. Don't worry. There are elevators available for those who cannot use escalator.

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  28. Wow! That is very interesting! You are like a teacher who makes everything enjoyable! Can anyone make a visit to CNN?

    Regards,
    Sindhu
    Tantu
    The Arts & Me

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  29. that's an unique experience and a rare read for me. Thanks for the explanations. Informative post:)

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