Headline News to debut user-generated show

Cory Bergman May 9th, 2007

Called “News to Me” and hosted by actor/producer Eric Lanford, the upcoming Headline News show will feature some of the best user-generated video, photos and stories on the internet. “User-generated content enables us to integrate our audience into the newsgathering process, and Eric’s experience and engaging personality are a great fit for this new endeavor,” said Ken Jautz, EVP, CNN Worldwide. The show will use CNN.com’s I-Reports as a vehicle for some of its content. News to Me premieres Saturday, May 19th at 12:30 p.m. (Thanks DCG!) Press release with more…

PRESS RELEASE — News To Me, the first cable news program comprised of user-generated video, will debut on Headline News on Saturday, May 19, at 12:30 p.m., it was announced today by Ken Jautz, executive vice president, CNN Worldwide. The program, hosted by award-winning actor/producer Eric Lanford, will showcase the most compelling videos, pictures and stories traversing the Internet. The program will air on Headline News each Saturday and Sunday at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (all times Eastern).

“News To Me is the next step in our commitment to innovative, fresh programming,” Jautz said. “User-generated content enables us to integrate our audience into the newsgathering process, and Eric’s experience and engaging personality are a great fit for this new endeavor.”

Everyday, Web users are bombarded with viral video and photographs, including countless clips of user- generated content— but most go unviewed due to the sheer volume of material. In a half-hour program each week, News To Me highlights the best that citizen journalism has to offer.

With content ranging from serious to humorous, Lanford updates viewers on current events through the eyes – and lenses – of citizen journalists. Lanford also interviews many people who have submitted CNN I-Reports, compelling content captured by CNN viewers with personal cell phones, cameras or other devices. By speaking directly with I-Reporters, Lanford gains insight into what it felt like at the scene as they captured their footage.

Viewers can submit material through a “Send Your I-Report” link at CNN.com or by e-mail at ireport@cnn.com. Submitted I-Report material undergoes the same extensive vetting process CNN employs for all content that goes on air or online. So far this year, Headline News is on track to have its best total day and prime-time year in more than a decade. Two years after a major prime-time overhaul, Headline News continues to post strong ratings trends with some of the strongest news and views shows on cable news including Glenn Beck, Nancy Grace and Showbiz Tonight.

Eric Lanford, recipient of 12 Southeast Emmy awards, also serves as the host of the segment “The Lighter Side with Eric Lanford” for Storyline, a TBS public affairs magazine program. Lanford was also a producer for TBS Superstation’s Feed Your Mind, an award-winning children’s show, during which he traveled the world in search of unique, unreported stories. Lanford began to work with CNN as the news anchor for College Television Network, which aired on college campuses every day and was seen by more than one million students worldwide.