Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin once again ringing in the New Year on CNNi

Anderson Cooper, host of CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 (Tuesday to Saturday morning at 3am), and comedienne, Kathy Griffin, will once again ring in the new year in the US's Eastern Time Zone, live from Time Square.

Last year the show ran for the longest time in its history, kicking off at 9pm (US Eastern Time) and averaged just over 2 million viewers. Back then, they joked on air as they had no idea how they would fill all the extra time. Well these jokes were not heard by CNN's higher ups as the show will now start yet another hour earlier at 8pm US Eastern Time and run to 12:30am New Years Day (That is, 3am South African Time on Friday morning to 7:30am). The major US New Year's Eve Show, Dick Clarke's New Years Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest (that is the actual long name), also starts at 8pm US Time, but the difference is they are stacking the show with 38 musical performances whilst Cooper and Griffin will have none.

I doubt filling the time for these two is that hard though. They are real life friends and that chemistry shines through the broadcast, especially Cooper's reaction to Griffin's often too edgy jokes. The big joke last year was when Griffin dyed Cooper's hair on air without him knowing.

They will not be alone, however. Richard Quest will provide coverage from inside the crowd in Time Square, whilst Poppy Harlow will be all the way in Rio. Randi Kaye will provide coverage from Memphis and Gary Tuchman in Hershey, Pa.

Cooper and Griffin sign off from their marathon broadcast at 12:30am (7:30am here in SA) when Brooke Baldwin and Don Lemon (host of CNN Tonight, Tuesday through Saturday morning at 4am) will take over the broadcast from New Orleans to usher in the New Year in the US's Central Time Zone.

CNN Announces Broadcast Plans For UK Elections, Including Special 'Interactive' Debate this Friday Evening

CNNi, DStv 401, has announced their broadcast plans for the May 7th UK Elections.

The channel's coverage on the evening will be anchored by The World Right Now's Hala Gorani and also Max Foster who will be anchoring from across the Thames from the Palace of Westminster, providing viewers with on the ground coverage on what is to be the UK's most hotly contested election in quite a few years. 

The eccentric Richard Quest from Quest Means Business will fly to London and provide rolling reportage from the top of one of London's signature open top buses as it travels around the city to voter hotspots picking up a diverse group of guests en route.

Chief International Correspondent, Christiane Amanpour will be stationed outside the House of Parliament where she will be joined by analysts who will be providing commentary throughout the night.

The Business View's Nina dos Santos will be in the comfort of the CNN London studio from which she will be doing the number crunching and touch screen analysis that is now standard with the coverage of any election. 

Lastly, correspondent Phil Black will be stationed in Edinbugh  providing insight as things unfold for the Scottish national Party. 


[Noticeably absent from the coverage is Becky Anderson]

The coverage will go right through the night, preempting all scheduled programming including all programmes anchored by the anchors of the covergae and also shows like CNN Today with Michael Holmes and Amara Walker and also Anderson Cooper 360, which airs at 2am.

But before then, CNN will be broadcasting a special interactive debate with the contenders in the election this Friday evening, April 24th, anchored by Christiane Amanpour and Max Foster.

Conservative peer Baroness Neville Jones, Labour’s Chris Bryant, Liberal Democrat peer Lord Steel, UKIP’s Louise Bours, and the SNP’s Humza Yousaf will participate in the debate.

The debate will take place at the McLaren Technology Group’s new Thought Leadership Centre, in front of a specially selected audience designed to represent the UK electorate.

As part of the debate the studio audience will be invited to give its take on key issues, with the results displayed in real time on the debate floor.  Topics such as immigration, Europe, the health service, the economy, and Britain’s place in the world are up for discussion.

Gill Penlington, Director of Programming, EMEA, at CNN International said in a statement: “There is huge interest in the UK election from an international perspective, especially with so many issues that transcend this country’s borders.  This debate is the perfect chance to explore those issues, as well as get a genuinely representative picture of the UK electorate’s views on them.  It should be a fascinating debate at a key point in the campaign.”

The debate airs this Friday on CNNi (DStv 401) at 8pm.