CNN International, the first 24-hour news network, launches a new on-air design, February 5th, 2006, representing a radical move away from the cluttered screens and heavy graphics that currently prevail in today’s rolling news and business networks.
“While this new design is more evolution than revolution”, said Rena Golden senior vice president of CNN International, “our priority is to ensure that our viewers around the globe, many of whom do not speak English as a first language, understand and engage with the news we deliver. The uncluttered screen and enhanced concise graphics will now allow our video and journalism to breathe fully.”
“This redesign serves the viewer better: allowing our journalism to take centre stage and engage more, while giving better navigational information,” Golden added.
Since 1996 CNN International has continually invested in and updated its programming, newsgathering and regional production capabilities. This on-air redesign – the biggest in more than five years – is an extension of an ongoing investment in the product which has enabled CNN International to remain the leading 24-hour international news network.
The redesign covers all parts of the on-air look including a new position and treatment for the network logo, network identity spots and music, full-screen graphics, lower third fonting and network colour scheme.
CNN International also will adopt the internationally recognized colour for alert – yellow – for its breaking news graphics.
In addition, the ‘news ticker’ or ‘crawl’ that is common to all news networks will be replaced by a new information bar that displays one complete sentence, or story, at a time, allowing viewers to concentrate on the main part of the screen.
Audience navigation of the network and its programmes was also a critical part of the re-design. New navigational tools and graphics will allow viewers to see what news coverage and programming is coming up in the hours ahead.
The next phase of this project will include new sets in Atlanta, London and Hong Kong.
Underlining the international concept of the channel and its global distribution in more than 186 million households worldwide, the design work for the new look was overseen by CNN Creative Director Mark Wright, together with various international creative agencies and London-based independent consultant Frank Lampen.
