CNN Guide to...

...Obama's Address to Congress.

A full day's schedule for the CNN/Facebook team, Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper and John King, on February 24, 2009.

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CNN Breaks New Ground On-Air and Online to Cover President Obama’s Address to Congress

WEBWIRE – Friday, February 20, 2009

CNN.com and Facebook Join Forces for First Time Since Inauguration; Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper and John King Lead Network’s Special Coverage.

After setting the record for the largest live video event in Internet history on the day of Pres. Obama’s inauguration, CNN.com and Facebook again will partner on Feb. 24 to enable users to connect and engage with each other while watching live the President’s first address to Congress.

Additionally, CNN continues to break new ground in its political coverage with anchor John King hosting a special online-exclusive edition of State of the Union with John King from noon to 1 p.m. on CNN.com Live, where users can watch as well as pose questions to members of the Best Political Team on Television and comment on their analysis in real-time. From 8 a.m. until midnight on Feb. 24, CNN.com Live, the Internet’s only multi-stream live video news service, will provide continuous, live coverage – featuring numerous CNN anchors and analysts – produced specifically for the digital audience.

On television, anchors Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown, Anderson Cooper and John King will lead special coverage from the Election Center in New York. Throughout the evening, members of the Best Political Team on Television, including CNN Senior Political Analyst Gloria Borger and CNN Political Analyst Roland Martin, will analyze the expectations facing the president and break down his address. From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., there will be a special edition of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, followed by special editions of Lou Dobbs Tonight and Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull.

Shortly before the 9 p.m. address, Blitzer will set the stage and introduce President Obama. Both CNN and CNN.com will provide live coverage of President Obama’s speech and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s GOP response.

A special two-hour edition of Anderson Cooper 360º starts immediately after the President’s address, with Blitzer and Cooper leading the discussion with CNN’s correspondents and an ideologically diverse panel of political analysts. Larry King will host a live, midnight edition of Larry King Live on CNN’s television networks.

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, CNN.com will provide comprehensive reporting and analysis on the issues Obama is expected to raise in his evening address, in particular the economy. As part of its dedicated coverage, the site will enable users to track the current economic climate state-by-state across various categories and indicators, including unemployment rate, foreclosures and job sector changes; as well as showcase personal stories to provide perspective to the impact of the nation’s financial health.

Additionally, CNN.com Live users will be able to update their own Facebook status directly from the CNN.com Live player; and also see status updates from their friends and other Facebook users on CNN.com Live. On Facebook, the status updates for those using CNN.com Live will be published in their News Feed with hyperlinked tags that read “via CNN.com Live” so users’ friends on Facebook can click the tag and join the CNN.com Live/Facebook experience.

Following the special edition of State of the Union with John King at noon, the hosts of Your $$$$$ Ali Velshi and Christine Romans will host a CNN.com Live-exclusive program, State of the Economy beginning at 1 p.m. During the two-hour special, also featuring personal finance editor Gerri Willis, CNNMoney.com anchor Poppy Harlow and CNN.com Live anchor Melissa Long, members of the CNN Money Team will answer phone calls, emails and iReport questions from users and viewers about the economy.

Throughout the remainder of the day, CNN.com Live will be anchored by Reggie Aqui, Naamua Delaney, Nicole Lapin and Melissa Long, and will feature guests including chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour and finance expert Suze Orman.

Coverage across other CNN networks and platforms will include: viewer commentary and reaction via mobile devices, emails and Facebook on HLN; live coverage of the address, as well as analysis and reactions from around the world on CNN International; custom reports for CNN Newsource affiliates from correspondent Sandra Endo and RunningMate correspondent Samantha Hayes; live anchored coverage and special reports for affiliates which will stream live on CNN.com from CNN Radio’s Lisa Desjardins and Bob Costantini; special coverage for the classroom and teacher materials from CNN Student News; and live analysis before and after the 9 p.m. address from correspondent Juan Carlos López on CNN en Español.

CNN Worldwide, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner Company, is the most trusted source for news and information. Its reach extends to nine cable and satellite television networks; one private place-based network; two radio networks; wireless devices around the world; CNN Digital Network, the No. 1 network of news Web sites in the United States; CNN Newsource, the world’s most extensively syndicated news service; and strategic international partnerships within both television and the digital media.

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