The Situation Room
Encyclopedia
The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer is an afternoon/early evening newscast on CNN
and CNN International
hosted by Wolf Blitzer
that first aired on August 8, 2005. The show replaces three politics and hard news programs: Judy Woodruff
's Inside Politics, Crossfire
(canceled on June 3, 2005) and Wolf Blitzer Reports
.
At first, the newscast aired live from 3–6 p.m. ET and was subdivided into an hour devoted to politics, an hour devoted to security, and an hour devoted to international news. However, on November 2, 2005, CNN announced that The Situation Room would be chopped up: block 1 would air live from 4–6 p.m. ET, and block 2 would air live from 7–8 p.m. ET (taking over the timeslot held by Anderson Cooper 360 which moved to 10 p.m. ET). Lou Dobbs Tonight aired between the two blocks. Effective November 5, 2007, the show reverted to a single 3-hour block from 4:00–7:00pm ET to give more focus to the presidential election scheduled to take place 1 year from that date. Lou Dobbs Tonight moved up to 7:00 pm ET. In January 2010 after the cancellation of Lou Dobbs Tonight and the expansion of Rick Sanchez
's hour into a two-hour program, The Situation Room was pushed to air from 5:00 pm ET to 8:00 pm ET. As of March 22, 2010, its third hour was replaced by a new program, John King, USA
, hosted by John King. As a result The Situation Room now airs from 5:00 pm ET to 7:00 pm ET. On October 3, 2011, Erin Burnett OutFront
will begin arriving at 7:00PM, John King, USA will move to the 6:00PM time slot, and The Situation Room will move to 4:00PM-6:00PM - leaving one less hour of CNN Newsroom
.
While The Situation Room has its own correspondents dedicated to the show, including Brian Todd, Jessica Yellin
and Mary Snow, the show also makes use of top CNN journalists from across CNN's networks, such as Gloria Borger
, John King
, Candy Crowley
, Ali Velshi
, and Suzanne Malveaux
. A number of pundits make regular appearances, including Paul Begala
, James Carville
, and Donna Brazile
.
The show begins with the following (or a variation of this) phrase:
To our viewers: You're in the Situation Room - where news and information are arriving all the time. Standing by: CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you the day's top stories. Happening Now ... I'm Wolf Blitzer, and You're in the Situation Room." Another phrase Blitzer commonly uses, due to the show now being aired on CNN International is - "To Our Viewers in the United States and Around the World I'm Wolf Blitzer and You're in the Situation Room."
The Happening Now statement to introduce the day's top stories is a remnant from the show's primary predecessor, Wolf Blitzer Reports.
The show also features a commentary segment, The Cafferty File presented by anchor Jack Cafferty
who typically will offer his perspective on a particular political situation and ask the viewers to respond to his question through his blog on the CNN website. Cafferty will usually cover at least two commentaries throughout the show, and read a few of the viewer responses at the end of the hour.
The show has also garnered criticism for devoting excessive coverage to human interest stories
, notably devoting almost an hour of commercial free coverage to a story about a virus
affecting their Windows 2000
computers. Much of the criticism comes from satirist Jon Stewart
, who has mocked the reporting of the show on multiple occasions. Saturday Night Live
would later lampoon The Situation Room following the fallout from the death of Anna Nicole Smith
and its excessive news coverage of the story in early 2007. However, the show also earned critical praise for its multiple-screen coverage of Hurricane Katrina
.
On January 24, 2009, the Situation Room premiered a Saturday edition, which shows highlights of interviews aired during the weekday editions.
feeds of news wire headlines that scroll in the background at various times during the show. Live video feeds are commonly present in the show's format.
The show is broadcast live from CNN's studios in Washington D.C but the show airs from the Time Warner Center
in New York City
during major voting events starting with the 2006 mid-term elections. This allows the show to make use of the New York Studio's larger video walls and high definition cameras. In 2008 this temporary move was done during the afternoons of major Presidential primary days, party conventions, debate nights and the week leading up to Election night when host Blitzer takes part in CNN's "Election Center" coverage as well as major presidential addresses. (Contributor Jack Cafferty
and correspondent Mary Snow are regularly based at the Time Warner Center.)
Typically when Blitzer is in locations other than New York, the camera crew will still shoot the DC set, utilizing the video walls to show incoming images as well as a live feed of Blitzer.
The style of the Situation Room has been mimicked on other CNN programs, most notably the International Desk on CNN International
, which is presented by Hala Gorani
. The International Desk uses a large rear projection display with multiple video feeds much like the Situation Room, but the program's format features much more international news than the Situation Room.
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and CNN International
CNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
hosted by Wolf Blitzer
Wolf Blitzer
Wolf Isaac Blitzer is an American journalist who has been a CNN reporter since 1990. Blitzer is currently the host of the newscast The Situation Room and was the host of the Sunday talk show Late Edition until it was discontinued on January 11, 2009...
that first aired on August 8, 2005. The show replaces three politics and hard news programs: Judy Woodruff
Judy Woodruff
Judy Woodruff is an American television news anchor and journalist.Woodruff is a Board Member at the IWMF .-Broadcast journalism career:...
's Inside Politics, Crossfire
Crossfire (TV series)
Crossfire was a current events debate television program that aired from 1982 to 2005 on CNN. Its format was designed to present and challenge the opinions of a politically liberal pundit and a conservative pundit.-Format:...
(canceled on June 3, 2005) and Wolf Blitzer Reports
Wolf Blitzer Reports
Wolf Blitzer Reports was an afternoon/early evening newscast on CNN hosted by Wolf Blitzer that first aired on December 8, 2000 and last aired on August 5, 2005. The program focused on the day's top news, live interviews with top newsmakers and live debriefs with CNN correspondents around the...
.
At first, the newscast aired live from 3–6 p.m. ET and was subdivided into an hour devoted to politics, an hour devoted to security, and an hour devoted to international news. However, on November 2, 2005, CNN announced that The Situation Room would be chopped up: block 1 would air live from 4–6 p.m. ET, and block 2 would air live from 7–8 p.m. ET (taking over the timeslot held by Anderson Cooper 360 which moved to 10 p.m. ET). Lou Dobbs Tonight aired between the two blocks. Effective November 5, 2007, the show reverted to a single 3-hour block from 4:00–7:00pm ET to give more focus to the presidential election scheduled to take place 1 year from that date. Lou Dobbs Tonight moved up to 7:00 pm ET. In January 2010 after the cancellation of Lou Dobbs Tonight and the expansion of Rick Sanchez
Rick Sanchez
Ricardo León "Rick" Sánchez de Reinaldo , known professionally as Rick Sanchez, is a Cuban-American journalist, author and former TV news anchor...
's hour into a two-hour program, The Situation Room was pushed to air from 5:00 pm ET to 8:00 pm ET. As of March 22, 2010, its third hour was replaced by a new program, John King, USA
John King, USA
John King, USA is an hour-long television news show that is hosted by John King on CNN. The show debuted on March 22, 2010.It airs at 7:00 PM Eastern, and as a result, shortened The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer to 2 hours...
, hosted by John King. As a result The Situation Room now airs from 5:00 pm ET to 7:00 pm ET. On October 3, 2011, Erin Burnett OutFront
Erin Burnett OutFront
Erin Burnett OutFront is an hour-long television news program hosted by Erin Burnett on CNN. The show premiered on October 3, 2011 in the 7PM and 11PM time slot to replace John King, USA. CNN's executives hope that Burnett's new show will help with CNN prime time's ratings.-External links:* *...
will begin arriving at 7:00PM, John King, USA will move to the 6:00PM time slot, and The Situation Room will move to 4:00PM-6:00PM - leaving one less hour of CNN Newsroom
CNN Newsroom
CNN Newsroom is an American news program on CNN/US.Broadcasting throughout the week, Newsroom features live and taped news reports, in addition to analysis from experts on the issues being covered, and headlines throughout each hour. The program tends to focus on softer news than their hard news...
.
While The Situation Room has its own correspondents dedicated to the show, including Brian Todd, Jessica Yellin
Jessica Yellin
Jessica Yellin is an American television journalist, currently serving as the Chief White House Correspondent for CNN in Washington, D.C. Previously, she served as a Capitol Hill and National Political Correspondent for CNN, and she frequently shares air time with Dana Bash and John King.-Early...
and Mary Snow, the show also makes use of top CNN journalists from across CNN's networks, such as Gloria Borger
Gloria Borger
Gloria Anne Borger is a political pundit, American journalist, and columnist. Borger is presently a contributing editor and columnist for US News and World Report magazine and a Senior Political Analyst at CNN. She was formerly the National Political Correspondent for CBS News...
, John King
John King (journalist)
John King is an American journalist and is the anchor of John King, USA which appears weeknights at 7pm/ET on CNN. He is also the former anchor of State of the Union with John King...
, Candy Crowley
Candy Crowley
Candy Alt Crowley is a CNN anchor and Chief Political Correspondent, specializing in U.S. presidential, gubernatorial, and Senate elections. She is based in CNN's Washington bureau, and hosted Inside Politics in place of Judy Woodruff before the show was replaced with The Situation Room. Crowley...
, Ali Velshi
Ali Velshi
Ali Velshi is a Canadian-American television journalist best known for his work on CNN. He is CNN's Chief Business Correspondent, Anchor of CNN's Wake Up Call and a co-host of CNN's weekday morning show American Morning.-Personal life:...
, and Suzanne Malveaux
Suzanne Malveaux
Suzanne M. Malveaux , is an American television news reporter.She is currently the anchor of CNN Newsroom 11am to 1pm. Before that she was White House correspondent for CNN and primary substitute host on CNNs "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer"...
. A number of pundits make regular appearances, including Paul Begala
Paul Begala
Paul Edward Begala is an American political consultant and political commentator. He was an adviser to President Bill Clinton. Begala was a chief strategist for the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign, which carried 33 states and made Clinton the first Democrat to win the White House in sixteen years...
, James Carville
James Carville
Chester James Carville, Jr. is an American political consultant, commentator, educator, actor, attorney, media personality, and prominent liberal pundit. Carville gained national attention for his work as the lead strategist of the successful presidential campaign of then-Arkansas governor Bill...
, and Donna Brazile
Donna Brazile
Donna Brazile is an American author, professor, and political analyst affiliated with the Democratic Party. She was the first African American to direct a major presidential campaign, for Al Gore in 2000...
.
The show begins with the following (or a variation of this) phrase:
To our viewers: You're in the Situation Room - where news and information are arriving all the time. Standing by: CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you the day's top stories. Happening Now ... I'm Wolf Blitzer, and You're in the Situation Room." Another phrase Blitzer commonly uses, due to the show now being aired on CNN International is - "To Our Viewers in the United States and Around the World I'm Wolf Blitzer and You're in the Situation Room."
The Happening Now statement to introduce the day's top stories is a remnant from the show's primary predecessor, Wolf Blitzer Reports.
The show also features a commentary segment, The Cafferty File presented by anchor Jack Cafferty
Jack Cafferty
Jack Cafferty is a CNN commentator and occasional host of specials. In the summer of 2005, Cafferty joined The Situation Room.-Career:...
who typically will offer his perspective on a particular political situation and ask the viewers to respond to his question through his blog on the CNN website. Cafferty will usually cover at least two commentaries throughout the show, and read a few of the viewer responses at the end of the hour.
The show has also garnered criticism for devoting excessive coverage to human interest stories
Human interest story
A human interest story is a feature story that discusses a person or people in an emotional way. It presents people and their problems, concerns, or achievements in a way that brings about interest or sympathy in the reader or viewer....
, notably devoting almost an hour of commercial free coverage to a story about a virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
affecting their Windows 2000
Windows 2000
Windows 2000 is a line of operating systems produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, business desktops, laptops, and servers. Windows 2000 was released to manufacturing on 15 December 1999 and launched to retail on 17 February 2000. It is the successor to Windows NT 4.0, and is the...
computers. Much of the criticism comes from satirist Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
, who has mocked the reporting of the show on multiple occasions. Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
would later lampoon The Situation Room following the fallout from the death of Anna Nicole Smith
Anna Nicole Smith
In 1992 Smith was chosen by Hugh Hefner to appear on the cover of the March issue of Playboy, where she was listed as Vickie Smith, wearing a low-cut evening gown. The centerfold was photographed by Stephen Wayda. Smith said she planned to be "the next Marilyn Monroe". Becoming one of Playboys...
and its excessive news coverage of the story in early 2007. However, the show also earned critical praise for its multiple-screen coverage of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
.
On January 24, 2009, the Situation Room premiered a Saturday edition, which shows highlights of interviews aired during the weekday editions.
Behind the scenes and studio uses
The Situation Room differs in some ways from similar cable news programs. For instance, use of eight video screens requires extra coordination. Two control rooms are used: One is exclusively used for the show itself, while the second is used to maintain content in the large eight-panel video wall. The show also makes use of live RSSRSS (file format)
RSS is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works—such as blog entries, news headlines, audio, and video—in a standardized format...
feeds of news wire headlines that scroll in the background at various times during the show. Live video feeds are commonly present in the show's format.
The show is broadcast live from CNN's studios in Washington D.C but the show airs from the Time Warner Center
Time Warner Center
The Time Warner Center is a mixed-use skyscraper developed by AREA Property Partners and The Related Companies in New York City. Its design, by David Childs of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, consists of two 750 ft towers bridged by a multi-story atrium containing upscale retail shops...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
during major voting events starting with the 2006 mid-term elections. This allows the show to make use of the New York Studio's larger video walls and high definition cameras. In 2008 this temporary move was done during the afternoons of major Presidential primary days, party conventions, debate nights and the week leading up to Election night when host Blitzer takes part in CNN's "Election Center" coverage as well as major presidential addresses. (Contributor Jack Cafferty
Jack Cafferty
Jack Cafferty is a CNN commentator and occasional host of specials. In the summer of 2005, Cafferty joined The Situation Room.-Career:...
and correspondent Mary Snow are regularly based at the Time Warner Center.)
Typically when Blitzer is in locations other than New York, the camera crew will still shoot the DC set, utilizing the video walls to show incoming images as well as a live feed of Blitzer.
The style of the Situation Room has been mimicked on other CNN programs, most notably the International Desk on CNN International
CNN International
CNN International is an international English language television network that carries news, current affairs, politics, opinions, and business programming worldwide. CNN is one of the world's largest news organizations. It is owned by Time Warner, and is affiliated with CNN, which is mainly...
, which is presented by Hala Gorani
Hala Gorani
Hala Basha-Gorani , is an American anchor/correspondent for CNN International based in the network's headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. She anchors CNN Internationals 1 p.m. ET International Desk from the CNN Center...
. The International Desk uses a large rear projection display with multiple video feeds much like the Situation Room, but the program's format features much more international news than the Situation Room.