Headline News.html



HLN
Launched	January 1, 1982
Owned by	Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (a Time Warner company)
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Slogan	"News and Views"
Country	United States
Language	American English
Broadcast area	United States, Canada, Latin America, The Caribbean, Asia, Australia (some Hotels only)
Headquarters	CNN Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Formerly called	CNN2 (01-01-1982 — 01-01-1983) Headline News (01-01-1983 — 12-17-2008)
Sister channel(s)	CNN CNN Airport Network CNN en Español CNN International
Website	HLN
Availability
Terrestrial
Audio via some radio stations	Check local listings
Satellite
DirecTV	204
Dish Network	202
Cable
Available on most US cable systems	Check local listings
Satellite Radio
Sirius	133
XM	123
IPTV over ADSL
Available on most IPTV systems	Check local listings

HLN, formerly known as Headline News, is a cable television news channel based in the United States, and a spinoff of the original cable news channel, CNN. Initially airing tightly-formatted 30-minute newscasts around the clock, since 2005 the channel has increasingly aired long-form pop culture news and opinion programming.

History

Launch

Initially broadcast as CNN2 on January 1, 1982, the network renamed itself one year later to CNN Headline News. The use of "CNN" in the title of the network has been intermittent throughout the network's broadcast years.

The network's programming focused around the idea that a viewer could tune in at any time and, in just 30 minutes, receive the most popular national and international stories, in addition to feature reports. The format, known as the Headline News Wheel, featured "Dollars and Sense" personal finance reports at 15 and 45 minutes past each hour, Headline Sports at 20 and 50 minutes, lifestyle reports at 25 and 55 minutes past each hour, and general news during the top (:00) and bottom (:30) of the hour. Another regular feature was the "Hollywood Minute" which was often fitted in after the Headline Sports segment. In the network's early years, a two-minute recap of the hour's top stories, the CNN Headlines, would run after the sports segment.

The Jukebox effect

In the late 1990s, Headline News pioneered using a digital video jukebox to recycle segments of one newscast seamlessly into another newscast. The new technology led towards the network needing less staff due to the ability to use segments throughout an entire day (it replaced the former method of having anchors read the same stories repeatedly hour after hour, with the second 15 minutes of each half hour in the wheel being on videotape every third and fourth hour). During this period, the network laid off part of its staff, including such stalwart anchors as Lyn Vaughn, David Goodnow and Bob Losure, all of whom had been with Headline News for over 10 years.

A new look

With the start of the new millennium, the network became noted for its distinct "screen" starting in August of 2001, in which the news anchor (or news footage) appears in a sort of visual "window" surrounded by constantly changing text, such as breaking news, sports scores, stock market reports, and weather updates.

Format changes

Due to the growing competition from the Fox News Channel, MSNBC, and ABC News Now, Time Warner revamped CNN Headline News in 2003 towards a more flexible format, featuring live reports and two anchors hosting the network's rolling news coverage.

Headline Prime titlecard

By far, the network's drastic changes came in 2005 when the network dramatically scaled back the amount of on-screen information following much scrutiny and lampooning of the format, such as USA Today calling the screen a "jumbled mess." The new look would consist of a yellow bar, which featured sports scores and stock quotes, in addition to a basic news ticker. The network also began a shift away from their rolling news coverage throughout primetime to longer, personality-based programs, under the title Headline Prime in February of the same year.

The network's new programs included Showbiz Tonight with A. J. Hammer and Karyn Bryant, a program focusing on the celebrity news of the day, a self-named legal news and discussion program, hosted by Nancy Grace, and a general national news program titled Prime News Tonight, hosted by Erica Hill and Mike Galanos. This eliminated the main difference between CNN Headline News and CNN during primetime, which had always broadcast a variety of news-related programs, such as documentaries and personality-based shows like Larry King Live.

Expansions and additions

After the network achieved a ratings gain following the primetime lineup changes, the network introduced a new group of changes to the primetime, moving the airing of Showbiz Tonight, removing Karyn Bryant as a co-host, and the addition of a self-titled talk show, hosted by talk radio personality Glenn Beck in May 2006. Beck left the channel to join Fox News Channel in 2008.

Also during 2006, Headline News once again shifted towards more taped weekend program using its digital jukebox system to shuffle different segments of the newscast, unless breaking news occurs. In addition, Headline Prime was expanded into the weekend with the same programs in the same timeslots.

Recent changes

Continuing changes on the network, Headline News introduced a new set in December 2006, along with a new general look to the network's rolling news coverage in early 2007. The shift was seen as a flashier, tabloidish look to the network, with the set having a likeness to the feeling of a lobby.

Programming changes have also taken place, with the introduction of News To Me, a program featuring only user-generated content, in May, a daily broadcast of the previous evenings Larry King Live, in June, and a shift towards the network's rolling news coverage being handled by a single anchor, deviating from the network's traditional dual anchor format since 2003. The Larry King Live re-air has been replaced by a re-air of Showbiz Tonight from the previous evening.

1990s logo on a table in the food court at CNN Center

In May 2008, Headline News again changed its graphics on its dayside programming, using a variation of the ones used during Morning Express.

On December 15, 2008, in conjunction with CNN's own graphics changes, the network replaced their news ticker with a "flipper" which features an RSS feed of the current headlines on CNN.com.¹ The same day, the current HLN logo was introduced, initially alongside the channel's full name. Two days later, the "Headline News" name was removed from on-air use, and a new slogan, "News and Views", was introduced.²

CNN Student News

CNN Student News is a student's news program targeted for the classroom that runs from 4:00 to 4:10am(EST) Monday to Friday. It stars anchor Carl Azuz as he goes over the day's top stories. CNN Student News is also available as a free podcast on the CNN Student News website or on iTunes.

Transmission and reception

Due to the network's tradition of rolling news coverage, the network has become popular with people who may not have time to watch lengthy news reports, in addition to placed where a high demand for "get to the point" news exists, such as airports, bars, and many other places.

Since its inception, Headline News has been syndicated to network television affiliates in the United States. Audio of the channel has also been simulcast on AM radio stations across the country via Westwood One. As of 2007, however, these affiliations are being phased out due to the format changes on the channel.

The audio feed is also carried on XM Satellite Radio channel 123, and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 133. Until the early 1990s, much of Headline News' output was simulcast on CNN International.

In the mid-2000s, the channel has been made available to some viewers outside the US, particularly in Asia and Latin America. While the international version's programme line-up is exactly the same as in the US, weather forecasts for Asian and Latin American cities are used as break fillers in lieu of commercials.

Programming

HLN presents a small variety of programming, providing rolling news coverage from the early morning through the late afternoon (Eastern Time), followed by subject-oriented programming during primetime hours.

Weekday Schedule

Note:

• All times are in the Eastern Time Zone.
• The Lou Dobbs Tonight broadcast is a re-air of the same day's live telecast (from CNN); Issues with Jane Valez Mitchell is a temporary program to fill the 7pm timeslot.
• Programming highlighted in blue indicates a replay from the same day (or the day before, in the case of Showbiz Tonight at 11am)
• From 12 Midnight - 6AM Lou Dobbs Tionight, Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell, Nancy Grace, Prime News and Showbiz Tonight are replayed overnight.
• Rolling news hours throughout the afternoon are anchored by Christi Paul, Chuck Roberts, Richelle Carey and Susan Hendricks.
• Richard Lui anchors the 10 a.m. hour with it branded as "Morning Express"

Weekend programming:

• Rolling news is shown during most of the daytime but the 2nd and succeeding hours are rebroadcasts of the first hour with stories and segments shuffled. A different presenter steps-in at 6AM and 1PM ET.
• News To Me, a program featuring only user-generated content, presented by Eric Lanford
• Open House, a show covering a broad range of home and real estate issues, hosted by Gerri Willis.
• Selected shows of Headline Prime during the past week are replayed starting at 6PM ET following the same order during of programmes during weekdays.
• Not Just Another Cable News Show, a program looking back at some of the most memorable moments in HLN history.

Miscellaneous

Offices for Headline News.

During its first year, Headline News had a competitor in the form of Group W's Satellite News Channel, which lasted from June 21, 1982, until October 27, 1983. SNC's satellite slot was then purchased by Turner to launch Headline News into further additional homes.

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (September 2008)

When CNN networks moved in to the CNN Centre in 1987, HLN became the first network to broadcast a live programme from that new facility at 3.00 ET, the programme being "Headline News Programme # 96,915" presented by Lyn Vaughn.

On January 8, 1992, Headline News was almost the victim of a hoax. President Bush had fainted at a state dinner in Tokyo, and a caller claiming to be the president's physician called and claimed that Bush had died. At 9:45 a.m., anchorman Don Harrison prepared to break the story, stating "This just in to CNN Headline News, and we say right off the bat, we have not confirmed this through any other sources..." Another person, off camera, then yelled, "NO! Stop!" After glancing away momentarily, Harrison continued, "We are now getting a correction. We will not give you that story. It was regarding some rather tragic news involving President Bush, but updating that story, President Bush is reported to be resting comfortably." ³. The perpetrator turned out to be an Idaho man who was later hospitalized at a private mental facility. ⁴

Anchors and reporters (past and present)

See also

• List of DirecTV channels
• List of Dish Network channels

Early 2000s logo on a CNN Center table.

References

External links

• Headline News – official website
• Headline News nostalgia Yahoo group Group covering HLN in the 1980s and 1990s
• Headline News idents & graphics from the 1980s & 1990's