CNN Studio Tour in Atlanta
Peek Inside the World Headquarters of CNN, Cable News Network
Sep 2, 2009
Atlanta business mogul Ted Turner founded Cable News Network, better known as CNN, which launched on June 1, 1980. It expanded its operations worldwide while maintaining its global headquarters in Turner’s hometown where more than 330,000 people per year tour the CNN Center to learn how the media giant gathers the news and broadcasts its programming. CNN is now owned by Time Warner.
CNN Tour Begins with World’s Largest Escalator
Visitors begin their tour at CNN Center with a ride on the world’s largest free-standing escalator, which once moved visitors to a human pinball machine ride in an indoor amusement park, The World of Sid and Marty Krofft. The towering escalator now takes visitors up 200 feet to a 50-foot globe. Inside, they view CNN footage at interactive kiosks.
From the walkway used on the tour, visitors look down to the floor of the atrium, which contained the amusement park’s indoor ice rink. Now the portion of the atrium is used for a food court and has floor tiles in the outline of a world map. Brass disks are inserted in locations where CNN has stations.
In the Control Room theater, the tour guide shows a video replicating the fast pace of the TV news world and takes questions from visitors.
Visitors Learn Broadcast Secrets in the Studio
Some of the special effects used in television are revealed in Studio 7E, CNN’s black box studio. Visitors see how the weather is broadcast using one screen for TV viewers and a second for the meteorologist. They are invited to try it for themselves or take the anchor’s seat at a news desk and take a turn broadcasting news.
Choice of color and pattern is important for optimum visual impact in the studio. For example, the color green will not appear. To demonstrate, the guide uses a green cloth to cover himself, making him disappear on screen, much like Harry Potter inside his invisibility cloak.
See the Real Newsroom at Work
The tour continues with an overlook giving a bird’s-eye-view of the CNN newsroom. CNN maintains several separate news-gathering operations, including
- CNN International
- Headline News
- CNN.com
- CNN en Espanol
- CNN Airport Network
- Headline Prime
The finale of the tour includes a video production of news anchors giving their views and perspective of their jobs covering world events. The exit leads through the Turner Store where CNN souvenirs and memorabilia are sold.
Second Tour Features Morning Express with Robin Meade
On Thursday mornings, visitors can take the Inside CNN Morning Express Tour, which goes behind the scenes of HLN’s Morning Express program with Robin Meade. Visitors enter Studio H to see a portion of the live broadcast and visit the HLN newsroom and control room. They also have coffee and doughnuts inside CNN’s 50-foot globe and receive a souvenir picture and a Morning Express/Inside CNN travel mug.
The Morning Express tour is subject to availability and breaking news events. Children under the age of 12 are not permitted. Tickets are limited.
Booking CNN Tours
Reservations are recommended for studio tours. Tickets can be purchased by phone at (877) 4CNNTOUR.
Inside CNN Studio Tours are offered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with departures every 10 minutes. Children of all ages are allowed on the Inside CNN Studio Tour, but visitors should mention a small child will be in their party when they purchase tickets.
Discount ticket plans make Atlanta and affordable destination and are offered through the Inside CNN Studio Tour/Georgia Aquarium Combo Pass, the Omni Hotel at CNN Center package, and the Atlanta CityPass, which includes admission to six attractions, such as the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and Atlanta History Center, which maintains the Margaret Mitchell House.
Information on the tours and ticket costs are available on the tour Web site.
CNN Center is at One CNN Center, on the corner of Marietta Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive.
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