Media Decoder: As Zucker Starts at CNN, a Familiar (and Deep) Voice Is Heard

For a channel that needs to find its voice, this was a distinctive way to start.

Fans of CNN may have noticed over the weekend that James Earl Jones’s voice is back, proclaiming “This is CNN” in his authoritative baritone. Its restoration was a symbolic first act by Jeff Zucker, the new chief executive of CNN Worldwide, whose first official day on the job was Monday.

Mr. Zucker spent the day in Washington, observing CNN’s inauguration coverage from the control room there. Tuesday will be his first day at
the channel’s New York office.

But Mr. Zucker has already been involved behind the scenes, making programming suggestions and recruiting talent, according to staff members at CNN/U.S., the flagship channel of CNN Worldwide. Mr. Zucker helped persuade Jake Tapper, the ABC White House correspondent, to join the channel in a move announced last month. And he proposed that CNN/U.S. incorporate two anchors from its sister channel HLN, Robin Meade and Christi Paul, into inauguration coverage.

At a town hall-style meeting for staff members in Washington last week, one of several that Mr. Zucker has held, he talked about legacy — specifically, that he understands and respects CNN’s 30-year legacy, but doesn’t want to be bound by it.

Bringing back James Earl Jones is an acknowledgment of that legacy. The famous, simple sound bite — “This is CNN,” paired with the channel’s big red logo — dates back more than 20 years. But it’s been a long time since the words were heard regularly on the channel.

After he was appointed president Mr. Zucker wondered why, and earlier this month he directed the marketing department to put the sound bite
back into regular rotation, a CNN spokeswoman said.

The channel subsequently renewed its licensing deal for the sound bite, and that’s why Mr. Jones’s voice was heard during some of
the commercial breaks on CNN’s inauguration coverage.

Article source: http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/22/as-zucker-starts-at-cnn-a-familiar-and-deep-voice-is-heard/?partner=rss&emc=rss