A new blog to CNN.com is the Afghanistan Crossroads blog. It’s the place where all of CNN’s coverage of Afghanistan will live online. If there is reason to, you can push people to cnn.com/afghanistan.

The blog pages work differently than the other section pages. Blogs run on Word Press, and it is much easier to embed audio on the page. Like on the Political Ticker.

This opens the opportunity for any unique Afghanistan coverage we produce to be placed on the Afghanistan Crossroads blog. Here is the official announcement from Meredith Artley:

Hi everyone. We just launched a new blog called Afghanistan Crossroads. Just another blog on the Web. No big deal.

Wait – scratch that. This is a very big deal. It’s actually groundbreaking for us in many ways.

The story of Afghanistan is global, political, personal… there are so many threads to pull. We have talented people doing just that on the ground and around the world. We have compelling video. Stunning photography. Great stories to tell in all formats, from the daily developments to the culture and history of the region. We have so much knowledge in-house and so many smart thoughts and questions from users . And there’s great stuff on other sites small and large that we can shine a light on. So the idea was to capture all those elements in a central, dynamic place, creating a center-of-gravity on the Web for Afghanistan coverage. A blog is the perfect vehicle for the task. Think of it as beat reporting with a multimedia and interactive bent, on one of the most important stories of our time and from the best news organization on the planet.

Every day, users will find new posts including links to other coverage around the Web, updates on daily news, smart analysis and perspective, data , stories you might not expect to find . We’re linking to the great stories on our air, and to original video and photography (we launched last night with this fabulous piece from Jonathan Wald which is receiving complimentary comments from readers). And some posts will simply be a few lines of text with an observation from our folks on the ground – snippets of life there.

Congratulations and thanks to Amy Cox, who is leading this truly collaborative effort that taps into CNN’s talent around the globe – it requires a passion for the story, strong editing, and mad organizational skills and she has ‘em all. Congrats also to Ryan Kimball who created this stunning design (check out the navigation to key categories/tags and how the incredible photography jumps off that dark background), and thanks to Dermot for coding it/doing the WordPress dance so we could launch just in time for today’s troop announcement. We’ve had great ideas and support from Nancy Lane and her team and also from folks like Nick Wrenn, Jay Kernis. And huge thanks to our many bloggers (in the form of reporters, editors, producers) on the ground in the region and here in Atlanta who will fuel this going forward.

Here we go.

www.cnn.com/afghanistan

Imagine if cnnradio.com becomes a web page where the public goes to hear our work… or imagine a button on the CNN iphone app that says “Radio”… If people went to that page, or clicked that button, what would they hear?

This is a question I posed to the SP’s recently. The future of CNN Radio will in some way include content that we deliver directly to the public in addition to our affiliate service. Maybe a web page, maybe a phone app – who knows. No matter how people hear us, the question remains, what will they hear?

One idea was universal: we should share the interviews we do. Not just the soundbites and wraps, but the entire interview. So over the next days and weeks we’re going to see what we can do. Everyone, along with the SP’s should be identifying stories and interviews worth “airing”. We have created a network folder in Burli called “interviews” and this is where you should put finished interviews that you and the SP’s have decided would be worthy of sharing.

These should be well researched, with insightful questions, good guests, well produced, ready to air files placed in this folder. Will it be one a day? One per shift? Maybe 4 one day, and none the next? Let’s see what happens, let’s see what we can do.

Newscasts, interviews, live call-in shows…. what can we do? What should we do? If you have ideas please share.

The new CNN.com has an opinion section where CNN contributors and guest columnists write opinion articles. I have been communicating with Richard Galant at CNN.com to try to bring this content to CNN Radio. By doing Q&A with the writers of these pieces, we can get unique stories to run in newscasts, and provide to affiliates.

Today you’ll see WRP’s and ACT’s with Senator Thune who wants to end TARP and ACT’s with David Frum who thinks herbal supplements should be regulated just like drugs. Both of those columns posted this morning on CNN.com.

I’ll be working with the SP’s to try and develop regular procedures for getting audio with CNN’s opinion contributors on a regular basis. Be on the lookout for assignments tied to these pieces, and if you have any ideas please share!

There have been some changes at CNN.com that are summed up well by Mike Toppo in a post on the behind the scenes blog here: http://behindthescenes.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/14/whats-next-for-video-on-cnn-com/

John King will host the 7p hour on CNN TV beginning next year.

www.cnnpressroom.com

The AP wrote an article about CNN that I think contains some interesting quotes from Jim Walton. The article is on a few websites, here is a link to the Washington Post.

CNN has built its business – encompassing international networks and wholesale news reports, mobile device services, a Web site, a wire service to print publications and radio – around the notion that it is delivering nonpartisan, straight news reporting, he said.

“People hear what’s being said and it’s branded CNN and (they say), `OK, that’s news. That’s nonpartisan, that’s factual, it’s timely,” Walton said. “That’s what we want to deliver around the world. We compete against a lot more than Fox and MSNBC.”

Of the flagship network’s sagging fortunes, Walton said, “It matters to us. Trust me, it matters. We want all of our networks to grow their audiences. But the fact is, (CNN) is a vibrant, healthy company that’s growing in an industry where we’re pretty much one of one.”

What do you think?

I got this in an e-mail from Greg Agvent, some of you may have received it too. Anyone on the Radio staff is encouraged to attend and participate in these meetings:

Since we are only as good as our ideas….

Here’s an opportunity for Atlanta staffers to develop and share story pitches in a collaborative, creative, fast paced setting.…

Think of this meeting as a Think Tank in a Shark Tank…..good ideas….but get em out fast!

Starting this week…..Wednesday, November 11, from 3:00-3:45 pm and every other Wednesday afterward….we will gather in the Savannah Conference to discuss upcoming editorial opportunities.

Now, we know a good idea when we see one….so we’re borrowing the “30 second pitch” concept…Be prepared to pitch your idea to the assembled group…..you’ll have 30 seconds….maybe more if you’re on a roll!

A few other ground rules….

DON’T pitch wire stories….
DON’T pitch stuff straight out of the NYT, LAT, WAPO, HUFFPO or any of the other sources we all read!

DO…..think about news trends, milestones, significant anniversaries and upcoming events, we will try to work at least a month ahead…so our first meeting will focus on December…so should you!
DO…..try to identify specific characters for your story
DO…..think about “storytelling” across platforms…
DO…..prepare by reviewing the “Sweeps 52” calendar on the CNN Planning website for dates/ pegs etc.http://cnnplanning/sweeps52/default.aspx

The best ideas will be pitched to all CNN shows and platforms – We’ll use consecutive meetings to follow up on the status of the best ideas from the previous meeting….Hope to see you Wednesday!

I’m sure you saw the e-mail about extra days off around the Holidays, and those of us on a 24/7 newsroom schedule will be getting two extra days off this year. These additional two days of PTO must be used by March 31, 2010.

In the past we have assigned these days, but this year we are asking you to talk to your SP to coordinate and schedule your additional two company holidays off. The SP’s will work with Patti to make sure the newsroom is covered and everyone gets the additional PTO.

(I will coordinate with Mike, Dan and the correspondents.)

Please join me in congratulating Chris Chandler on his new position as afternoon anchor at CNN Radio affiliate AM 750 WSB! Chris’ last day with us will be next Thursday the 12th of November.

In his time here Chris has anchored newscasts, edited, CP’d, covered hurricanes, handled Newsource, anchored longform shows, produced longform shows… (am I missing anything?) Chris’ skill and versatility will be missed.

We will be adding the CNNBRK twitter feed to the front page of the affiliate website. What does this mean for us? It means more automated breaking news messages on the affiliate site, and less e-mail generated by radio staff.

We will still have to send out e-mail detailing our coverage plans of breaking news… but we won’t have to send out messages, or post messages every time something is breaks.

Hoo-ray!