by Thinus Ferreira
CNN has started using a new studio at its broadcasting facility in Abu Dhabi, with the new space which is home to CNN International's (DStv 401) flagship current affairs programme, Connect the World with Becky Anderson since late-February.
The studio that has a 10 million pixels video wall and a suite of fully robotic cameras is located on Abu Dhabi's artificial Yas Island in the new Yas Creative Hub.
Abu Dhabi has been a key hub in CNN's global operation since 2009 when the network first opened its bureau in the Emirate, at twofour54's previous campus.
It has been the base for Connect the World with Becky Anderson since 2014 and is also home to some of CNN’s feature programming, including Decoded and Marketplace Middle East.
Warner Bros. Discovery made no announcement about the new 80 square metre studio going into service, for media in South Africa, which falls within CNN's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region.
In a press release shared with other media, CNN says the new CNN bureau increases "the scale and scope of its operations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)".
"As one of the network's key international production hubs, alongside Atlanta, New York, London, and Hong Kong, it also marks the latest of several major investments in technology and editorial production for CNN," the news network says.
Mike McCarthy, CNN International executive vice president and general manager, says "CNN Abu Dhabi is a vital part of our global newsgathering and programming operation. This new investment underscores that importance, and we are excited to share what it will bring to our audiences around the world."
Becky Anderson, anchor & managing editor of CNN Abu Dhabi, says "This new facility really supercharges our operation in Abu Dhabi".
"Everything we have built here enhances our ability to tell stories from this region and beyond, from the state-of-the-art studio and production facilities, through to the workspace itself, which is geared towards collaborative, multi-platform content creation. We're also very happy to be part of the new creative community developing here in the Yas Creative Hub."
