Shakeup at Atlanta-based CNN

By Kristi E. Swartz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

CNN executives have announced major changes at the Atlanta-based cable network, officials confirmed Wednesday.

Chief among the changes: Combining CNN Productions, which made documentaries, with the network's investigations unit, a network spokeswoman confirmed.

Mark Nelson, who has overseen that unit since 2005, is leaving the network entirely, CNN said. Jody Gottlieb, executive director of CNN Productions, is also leaving, CNN said.

Scott Matthews, who was over any live programming based in Atlanta, will oversee the combined CNN Productions-Investigations operation, CNN said.

Additionally Soledad O'Brien's "In America" franchise -- which produced "Black in America" and "Latino in America" will be expanded and be its own separate unit in 2010, CNN/U.S. President Jon Klein wrote in a staff email.

The new unit, to be headed up by Bart Feder, the network's vice president of current programming, will add "more than a dozen positions," according to the memo.

Current employees who are part of CNN Productions will have first crack at the new jobs, CNN said.

CNN, which frequently lags behind bitter rival Fox News in media ratings, has been struggling since early 2009. The network's prime-time programs fell to last place -- behind MSNBC and its sister network HLN, formerly Headline News -- during the month of October, accordinding to Nielsen Media Rearch figures.

Strategically, network executives were focusing on shows such as "Black in America" to keep viewers hooked after the presidential election.

At the time, CNN executives emphasized that the network continues to draw more viewers than all its competitors except Fox News when all hours of the day are counted.

CNN released a statement Monday saying, "CNN's ratings are always going to be more dependent on the news environment, much more so than opinion-based programming especially in prime time."