Tonight’s debate hosted by CNN is also spotlighting the network’s Techwood Turner Atlanta campus, located north of Downtown near Georgia Tech. Atlanta was once the headquarters for CNN. With most major live CNN shows broadcasting from Atlanta from Wednesday afternoon until at least Friday morning, this week will be the longest stretch of consecutive live coverage out of Atlanta in at least 15 years.
Atlanta was chosen in part because CNN’s core technical infrastructure is here, a legacy of founder Ted Turner, who built out the city as CNN’s headquarters. CNN is now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Georgia is also important to both candidates given its status as a swing state come November.
For the actual debate itself, CNN commandeered Studio D, normally home to the baseball show “MLB on TBS.” That show is on the road while the news network uses the space. “Viewers familiar with that show will not recognize it,” said Alexa Bennewitz, CNN’s special director of special events.
Moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash have been in Atlanta rehearsing since Sunday. About 600 people are involved in Atlanta preparations, a CNN spokeswoman said.
Since Wednesday, a number of major live CNN shows have aired from a special outdoor stage.
CNN has also set up a space for media at nearby McCamish Pavilion on the Georgia Tech campus, where nearly 800 media representatives are credentialed from 64 cities, 173 different news outlets and 35 countries.
Read more about preparations at CNN for the Atlanta debate.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink
Credit: John Spink
This was originally published on our Live Updates page.
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