Aspiring journalists create CNN Newscast

CNN on Thursday welcomed budding journalists and news producers from under-represented backgrounds to experience life in the fast-paced world of the CNN London newsroom.

CNN International is a member of the Creative Diversity Network (CDN) and instrumental in creating the first CDN Open Newsroom Day which was designed to give 500 young people with an interest in a career in news the opportunity to spend a day with regional and national newsrooms around the UK.

CNN’s visitors were shown around the newsroom, guided by the London editorial team. They then researched their own topics before taking to the streets to file their own news reports.

CNN International anchors Nina Dos Santos, Max Foster and Hala Gorani were on hand to tell the group about their own careers at CNN, and give an insight into their daily lives. CNN journalists also got involved, tweeting pictures of themselves taken at the outsets of their journalism careers and it was so popular that we are already planning to do it again next year!

Adam Dunnakey, one of the organizers of CNN’s open newsroom, explained how a television open day was a pivotal moment in his career. “The 20 people who came to CNN London didn’t just get to see, they got to do.

“Opportunities like Open Newsroom aren’t just great fun, they can be life changing. Many years ago a similar day in Teesside completely changed my trajectory. Television news was something that had always sounded exciting to me, but seemed somehow unachievable. It was only when I had a chance to try it for myself that I realized it was an option within my reach.

“The diverse group of people who came to our newsroom yesterday put together something amazing. Now that they know they can do it I’m confident we’ll be seeing those enthusiastic faces again.”