April 1, 2003
CNN Sets Its Sights on Another Year at GW
One Year Later, Partnership Between GW and CNN’s
“Crossfire” Yields Lasting Results
By Thomas
Kohout
One year ago this week The George Washington University and CNN launched
a plan to bring a revamped version of the cable news network’s
political debate program “Crossfire” on campus. The move was
announced with great fanfare and high hopes that the changes would boost
the energy of the program. However, nothing could have prepared CNN
executives and GW staff for the swarm of media coverage, student participation,
and visitors the arrangement would inspire, no matter how high they
set their sights.
“It’s amazing to us how quickly word has spread,” says
Heather Clapp, coordinating producer for “Crossfire.” “We’ve
enjoyed some great media coverage. We were featured in The Washington
Post, and it was an exceptional review that was reprinted in a number
of newspapers across the country.”
Closer to home “Crossfire” hosts Paul Begala, James Carville,
Robert Novak, and Tucker Carlson appear on WTOP each Tuesday to promote
the program, and “Crossfire” also was profiled in Legal
Times, Where magazine, which helps tourists learn about local
events, and the MidAtlantic edition of AAA World Magazine.
“That issue was mailed to more than four million people between
New Jersey and Virginia,” beams Clapp, adding that the wealth of
coverage has had a tremendous impact on audience attendance.
Prior to moving into GW’s Media and Public Affairs Building, GW
and “Crossfire” had a long association, with telecasts beamed
from the Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre several times during the 1990s,
and after Sept. 11, 2001, the program hosted two weeks of live shows
from the Jack Morton Auditorium. It was during those telecasts that
“Crossfire” Executive Producer Sam Feist decided GW might
have the right mix of enthusiastic students and visitors, proximity
to the White House and Capitol Hill, and TV-ready facilities to bring
the show before a live audience on a regular basis. His one question
was whether or not a year later they could maintain a high degree of
interest.
“That’s what I’ve been most impressed with over the past
year” says Feist. “How the audience has grown, not just in
the GW community but from the greater metropolitan area and from people
from around the country who come to Washington to see the show. Our
audience enthusiasm is higher than it has ever been.”
For the purposes of exposure alone, the association with “Crossfire”
has been an overwhelming success for GW. To put things in perspective,
“Crossfire” now attracts more than 1,000 audience members
each week. The audience breakdown is roughly one-third students from
GW and other universities; one-third invited groups, which may include
local political or social groups, senior citizen centers, and other
similar organizations; and one-third tourists. Considering the show
expects attendance to reach the 50,000 mark by early May, that means
more than 30,000 people who otherwise might never have cause to visit
the University received first-hand exposure to GW’s campus. When
you add that to GW’s two verbal mentions and two visual mentions
per show, multiplied by the nearly 250 shows that have aired from GW,
you’re left with millions of people the world over being exposed
to what GW has to offer.
Beyond the level of exposure even a Hollywood starlet would envy, “Crossfire”
has added yet another option to the University’s slate of educational
opportunities. So far more than 100 students have volunteered or served
internships with “Crossfire.” Two formal internships are offered
each semester, in addition to the more than 40 student volunteers. The
interns spend more time at the CNN bureau and enjoy more hands-on, behind-the-scenes
time with the CNN staff on the editorial side.
“The volunteers and the interns are a terrific addition to the
team,” says Feist. “They have an opportunity to participate
in a live network television production. They’re really involved
in every aspect of our program. ”
Interns assist the staff with research and get to see the show develop
from start to finish. It’s more intense than the volunteer program,
and requires substantial time commitment. For that reason only juniors,
seniors, and graduate students are eligible for the program, and those
chosen must be able to devote at least 24 hours per week. Those unable
to dedicate that much time often choose to volunteer. Volunteers help
with the event side. They see more of the production side, seeing how
it’s executed nightly.
Spin Offs
Like many successful television programs, “Crossfire’s”
reach has extended beyond the internships and the volunteering and viewing
opportunities, reaching into the fabric of student life. Recently, the
Program Board hosted its own version of the show, the “GW Student
Crossfire” from the set of “Crossfire” before a crowd
of more than 200 students. The board, in conjunction with the GW Hatchet,
adapted the program to GW issues and concerns. President Stephen Joel
Trachtenberg even took his place in the hot seat alongside show host
and former Student Association President David Burt.
“It’s nice to see students not just watching ‘Crossfire’,”
says Clapp, “but reinventing it with a new twist. They understand
it enough to stage their own version. It’s nice to see that connection.
”
Clapp jokes that, based on their performances, she thinks CNN will have
dibs on a crew that will be very well trained producers when they graduate
from GW.
The addition of the nightly telecast has had an interesting impact on
the University’s social side, as well. Only in Washington could
politics turn sexy, but over the course of the first year on campus,
Fridays on “Crossfire” have become “date night.”
“If you stand in the back of the auditorium you see a lot of arms
around the people next to them,” laughs Clapp. “You can see
it, they are all dressed up and ready for a night on the town.”
She adds that phone calls from people looking for something to do to
start off their evening are a regular occurrence, and this Valentine’s
Day the bulk of reservation requests that came in were for pairs of
tickets.
According to GW Vice President for Communications Michael Freedman,
who negotiated the deal on behalf of the University and oversees the
project from the GW side, all first year targets have been met. “Our
most important goal was providing a unique academic and enrichment opportunity
for our students, and prospective students, and the response has been
extraordinary. CNN has proven a terrific partner and we all appreciate
the inspirational support from President Trachtenberg, which made this
all possible.”
CNN has been very happy with the ratings, noting one very important
demographic rating increase — more young people are watching “Crossfire.”
The category of 18 to 34 year olds watching “Crossfire” in
February 2003 versus February 2002 was up 100 percent.
“That’s a very important demographic,” says Feist, “because
these are the younger viewers that we want to attract. These are people
who often are politically active. For advertisers these are people who
are still formulating their buying habits, and for us these are people
who are still formulating their television habits, so it’s exactly
the group who we’d like to attract.”
Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu
