CNN’s Political Ticker Dead


CNN’s Political Ticker ended today after weeks of being on a off-and-on temporary hiatus. New CNNPolitics Digital head Ed O’Keefe had said that he planned on ending the wire-like feature and that day came today. Rachel Smolkin of CNNPolitics Digital announced the change today in a blog post on the Ticker. She said that the site will officially go inactive and be removed from the CNNPolitics site on Wednesday and CNNPolitics’s digital relaunch will be coming later this year.

Read Rachel Smolkin’s announcement:

The Political Ticker blog died of old age on Oct. 13, 2014, after eight years of faithful service to CNN’s readers.

The Ticker began quietly in October 2006, fueled by a realization that a blog could capture and influence the political conversation. It hit 1 million page views during CNN’s 2006 election coverage a month later, and in its heyday became one of the most trafficked forums in political media.

But over the next seven years, the Ticker remained static as the media landscape transformed around it. Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram allowed political journalists to reimagine their storytelling, and the media world placed new emphasis on writing with personality and edge.

The Ticker is survived by a new era of CNN Politics Digital – an infant with many thrilling moments of growth in the months ahead.

On Wednesday, the Ticker will disappear from CNNPolitics.com. The site will get a more streamlined and video-focused look during the remainder of 2014, with more dramatic visual changes coming early next year.

An exciting new cast of writers like Stephen CollinsonAshley Codianni and Eric Bradner joins long-time reader favorites like Peter Hamby. They’re backed by a strong group of editors – including Managing Editor Z. Byron Wolf, Assistant Managing Editor for Enterprise Steven Sloan and Breaking News Editor Jedd Rosche – and the talented video team of Jeremy MoorheadJeff SimonBrenna Williams and Alex Rosen. More terrific additions to the team are coming in the weeks ahead.

Together, they will carry on the original goals of the Ticker – to give CNN’s readers smart political coverage in real time. But the reimagined CNN Politics Digital also aims to bring new voice, ambition, creativity and innovation to the network’s 2016 presidential coverage.

The Ticker started our journey in this space. In lieu of flowers, please honor its memory by joining its descendants on an exciting new path.


About Tyler

Tyler is the chief media reporter for TKNN, with the news organization since its founding in November of 2010. He has previously served as chief political reporter and chief political anchor for TKNN.

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