CNN's Blueprint for success: A conversation with Scot Safron

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 09/28/2011 15:49:00
• In: Leadership in diversity sessions

NEW YORK -- CNN's HLN network scored big and got lots of attention by broadcasting the Casey Anthony trial in its entirety. The network's ratings soared, particularly among women, during the summer of 2011 while covering the trial in which Anthony was ultimately acquitted of first-degree murder in the death of her young daughter.

Now Scot Safon, who is executive vice president/CNN Worldwide and serves as general manager of HLN, sees an opportunity to broaden the channel's appeal among women of color, especially African American women, by giving the Conrad Murray trial the same treatment. Murray, who was Michael Jackson's doctor at the time of his death in 2009, is charged with involuntary manslaughter. Opening arguments began Sept 27.

The story of HLN, formerly CNN Headline News, is one of trial and error and building an audience that's different from that of CNN. Launched in the early 80s, CNN Headline News provided digests of the top news stories for more than 20 years. But as more and more people began turning to CNN.com for news updates, HLN's audience began to disappear, especially at night.

So in 2005, the network began searching for a new formula.  HLN tried some new shows, including one by Nancy Grace, a former prosecutor, on breaking crime news. Grace's show worked “stunningly well” while one by Glenn Beck failed. Safon said that HLN's main audience is now 65 to 85 percent female, and lives primarily in the Midwest, South and West. But initially, developing a largely female viewership “was not intentional.” Safon added that HLN wants to be “the water cooler news network.” As such, that means covering trials like those of Anthony and Murray as well as frequently doing stories about “bad behavior.”

“I'm taking the brand further and further away from CNN's core purpose. I'm building a more populist brand,” Safon said. In doing so, he sees an opportunity to broaden CNN's advertising base. “I want advertisers who want to be associated with water cooler conversations. Women do a lot more brand evangelizing [than men], black women especially.”

Safon acknowledged that he had to fight for and justify his decision to cover the Anthony trial gavel to gavel. Asked why HLN devoted so much airtime to it when many children go missing each year, he said it was because it was “just so bizarre, weird.”

Asked about the talent and skill set executives like him need in a multicultural and multiplatform world, Safon said he wants people who can collaborate, are willing to share and are open, adventurous and want to create a way to tell stories. He added that he finds it easier to find people who are good at execution than those who are good at innovating and collaborating.

He also mentioned CNN's “Freethinking Fridays,” saying they have been a tremendous forum for innovative ideas. “A shocking number of people show up.” He said that 10 things HLN tried during the Anthony trial were inspired by ideas offered at those forums.