Anderson Cooper 360° (commonly shortened to either AC-360 or 360) is an American television news show on CNN and CNN International, hosted by CNN journalist and news anchor Anderson Cooper. The show currently airs weeknights live from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm ET.
Since May 20, 2019, 360° has been broadcast live from CNN's set in Studio 21L at CNN's offices in 30 Hudson Yards in New York City.[1] It is also sometimes broadcast from CNN's studios in Washington, D.C. or from the site of a breaking news event, airing Monday through Friday evenings.
Beginnings
360° was launched on September 8, 2003, as a laid-back news/talk program running for one hour at 7:00pm ET. During Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, CNN executives noticed an impressive ratings boost of NewsNight due to Cooper's on-site reporting and growing popularity. The executives decided to cancel NewsNight and expand 360° to two hours on November 7, 2005. In August 2011, the show was moved up to 8:00pm ET while maintaining a replay of the show at its original 10:00pm ET time slot.
In June 2013, however, CNN decided to stop airing regular repeats of the show, with the 10:00pm ET time slot featuring its spin-off show, AC360° Later, which featured panel discussions on recent events led by Cooper. After being faced with irregular and inconsistent scheduling (sometimes being replaced by CNN documentaries or re-runs of AC360° from earlier in the day), it was finally discontinued in February 2014.[2]
"360 Bulletin" appeared at the top and bottom of the hour and was most recently presented by Amara Walker, who provided a quick review of other top news stories. The segment is no longer included in most broadcasts. Previous presenters have included Isha Sesay and Erica Hill.
"Crime and Punishment" presented the background and latest developments of high-profile crimes. This segment has been included only minimally since 2011.
"Keeping Them Honest" exposes possible issues of government corruption, failed promises, and other anomalies from various sectors.
"The Ridiculist" presented more lighthearted and humorous stories and often aired near the end of the program. (Cooper has dissolved into extended fits of giggles at least twice during this segment: on August 17, 2011, when joking about Gérard Depardieu urinating in a plane,[3] and on April 10, 2012, during a spot about Dyngus Day.[4]) The segment appears sporadically and has not appeared at all since 2019.
Supplements to the TV show
The CNN website and its AC360 section provides visitors segments and video clips of previous episodes and interviews. A podcast version of each broadcast was available for download through 2012, in which Cooper recorded a new introduction before playing clips from the main broadcast. That feature was subsequently phased out.
Recognition
Cooper accepting the 2018 Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism
In 2006, 360° was nominated twice for a GLAAD Media Award in the category of "Outstanding TV Journalism – News Segment." The nominated segments were "School Outing" and "Secret Sex Lives." In 2006, the show has won the following News & Documentary Emmy Awards:
Outstanding Live Coverage of a Breaking News Story Long Form for the report Starving in Plain Sight on the famine in Nigeria[5]
Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for the report on Charity Hospital[5]
The show also won the following Business & Financial Reporting Emmy Award in 2006:
Outstanding Coverage of a Current Business News Story In a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for the report on Black Market Infertility[6]
The show was nominated but did not win in 2007 for the following News & Documentary Emmy Awards:[7]
Outstanding Live Coverage of a Breaking News Story – Long Form for the report on Sago Mines.
Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Lighting Direction & Scenic Design for the report High Rise Crash
The show won in 2007 for the following Business & Financial Reporting Emmy Awards:[8]
Outstanding Coverage of a Current Business News Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for the report on Keeping Them Honest – Hidden Spending.
The show received two more nominations in 2008 but did not win:[9]
Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for the report Unapproved Drugs
Outstanding Investigative Journalism in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for the report Chicago Police Brutality
In 2010, Anderson Cooper 360° was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for "Outstanding TV Journalism – Newsmagazine" for the episode "Bullied to Death?" during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards.[10]
In 2011, AC360 won two Emmys for their coverage of the earthquake in Haiti:[11]
Outstanding coverage of a breaking news story in a regularly scheduled newscast, Haiti in ruins
Outstanding live coverage of a current news story – long form, crisis in Haiti
