Information
Landmark: CNN Studio ToursCity: Atlanta
Country: USA Georgia
Continent: North America
CNN Studio Tours, Atlanta, USA Georgia, North America
Overview
Once a must‑see in Atlanta, the CNN Studio Tours took visitors behind the scenes, letting them watch cameras roll and lights flash inside one of the world’s most famous newsrooms.Inside the CNN Center at 190 Marietta Street NW in downtown Atlanta, the tours gave visitors a rare chance to watch a major TV newsroom in action, from glowing teleprompters to the hum of live broadcasts.CNN ended its Studio Tours for good in March 2020, and since then the CNN Center has changed dramatically-hallways once buzzing with staff now stand quiet as the network has moved much of its work out of the building.The CNN Center is a sprawling complex in downtown Atlanta that once served as CNN’s global headquarters, with offices, bustling studios, restaurants, and shops tucked inside its glass-and-steel walls.Built in the 1970s, it quickly turned into the beating heart of Turner Broadcasting System and CNN, Ted Turner’s creation.CNN Studio Tours opened its doors to the public, inviting visitors to step into the buzz of live news production and the fast pace of broadcast journalism.Before it closed, the CNN Studio Tour offered a 50‑minute guided walk, with friendly staff leading guests past humming newsrooms and through several key spots inside the CNN Center.It was built to teach and to delight, drawing in anyone-from curious kids to seasoned pros-who’s fascinated by the world of media, journalism, or the backstage hum of a TV studio.The tour kicked off with a ride on the world’s largest freestanding escalator-a 196-foot stretch of moving steps that carried visitors from the main lobby to the studio tour entrance, humming softly as they rose into the bright upper level.The escalator stood out as one of the CNN Center’s signature pieces, its sleek metal rails catching the glow of overhead lights.In the newsroom viewing area, guides led guests to decks high above the floor, where CNN anchors and producers moved briskly between screens, delivering live news as voices and keyboard clicks filled the air.From here, you could watch the buzz of global news take shape-a blur of ringing phones, quick footsteps, and screens flashing headlines.On the tour, we stepped into production control rooms where the crew juggled live feeds, switched video, dropped in graphics, and fine-tuned the sound, their screens glowing in the dim light.Visitors discovered how a bank of cameras, bright overhead lights, and crisp audio gear work in sync to produce the smooth, polished broadcasts you see on TV.Broadcast Technology Demonstrations featured hands-on presentations that broke down the key tools behind today’s newsrooms, from the hum of a live camera to the click of a control panel.Visitors got to see teleprompters in action, watched weather forecasts come together against a glowing green backdrop, and learned how special effects and sleek graphics slip seamlessly into live broadcasts.One crowd favorite on the tour let visitors slide into a seat behind a replica CNN anchor desk, snap a souvenir photo, and feel, for a moment, like they were reading the evening news under bright studio lights.Historical displays lined the tour, highlighting CNN’s pivotal moments-like its gripping Gulf War coverage in 1991, when footage of burning oil fields streamed around the clock-and other landmark events captured live by its reporters.Impact of the Tour The CNN Studio Tour wasn’t just about having fun-it pulled back the curtain on how news is made, letting visitors watch anchors read scripts under bright studio lights and showing why journalism and media literacy matter.Families, school groups, and curious travelers often squeezed the tour into their Atlanta plans, eager for a behind‑the‑scenes look at one of the world’s most influential media giants, where the hum of busy newsrooms never stopped.CNN permanently shut down its Studio Tours in March 2020, a move folded into the larger overhaul of the CNN Center.Over time, CNN shifted a lot of its day-to-day operations to Warner Bros., from bustling news desks to quiet control rooms.Discovery campus sits in the heart of Midtown Atlanta, anchored by sleek, modern facilities with glass walls that catch the afternoon sun.Since then, the CNN Center has turned into a mixed-use hub with shops, restaurants, and places to catch a show, but the once-busy studio tours are long gone.You can still spot the bold red CNN sign outside the building and wander through the busy downtown streets, but inside, the hands-on media tour is gone.If you’re into media or broadcast production, you could drop by Georgia Public Broadcasting’s studios or take a film and TV location tour that shows off Atlanta’s rising profile as an entertainment hub, from bustling downtown streets to quiet neighborhoods seen on screen.You’ll find visitor information at 190 Marietta Street NW in Atlanta, GA.Tours, when offered, run about 50 minutes, and the CNN Center is fully accessible, with elevators and other features to make sure every guest is comfortable.The CNN Center sits just steps from Centennial Olympic Park, and it’s an easy walk to the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.The CNN Studio Tours offered a rare chance to step behind the scenes of a global news network, wandering past humming control rooms and hearing stories from a guide who brought it all to life.Blending technology with history, it pulled visitors in through live observation - like watching a reporter hustle across a buzzing newsroom - and immersed them in the world of broadcast journalism.Though the tour’s doors have long closed, its legacy still threads through Atlanta’s vibrant cultural and media story, a reminder of the city’s days as a buzzing hub for newsrooms and bold media experiments.
