CNN International will launch multi-platform programming called “CNN Creators” from its new facility at Media City in Doha, Qatar.
The new weekly half-hour CNN International program will air Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. ET and begin Oct. 23 under a phased launch plan. For the first few months, the show will be called “CNN Creators – The Intro.” This first phase will bring in a team of multi-platform content creators, “each with unique backgrounds, interests, skills and perspectives,” according to a statement from CNN.
“These digitally native storytellers will explore conversations that capture the zeitgeist, focusing on AI, technology, art, culture, sports, and social trends,” the statement added.
The CNN Creators team in Doha will be led by Andrew Potter, a former senior editorial producer at Vice. Potter will be joined by Ivana Scatra, a multilingual digital video producer and former BBC and France 24 reporter. Bijan Hosseini is known to CNN International viewers for his work hosting some of the network’s featured content on television and social. Antoinette Radford, another former BBC News journalist and member of CNN’s digital live news team.
Mathias Gress, an award-winning producer and reporter who has worked for CNN Sports in London for more than a decade, and Ben Foley, a veteran war photojournalist with extensive experience working for Seven Network and Network Ten in his native Australia, as well as Al Jazeera, Vice and the New York Times, complete the lineup of CNN Creators at launch.
In early 2026, the show will become a permanent feature as “CNN Creators.” This will be the first program to be based at CNN’s state-of-the-art facility in Doha’s Media City, Qatar. The purpose-built studio (pictured above) will feature custom workspaces “designed to enable dynamic content creation and collaborative, self-directed work across teams,” according to a statement. Alongside television programming, CNN Creators will also produce content for CNN.com and CNN’s social platforms.
“‘CNN Creators’ is unlike any show we’ve launched before,” Meara Erdozain, CNN SVP of international programming, said in a statement. “This exciting new digital-forward initiative will reflect how young audiences are engaging with stories, delivering engaging and entertaining content in a variety of ways,” she added.
CNN opened a new hub in Qatar in February, marking its first new broadcast facility in a new country since opening its Abu Dhabi bureau in 2009.
CNN’s presence in Qatar complements its existing Middle East programming and news gathering hub and CNN’s main headquarters in the region. Abu Dhabi is home to Connecting the World with Becky Anderson and Dubai is home to CNN Arabic.
Qatar, which has played a key role in negotiating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, is the home country and major backer of global news outlet Al Jazeera, CNN’s main competitor in the region.
