In an interview, CNN Group SVP, GM APAC, and Global Head of Productions Ellana Lee spoke about balancing global storytelling with regional nuance, the growing importance of India, and why the network is doubling down on both linear television and digital transformation.
Edited excerpts:
Q: How do you balance global editorial priorities with the need for deeper regional relevance, particularly in markets like Asia-Pacific and India?
The most important thing is knowing who we are. We are CNN International, not a local channel. Our strength lies in bringing a global perspective to stories. If something happens in India that has global relevance, that is where we do very well because we can connect the dots for audiences around the world. But if it is a purely local story, it is better covered by local media organisations that have deeper access and footprints in those markets.
Q: With conflicts such as Ukraine and the Middle East dominating headlines, how do you sustain audience engagement beyond breaking news cycles?
Breaking news is our strength. When a major story breaks, CNN typically has boots on the ground within 24 hours, unless there are restrictions that prevent access. At the same time, we have expanded the definition of news. It is no longer just about geopolitics or breaking events. We are investing more in feature storytelling and developing new editorial formats to create additional touchpoints with audiences across platforms.
Q: How do you see the role of news organisations evolving globally?
Trust in the media comes up every year, and while many reports point to rising distrust, I believe there is strong reason to trust organisations like ours that invest heavily in ensuring factual accuracy. I understand where the concern comes from, given the volume of “news” on social platforms like Instagram and YouTube. It can feel like we are competing with it, but in reality, we are not competing with news. We are competing against noise.
Q: Asia-Pacific is extremely diverse. How do you adapt editorial strategies across markets like India, China and Southeast Asia?
We focus on stories that resonate with a global audience, whether they are read, watched or experienced on our platforms. For example, interest in AI and innovation in China, especially in relation to the US and the rest of the world, is not treated as a purely local story. We cover it because of its global relevance, and we take the same approach with India and Southeast Asia.
At the same time, some regional stories carry greater weight. During the Russia-Ukraine conflict, along with tariffs and oil trade, we focused heavily on India because the story had clear global implications.
Q: What lessons from Asia-Pacific news consumption are influencing CNN’s global strategy?
One of the biggest misconceptions is treating Asia as a single, uniform market. There is no single strategy for Asia, just as there is none for Africa. Consumption patterns vary widely. Mobile usage is far more intense in Southeast and South Asia, driven by scale and behaviour, while other markets differ significantly. Being present across Asia-Pacific allows us to identify trends early and share those insights with teams in the United States. At the same time, fragmentation makes it difficult to apply a one-size-fits-all approach.
Q: India is one of the fastest-growing news markets. What stands out about Indian audiences?
India is at the frontier of news consumption. Mobile and streaming dominate how audiences engage with content. At the same time, India continues to have a remarkably strong linear television market, unlike many other countries where linear is declining rapidly. There has long been talk of consolidation among the hundreds of news channels in India, but it has not materialised because many news channels have launched with entirely different purposes.
As an English-language global platform, our focus is on identifying stories from India that resonate internationally. There is now far greater global interest in India’s innovation, economic growth and startup ecosystem. As the US and China compete, India is emerging as an alternative market for global companies and investors. Cultural exports such as Bollywood and large-scale weddings are also attracting global audiences.
Q: As audiences shift away from linear TV to digital platforms, how is CNN redefining success metrics?
Linear television remains extremely important for us. It is a critical and highly lucrative part of the business today. At the same time, we are very aware of where the industry is heading. Our approach is to maintain a strong linear proposition while being equally aggressive in digital. It is not about sacrificing one for the other. The focus is on building both in parallel.
Linear still has immense power. In moments of major breaking news, audiences may first see alerts on their phones, but they turn to television or live feeds for depth and breadth. From there, they continue following the story across platforms such as smart TVs, tablets and mobile devices.
Q: As linear declines, do you expect digital to fully compensate for lost reach and revenues?
Digital is now a serious revenue engine. We are no longer in the era of “digital dimes versus digital dollars.” At some point, there will be a crossover where digital revenues exceed linear, but we are not there yet. That is why we are preparing for that transition.
Q: What impact do you think AI will have on the news industry?
I don’t believe AI will replace journalists. Journalism is painstaking work, with multiple layers of checks before anything is published. AI can help with tasks we don’t want to spend time on, such as localisation and translation. It can significantly speed up distribution across markets, even if it is not perfect yet.
Q: What concerns do you have about AI?
AI-generated video can make it difficult to distinguish between what is real and what is not. That is why we are focusing heavily on training our teams to identify synthetic and manipulated content. As the media landscape becomes flooded with AI-generated material, the role of trusted news organisations becomes even more important.
Q: What role should governments and regulators play in tackling fake news and AI-driven misinformation?
Policymakers need to educate themselves on these technologies. The burden lies significantly with them. Regulation has consistently struggled to keep pace with technological advancement. Without a proper understanding of the technology, it is difficult to ask the right questions or build effective safeguards.
Q: How do you respond to criticism that Western media tends to overlook the complexity of countries like India in its coverage?
There are some half-truths to that criticism. Breaking news is rarely positive, which shapes perception. We are trying to broaden the lens of our coverage and reflect wider societal changes, not just crises. We also see strong interest from Indian audiences in solution-oriented storytelling. Stories about how other countries tackle shared challenges, whether in poverty alleviation, economic policy or demographic shifts, resonate strongly in India.
