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CNN Video Guidelines

Accepted Streaming Video Ad Delivery Formats:
Aspect Ratios: 16:9 & 4:3 (4:3 to get black curtains to fit 16:9)

File-Based Media (16:9 & 4:3): Delivered on CD-R or DVD-R:Uncompressed QuickTime, MPEG-4 Program or Transport Stream file, DV file

All files must contain a soundtrack, even if the ad is to run without sound.

Delivery Address for Streaming Assets:
Turner Digital Ads QA
Attn: Herb Ford
1015 Techwood Dr.
3rd Floor
Atlanta, GA 30318
Ad-QA@web.turner.com

Companion Display Ad Formats: 300x250, 234x60,
Overlay Ads: 300x50, and 450x50
Banners (JPEG, GIF and Rich Media)

  • See below for additional details on companion units and/or creative production process.

In-stream Companion Ads: CNN.com will NOT allow any in-banner video ads on the multimedia story pages and video section as those pages will have a pre-roll synced with a 336x280 banner.

Consistent with CNN.com Rich Media Ad Guidelines:
In-Banner Rich Media (customized Flash & vendor products)
Branding Studies w/ Pop-Up Questionnaires (launch from 336x280)

Exceptions to CNN.com Rich Media Ad Guidelines:
No Audio, Pop-Up Ads, Pop-Unders, Expandable or Floating Ads

Specifications Overview

File Formats: Flash, GIF, JPG, HTML File Size
Ad Product Dimensions Rich Media Max Initial File Size *Max Polite File Size Total File Size (initial + polite) Video File Size
**Entitlement 88x31 No 5k – 5k –
Video Companion 234x60 No 30k – 30k –
3:1 Rectangle 300x100 No 50k – 50k –
Medium Rectangle 300x250 No 50k – 50k 2.5MB/hi bw
Video Skin 340x571 No 100k – 100k –
In-Stream Video Specs
Pre-Roll Aspect Ratios: 16:9 & 4:3 – – – – 2.5MB/hi bw
Post-Roll   – – – – 2.5MB/hi bw
Clickable In-Stream Ad   – – – – 2.5MB/hi bw
  • Companion units (static only) can be created by CNN.com upon requests made to SIG provided advertiser logo, EPS or PSD files, along with any design guidelines are received at least one full business week in advance of start date.
  • Background skin is subject to site approval and CNN.com design team can assist with creative production if needed.
  • 3rd party ad serving is allowed except for Entitlements and Background Skin.
  • NOTE: Ad expansion of companion unit is NOT permitted.
  • ** Special entitlement logo treatment will involve coordination with agency and CNN.com due to ad integration design guidelines. This requires an .eps file of advertiser logo to be submitted to CNN.com's Strategic Integration Group. See your respective ad operations contact for more details.