CNN yanks promotion that refers to anchor Paula Zahn as 'sexy'

NEW YORK - Embarrassed CNN executives on Monday yanked an on-air promotion that referred to anchorwoman Paula Zahn as ``sexy,&#39;&#39; accompanied by the sound effect of a zipper. <br> <br> The 15-second spot promoting Zahn&#39;s morning news show aired about a dozen times on CNN Saturday and Sunday, the network said. <br> <br> In the ad, a narrator asks, ``Where can you find a morning news anchor who&#39;s provocative, super-smart (and) oh, yeah, just a little sexy? <br> <br> ``CNN, yeah, CNN,&#39;&#39; the narrator answers. <br> <br> The words ``provocative,&#39;&#39; ``smart&#39;&#39; and ``sexy&#39;&#39; are flashed on the screen, followed by a picture of Zahn. The zipper is clearly audible just as the narrator is about to call Zahn ``sexy.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> CNN said the advertisement was created and put on the air by its promotions department by a woman and not approved by top executives. <br> <br> Jamie Kellner, chairman of CNN parent Turner Broadcasting, ordered it removed from the air as soon as he saw it, spokesman Brad Turell said. <br> <br> ``It was a major blunder by our promotions department,&#39;&#39; CNN Chairman Walter Isaacson said. ``I was outraged and so was Paula, who has spent more than 20 years proving her credibility day in and day out.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Zahn said she was offended by the promotion when she saw it. <br> <br> ``CNN management has apologized to me and has assured me that a mistake like this will not happen again,&#39;&#39; she said. <br> <br> The former CBS News personality was hired to anchor CNN&#39;s new morning news show last year from Fox News Channel, where she was host of an evening talk show. <br> <br> CNN received some criticism last year for hiring former ``NYPD Blue&#39;&#39; actress Andrea Thompson as an anchor for CNN Headline News, then was red-faced when risque pictures of her turned up on the Internet. <br> <br> Kellner, a former Hollywood-based executive who started the Fox and WB networks, has repeatedly said CNN had to be more aggressive in promoting itself. <br> <br> ``A promotion like that is unrelated to her professional abilities and you can&#39;t help but think it&#39;s a promotion we would be unlikely to hear about a male anchor,&#39;&#39; said Barbara Cochran, president of the Radio and Television News Directors Association. <br> <br> Turell characterized the promotion&#39;s statement that Zahn is sexy as an error in judgment, ``whether it&#39;s true or not.&#39;&#39;

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