CNN goes angular, somber for Trump-Putin summit

CNN’s coverage of the Trump-Putin summit, like that on MSNBC, featured a topical open and special graphics with an angled look and ominous musical bed.

Opens used Monday, July 16, 2018, featured cutout photos of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin set against an angled background that took the horizontal lines found in both the U.S. and Russian flags and tilted them dramatically to one side.

The brief animated sequences also featured additional photography of Trump and Putin together.

The logotype, which placed Trump’s last name above the word “Summit” and Putin’s below it in white boxes with blue and red caps, respectively. Presumably, the title was meant to be read as “Trump Putin Summit” — not “Trump Summit Putin.”

The angled flag design was also used in wipes and backgrounds behind boxes throughout coverage of the summit.

In addition to the graphics, CNN also used a moody, slow musical bed at the top of shows and when going to breaks.

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