CNN Newsgraph

I led the transformation of a vulnerable, single-endpoint internal API into a comprehensive suite of API tools, establishing CNN's first-ever public developer portal. Coined and trademarked as "CNN Newsgraph," this service powered CNN's mobile apps, web presence, and almost all third-party integrations, providing highly performant content delivery with minimal setup overhead.

The legacy internal API (internally known as "Hypatia") lacked proper authentication and usage tracking, leaving it entirely open. This resulted in significant infrastructure costs as unauthorized third-party scrapers stole CNN's content. Legitimate integrations were hampered by heavy engineering overhead and a fragmented backend where content lived in disparate silos like WordPress and legacy CMS platforms.

I spearheaded the initiative from the ground up, writing the deal memo to secure executive approval for a multi-year Mashery contract and defining the publicly accessible API architecture. I personally designed the developer portal and authored all documentation via IO Docs. Technically, I led the move toward a normalized, canonical model that aggregated varied content sources into a single performant layer utilizing GraphQL and Apollo Server. To secure the platform, we migrated legitimate clients to new, authenticated endpoints and utilized a "poison pill" strategy to successfully sunset unprotected legacy feeds.

The launch was a massive operational and financial success, generating millions of dollars per year in new business development sales with zero marginal overhead costs. By moving to authenticated API keys, we shut out content thieves and successfully deprecated old schemas, significantly reducing infrastructure and maintenance costs. The developer portal established a new standard for CNN's digital asset distribution and served as a direct engine for business growth.