SHORT TAKES : CNN Suspends Viewer Choice

ATLANTA — Cable News Network, which began experimenting with a viewer choice segment on its “Newsnight” program just last week, said today it will cancel the segment when necessary because of breaking news.

The interactive news format, which allows viewers to choose two secondary or feature stories using a special 900 telephone line, was suspended for the first time Thursday night because of the breaking story on Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

“The interactive segment is still very much alive. However, we will cancel it on nights where there is a big breaking story,” said CNN spokesman Steve Haworth.

CNN said it received some calls from viewers Wednesday night complaining that the network didn’t show enough on the Iraqi invasion while it did use the viewer choice segment on “Newsnight,” which airs for an hour beginning at 9 p.m. PDT.