NEW YORK -- CNN's Headline News channel unveiled a make-over yesterday that it hopes will help it boost flagging viewership at a time of increased cable news competition.

The changes, to be seen by the public next week, are largely cosmetic and designed to give the channel less of a canned, predictable feeling, said people familiar with the situation. The overhaul follows on the heels of changes at sister channel CNN, which is also trying to update its look.

CNN Headline News' new look, according to sources, will include color-coded graphics and a more modern set.

The channel has already made some changes in its content in the past year, boosting the number of stories in each half-hour segment by 50 percent. The format of repeating news each half-hour won't change, but under a new policy, viewers will no longer see the exact same news pieces repeated endlessly throughout the day, sources said. The changes are meant to try to get viewers to tune in more than once a day.

Pub Date: 6/08/99