Police evacuates CNN New York offices after receiving bomb threat

The call came in about 10 p.m., and the news network briefly switched to pre-tapped programming, before cutting to live shots of newscasters, employees and onlookers standing behind police barricades outside the building.

CNN's broadcast offices in New York City were evacuated by police on Thursday night after a caller said there were five bombs hidden in the Time Warner Center Building, disrupting the broadcaster's schedule, police said.

"We have closed the perimeter at Columbus Circle and cleared the building," New York Police Detective Hubert Reyes said. "We are currently searching the entire building."

All vehicle and pedestrian traffic has been blocked by police as bomb squads combed through the structure.

The call came in about 10 p.m., and the news network briefly switched to pre-tapped programming, before cutting to live shots of newscasters, employees and onlookers standing behind police barricades outside the building.

New York Police bomb squads were on standby, if any devices are found, police said.

The network's bureau at the Time Warner Center was evacuated in October after a package containing an explosive device, addressed to former CIA Director John Brennan, was discovered.

(With inputs from agencies.)