CNN

[RR]

CNBC, to be fair arguably a competitor, reporting that CNN+ is getting under 10,000 viewers per day:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/12/cnn-plus...chterm=CNN

Their story has been repeated by many other media news sites.

It's not clear, to me at least, exactly how many people are willing to pay for news, given the wide number of free sources (or at least bundled into satellite / cable / other packages), outside of specialized services, such as Bloomberg or the FT.

[wilmington]

CNBC, to be fair arguably a competitor, reporting that CNN+ is getting under 10,000 viewers per day:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/12/cnn-plus-low-viewership-numbers-warner-bros-discovery.html?&qsearchterm=CNN

Their story has been repeated by many other media news sites.

It's not clear, to me at least, exactly how many people are willing to pay for news, given the wide number of free sources (or at least bundled into satellite / cable / other packages), outside of specialized services, such as Bloomberg or the FT.

Very good point, there's tons of stuff out there for free.

[Mr Q]

I think the premise of CNN+ -- establishing a footprint in the streaming market -- makes sense for the future of CNN. But for the life of me, I can't understand the launch model. Who is the audience?

If you're already a regular CNN viewer, what would make you want to pay for more CNN content? If you're *not* a CNN viewer, what on earth would inspire you to subscribe to CNN+?

Sure, I can see the appeal of generating a new revenue stream directly to CNN. But that only works if people are willing to subscribe.

This has all the hallmarks of a prestige project destined to crash in flames. From a commercial perspective -- and especially in light of the Warner/Discovery merger -- the safer bet would have been to start modestly, producing a limited range of content which would be distributed via HBO Max. It strikes me as far better to tap into an existing platform with growth potential -- using that to try and cultivate an audience -- than to build an entirely separate service with no clear value-add. Better still, if it turns out there's an appetite for CNN content on HBO Max, Warner Bros. Discovery can use that to justify higher subscription fees.

[bkman1990]

Someone was messing with the blue lighting effects on CNN Tonight with Laura Coates. It has gone back to normal.

[FrancisC]

[TMD_24]

Chris Licht will start working at CNN from the 2nd May. 


https://twitter.com/ChrisLicht/status/15...yOTv-cJPXw

[Omnipresent]

Axios is reporting that Warner Bros. Discovery has suspended external marketing spend for CNN+.

The article also adds that Chris Cumo's 9pm slot is likely to be replaced with a newscast rather than a personality led show.

https://www.axios.com/discovery-cnn-plus...b5095.html

[ginnyfan]

Encouraging news! Discovery seems determined to turn CNN back into a news service and they are not here for Zucker's vanity projects.

[Sky303]

The problems with CNN Plus is that Zucker actually thought people would want to pay for a CNN streaming service as a stand-alone. It's different than cable where CNN gets money even if you don't watch them as long as you pay for cable. This, people had to go out of their way to buy and use, and that's not the best option when you can get live news shows free from CBS, NBC, ABC, plus Newsy and more! If anything they should have just put CNN stuff on HBO Max made a hub like MSNBC has on Peacock and and make a CBS News/ ABC NEWS LIVE / NBC NEWS NOW like service.

Also the 9PM Eastern Newscast is cool idea, I would want it to be a news program that also has international stories to justify the simulcast.

[Mouseboy33]

I honesty think that Zucker & Co  though that because Murdoch and the FNC cronies duped their dumb audience into paying $5.99 for more of their racist right-wing garbage with FoxNation, maybe CNN could do the same. Unfortunately since Zucker & Co have done permanent damage to the CNN brand globally no one in their right mind is willing to pay any more money for extra talking head programmes. Especially since they destroyed Headline News and downgraded CNN International. What a mess!

[bfgarmy]

The more I hear about Licht & Discovery's plans for CNN the more I like it.
These changes might see a short-term hit to their financials (from the sunk CNN+ expenditure) and ratings (like it or not the personality-led stuff by Lemon and formerly Cuomo does rate well) but you hope in the long-run the gain in reputation will be worth it.

CNN was slightly directionless when Zucker took it over and while under him the channel did get back attention it did lose a lot of credibility with programming becoming more opinionated and some on-screen personalitites behaving like they were the news. CNNI too became majorly neglected and the CNN brand as a whole was damaged with the network now being associated with endless Trump coverage, Cuomo and talking head shoutfests these days rather than their solid international reporting and traditional breaking news strength that had been what they were known for.

A 'back to basics' approach is exactly what CNN needs. That doesn't mean they should go back to how it was 15 or 20 years ago as times have changed but go back to the 'bread and butter' that CNN used to do so well - whatever the format may be the news being the focus not talking heads and CNN being the people you go to when a story breaks.

And I'm totally on board with Discovery when it comes to CNN+. The figures for it are disappointing and the forecasts figures seem proper 'pie in the sky' type stuff. While obviously more people would come aware of CNN+ over time you'd expect a decent portion of the eventual subscribers would sign up pretty early on . So given only 150,000 have subscribed to date and the viewing figures for it on cable (where it is only a few taps of the remote away) are pretty feeble how on earth they expected to have 18 million subscribers in 4 years time goodness knows even more so given the issues with cost of living. It becomes even more ridiculous when as the Axios article mentions competitors like NYT or the Washington Post only have 3 million or so subscribers and there are loads of free, readily available sources of live news elsewhere.
You didn't need to be a genius to work out CNN+ might not a success - many of us here said as much.

Better to gently wind CNN+ down now rather than having it trundle on and become a money pit and inevitably not be a success. And some of the new people they signed up for CNN+ can presumably be used on the main network output and some of the better programmes from CNN+ that are suitable for a news network retained and perhaps slotted into the existing CNN schedule - shows like 'The Newscast', '5 Things' and 'The Global Brief' for example rather than Tapper's Book Club.

[bkman1990]

CNNI now include a Warner Bros.Discovery company nametag at the end of their international news bulletins.

[Mouseboy33]

It seems more and more likely it gets bundled into the HBOmax streaming service. Its proving to be very popular and it makes sense to roll it all into mone service than a stand alone app. ITs seems like the head honchos are planning to create a combined Discovery+ HBOMax service makes sense to throw CNN+ into the mix.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/busine...235107837/


[tweet]https://twitter.com/sherman4949/status/1517107479942942723[/tweet]

[DavidWhitfield]

All, I've moved the discussion of the closure of CNN+ to its own thread for ease.

Discussion is over at: https://www.tvliveforum.com/showthread.php?tid=1099

Thanks, all.

[bfgarmy]

The whole charade was a perfect summary of the Zucker and friends era of CNN which has left its reputation severely damaged. The instant steps Discovery are taking do give me some hope for the future direction of CNN.

Also, given the paucity of International bulletins at weekends outside of US overnights it is nice to see that CNNI will be doing some special coverage of the French election results with Christiane Amanpour for a few hours on Sunday evening. I mean it says a lot that I'm having to give praise to a news network for giving proper coverage to an election in a G7 country because it takes place on a weekend rather than just letting global viewers have Jim Acosta stumble through it and make it all about America. But it's a small step in the right direction.