New CNN streaming service prepares to launch sometime this fall
New CNN streaming service prepares to launch sometime this fall
Warner Bros. Discovery is taking great pains to ensure its new CNN streamer doesn’t go the way of CNN+.
CNN is attempting to dive back into the digital world. The network already has a streaming presence on Max, but as the world of cable news continues to evolve, the self-described most trusted name in news is seeking to expand its reach to audiences who do not consume programming via traditional TV. The New York Times reports that CNN is gearing up to launch its new streaming service before the end of 2025, and hoping that it can keep the streamer afloat longer than its last effort in that space.
Key Details:
- Autumn launch: The new CNN streamer will launch at some point this fall.
- Reign it in: The service will be more “stripped down” than the ill-fated CNN+.
- Going faster: CNN has also launched FAST channels to help grow its digital audience.
The New York Times reports that the new CNN streaming service will be available for customers to subscribe to sometime this fall. The channel’s CEO Mark Thompson told employees shared details about the new streamer at a town-hall meeting on Tuesday, but the price and specific release date were not revealed.
Thompson did say that the new service would be tied to a CNN subscription product that first launched in 2024, which gives customers unlimited access to articles on CNN.com. He also revealed that pay-TV customers with CNN in their package will be able to access the new streamer for free.
CNN, of course, has tried to enter the streaming subscription space before. The channel paid $300 million to launch CNN+ in March 2022, only to see it quickly shelved when WarnerMedia merged with Discovery and the new regime quickly killed the service weeks later.
The new CNN streamer will be a more “stripped-down” offering that will be closer to the traditional cable channel experience viewers have grown accustomed to. It will also carry a lineup of documentaries, as well as original series.
Viewers can also watch CNN content via streaming through the use of a new free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel, which launched last summer. The CNN Originals channel first became available on Prime Video and Plex, and features an intriguing lineup of exclusive documentary content. Audiences can also stream CNN titles via the CNN Max hub on the Max streaming service.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.