CNN launched its new streaming service, CNN+ on Tuesday of this week. One day in, there are already rumors of disappointing subscription numbers and even talk of layoffs, if Charles Gasparino of Fox Business is to be believed.
Breaking: @CNNplus employees bracing for layoffs possibly as soon as May amid projections of lackluster sales of new streaming channel; CNN employees say new streaming channel could be merged into larger @discoveryplus as early as May unless subscriptions pick up 130 @FoxBusiness
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) March 30, 2022
CNN had high hopes for its new platform, as it announced on launch day:
“CNN’s goal is to establish closer relationships with news consumers — the same way Netflix (NFLX) and HBO Max have done in entertainment,” reported CNN Business. “It has hired hundreds of people and developed dozens of shows for this new platform. Analysts say it is the most ambitious streaming news venture to date in the United States.”
Business Insider gave some more details about what CNN+ boasted for subscribers.
“The service features live shows from CNN mainstays including Anderson Cooper, Poppy Harlow, and Jake Tapper,” Angela Tricarico wrote. “CNN Plus also offers new original series and films in addition to programming from CNN’s archive, including every episode of Anthony Bourdain’s ‘Parts Unknown’ and documentaries like ‘Blackfish’ and ‘RBG.'”
“Another exclusive perk of CNN Plus is ‘Interview Club,’ where subscribers have the chance to interact with personalities from the service twice a week,” Tricarico added. “Members can submit questions in advance of the live Q&A for the chance to get the questions that matter most to them answered.”
CNN is apparently already unhappy with the numbers on launch week. But was their launch too little, too late?
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The streaming market is heavily saturated. There’s already a channel for just about anything that anybody would want to watch, including news channels. Fox News launched its Fox Nation streaming service in November 2018, and they added Fox Weather in October 2021. MSNBC includes special news coverage as part of NBC’s Peacock streaming service, and there are other news streaming services, including NewsNation, which has been live since September 2020.
On top of CNN+’s late entry to the streaming market, the service wasn’t available on many platforms as of the day before launch.
“CNN reps confirmed to Next TV that they still don’t have a deal to put the CNN Plus app on Roku, less than 24 hours before launch time,” Daniel Frankel reported at Next TV. “But the app-support issue is even worse than that for CNN Plus, with the service also shut out of both Google connected TV platforms, Google TV and Android TV, WarnerMedia confirmed.”
“The leading proprietary smart TV OS platforms, Samsung and LG, are also no-go, as are leading video game consoles Sony PlayStation and Microsoft Xbox?” Frankel asked. “CNN reps said they’re working to resolve all of these distribution hangups.”
The lack of availability on the leading streaming platforms meant that CNN+ was only available on “desktop and across a range of supported smartphones, tablets and streaming devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Android phones and tablets and Apple devices (via the App Store on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD).”
That couldn’t help the streaming channel’s chances.
The last 12 months have been rough for CNN. Sex scandals have rocked the network, claiming the scalps of on-air talent, producers, and even head honcho Jeff Zucker. Ratings have cratered, as has the network’s credibility. A failed launch of CNN+ will be another black mark on the network, and who knows if they can afford that?
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