CNN+ Is Shutting Down One Month After Launch

[RPM 26230]

Figured it was safer to post here instead of Movies & TV.

Warner Bros. Discovery is shutting down CNN+ as of April 30, marking one of the company’s first significant maneuvers since completing the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery less than two weeks ago.

The decision puts an abrupt end to an ambitious and aggressive venture that people familiar with the matter say rankled David Zaslav, the new CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, from the start. Zaslav was annoyed by the decision of Jason Kilar, the former CEO of WarnerMedia when it was owned by AT&T, to launch CNN+ just weeks before Discovery was set to take over operations.

“This decision is in line with WBD’s broader direct-to-consumer strategy,” said Chris Licht, the incoming CEO of CNN, in a statement. “In a complex streaming market, consumers want simplicity and an all-in service, which provides a better experience and more value than stand-alone offerings.” Zaslav has been open in the recent past about his desire to combine all of the company’s streaming-video assets, which also include Discovery+ and HBO Max, under a single umbrella.

Andrew Morse, the CNN executive vice president who oversees the newly-launched streaming-video outlet, as well as CNN’s digital and Spanish-language operations, was told of the decision ahead of time, these people said, and is expected to depart after a period of transition. Alex MacCallum was named to oversee digital, and CNN+ employees will be paid for the next 90 days and be given opportunities to explore other positions around the company.

CNN plowed millions into the venture, raiding news executives and producers from places like ABC News and NBC News, and singing on notables like food writer Alison Roman and business professor Scott Galloway. Current staffers like Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon were assigned, respectively, to lead a show on parenting and a talk show with a live audience. A show led by Jemele Hill and Cari Champion had yet to launch.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/cnn-plus-shut-down-warner-bros-discovery-1235237913/

[Johnny Sack 8397]

[Neonmoon 38127]

Fuck CNN. I turned those cunts on last night during dinner because the BBC show was boring and one of the hosts was interviewing another host about the Netflix situation. You cunts can't even find an expert in the business?

 

[Gap03 3287]

4 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

Fuck CNN. I turned those cunts on last night during dinner because the BBC show was boring and one of the hosts was interviewing another host about the Netflix situation. You cunts can't even find an expert in the business?

 

... and even when they have an "expert" on, it's one of the same 10 experts that's always on.  Between that and their preferred format for discussing issues (i.e., having two people with diametrically opposed views on and letting them try to scream over the top of each other), CNN deserves to just go away. 

[High Plains Drifter 10978]

 

what do you call the sudden closing of CNN+?

 

 

 

 

A good start. Thanks I'll be here all night.

 

Seriously, if only all cable/social media news would do the same.

 

[Pato del Muerto 52342]

There was one?  First I’m hearing about a CNN+ 

[wildcat09 29258]

It's extremely funny to me that this didn't even make it as long as Quibi. Hell, did it even make it a Scaramucci?

This is probably the greatest McKinsey success ever. Just tell some rich board members what they want to hear with some fancy charts and make insane consulting fees to cost your client a billion dollars on an obviously stupid project. What a fucking grift. It's so cool and good that so much of our modern world runs on shit these people say.

[Sbbruin 21738]

It was stupid to make this its own streaming service with all of the Discovery content coming aboard and it already having the WB affiliation with HBOMax.  People don't want 20 separate streaming services. They'd rather pay more for a more comprehensive package.

[Brisketexan 104628]

You know what would have made this venture successful?  A strong tie-in with.....

[hornmpa96 2598]

5 minutes ago, Sbbruin said:

It was stupid to make this its own streaming service with all of the Discovery content coming aboard and it already having the WB affiliation with HBOMax.  People don't want 20 separate streaming services. They'd rather pay more for a more comprehensive package.

Like a cable bundle?

[TheStoicPaisano 9904]

28 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

You know what would have made this venture successful?  A strong tie-in with.....

Jovan Pulitzer tried his grift game after the election. Only got about 48 hours of play on TexAgs/TigerDroppings. For shame.

[Dutchrudder 11115]

3 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

You know what would have made this venture successful?  A strong tie-in with.....

I still have one of these in a box in my closet. My dad subscribed to Forbes (I think?) At the time and was sent one. He asked me to figure out how to hook it up to our Compaq PC and scan some random UPCs.  We scanned some stuff from the pantry, saw it search for the product online, said "wow" and never used it again. 

[Celery Man 20886]

The stupid thing is it didn’t even include CNN.

[F250 28691]

3 hours ago, hornmpa96 said:

Like a cable bundle?

[clapclapclap 9000]

 

[brown water 3761]

And yet FOX➗ is still going strong