Well, I can’t stop laughing because after failing to attract viewers, Warner Bros. Discovery is shutting down CNN’s subscription-based streaming service, CNN+, a mere three weeks after its launch.
The New York Times was the first to report on the streaming service’s demise. CNN+ will officially cease operations on April 30. Warner Bros. Discovery suspended all external marketing spending for CNN+ earlier this week.
“Chris Licht, the incoming president of CNN, called an all-hands meeting among CNN+ staffers for noon on Thursday to share the news,” according to the report.
The network had hoped CNN+ would net 2 million U.S.-based subscribers in its first year, but the service has acquired a paltry 150,000 subscribers and reportedly has fewer than 10,000 daily viewers. CNN executives nevertheless believed the launch has been successful. Their optimism wasn’t convincing to Warner Bros. Discovery, which clearly decided to cut their losses and pull the plug on the network.
Former Fox News anchor Chris Wallace left his job at the top-rated network to host in December. Wallace’s planned move to CNN’s forthcoming streaming service came as CNN went through some significant problems, including the firing of anchor Chris Cuomo for violating CNN’s alleged journalistic standards. In February, CNN President Jeff Zucker suddenly resigned over an undisclosed relationship with CNN executive vice president and chief marketing officer Allison Gollust. It turns out that Cuomo blew the whistle on that relationship.
Wallace is reportedly having “daily tantrums” over the “miserable launch” of the now-dead CNN+ and is “telling anyone that will listen he wants Cuomo’s old time slot” on the CNN network.
Farewell, CNN+… we barely knew ya, but we’ll always remember the laughter.
Source: PJ Media
