A Jeep Wrangler Rubicon sits on an outdoor track during the press preview of the International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City on April 13, 2022.
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Warner Bros. Discovery is shutting down CNN+, just weeks after the standalone streaming service launched.
“As we become Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN will be strongest as part of WBD’s streaming strategy which envisions news as an important part of a compelling broader offering along with sports, entertainment, and nonfiction content,” said Chris Licht, Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, in a statement. “We have therefore made the decision to cease operations of CNN+ and focus our investment on CNN’s core news-gathering operations and in further building CNN Digital. This is not a decision about quality; we appreciate all of the work, ambition and creativity that went into building CNN+, an organization with terrific talent and compelling programming. But our customers and CNN will be best served with a simpler streaming choice.”
Operations will halt April 30. CNN+ head Andrew Morse is leaving Warner Bros. Discovery after a transition period. Alex MacCallum, currently CNN+’s head of product/general manager, will lead CNN Digital after Morse departs.
WarnerMedia launched the standalone news service less than a month ago on March 29.
New CNN head Chris Licht has been working behind the scenes with other executives at Warner Bros. Discovery for several weeks to analyze a streaming strategy for CNN, according to a person familiar with the matter. The decision to shut down CNN+ is based on his recommendation, the person said, who asked not to be identified because the discussions were private. Licht will address CNN staffers directly at a meeting Thursday, one of the people said. Licht’s official start date is May 1.
CNN has already invested hundreds of millions of dollars on new talent and programming for CNN+. Some of that programming will move to HBO Max and other series may live on CNN.com, one of the people said. Some new talent may have roles on CNN’s linear station, the person said. Licht will make those determinations in the coming weeks, the person said.
Warner Bros. Discovery leadership wants to use CNN programming to bolster a larger streaming bundle that will be combine the best of WarnerMedia and Discovery, as CNBC has previously reported.
CNN+ had fewer than 10,000 daily active viewers about two weeks after its launch, CNBC reported last week.
On March 29, outgoing WarnerMedia Chief Executive Officer Jason Kilar said in a series of tweets that CNN+ was “as important to the mission of CNN as the linear channel service has been these past 42 years. It would be hard to overstate how important this moment is for CNN.”
One month later, nearly to the day, CNN+ will cease to exist.
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