CNN launches a direct-to-consumer streaming service — again

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CNN is trying again to create a streaming service that lets people watch many of its news programs without needing a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription.

Starting October 28th, CNN.com will offer a new subscription plan called All Access for $6.99 per month. This plan will include access to a variety of live shows from both CNN and CNN International.

The service will feature special on-demand shows and a collection of films and series created by CNN Films and CNN Original Series.

The All Access subscription costs $69.99 per year, but new customers who sign up before January 5th can get it for an introductory price of $41.99 for their first year.

This announcement follows two years of leadership from Mark Thompson, who became CEO with the goal of transforming the network for a future focused on digital platforms, moving beyond traditional cable TV.

In 2022, CNN launched CNN+, a streaming service with original shows and familiar faces like Audie Cornish, Chris Wallace, and Kasie Hunt. However, just nine days later, the service was discontinued. Warner Bros. Discovery had recently acquired CNN, and the new leadership team prioritized paying down debt.

Over the past five years, CNN’s profits have dropped considerably. This is largely because fewer people are subscribing to cable and satellite TV, which has reduced the money CNN receives from those companies.

After Warner Bros. Discovery took control of the channel, ratings dropped considerably. This happened because company leaders wanted to focus the channel’s programming on attracting more conservative viewers.

Hollywood Inc.

CNN is making a big shift towards online content. The key question is whether people will be willing to pay for a CNN subscription online, given the strength of the brand.

Since becoming CEO, Thompson has largely left the CNN television schedule unchanged, prioritizing the network’s online platforms instead. Both Thompson and Alex MacCallum, who leads CNN’s digital products, previously worked at the New York Times during its successful transition to a digital subscription model, and they are applying those lessons to CNN now.

As a huge fan of CNN, I was really interested to hear what they had to say about All Access. Basically, they explained it as a vital move for the network – a way to offer everything CNN does in a way that fits how we actually consume news these days. It’s about meeting audiences where they are, and giving us the full CNN experience, not just snippets.

Last year, CNN started charging users a monthly fee to access all of its articles and videos online. The subscription costs $3.99 per month. Early results from the launch have been positive, according to sources within CNN who aren’t allowed to speak on the record.

Cable subscribers will also get the new streaming service for free.

Currently, Fox News is the only major cable news channel you can watch without a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription. It’s available through Fox One, a new streaming service that also includes local Fox broadcast channels, for $19.99 per month.

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2025-10-16 19:31