WarnerMedia to introduce CNN pay-wall
June 15, 2021
By Chris Forrester
News broadcaster CNN is preparing to launch a CNN+ service, and will charge viewers to access the transmission.
AT&T CEO John Stankey, speaking at an event in Washington DC, confirmed the service, telling delegates that CNN+ “will occur”.
Some two weeks ago the WSJ reported that CNN was hiring “hundreds” of extra staff to help create new shows hosted by the network’s star talent. But many questions remain, and Stankey sidestepped most of them. However, the consensus questions concern the subscription rate for CNN+, what will be available, how different will it be to the regular broadcast channel, will there be ads etc?
One fact has emerged and it concerns the employment contracts for those CNN evening hosts such as Anderson Cooper. Reportedly, he and some of his colleagues, have seen restructured employment contracts which cover additional workloads and for output that would not screen on CNN itself.
The best guess, and hinted at by CNN president Jeff Zucker, is that CNN+ would launch within the next 12 months.