WBD launching CNN Max in US
August 25, 2023
Max, Warner Bros Discovery’s (WBD) streaming platform, has announced the addition of 24/7 news in its streaming offering with the launch of CNN Max on September 27th in the US.
WBD says that CNN Max will be part of an open beta for news that will enable experimentation with product features, content offerings and original storytelling, all with the input and feedback from the Max community.
The new service will include new programming built specifically for the Max streaming audience like CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta, Rahel Solomon, Amara Walker and Fredricka Whitfield and CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto. Jim Sciutto will also lead breaking news coverage on the platform in the afternoons. CNN Max will additionally feature Amanpour, Anderson Cooper 360, The Lead with Jake Tapper, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, and other anchors, correspondents, and contributors.
JB Perrette, CEO and President, Global Streaming and Games, commented: “As we laid out at our launch only a few months ago, our vision for Max is to be ‘The One to Watch’ for all members of a household. We have the broadest and highest quality entertainment offering, and now will include world-leading news as a meaningful addition for all Max subscribers, at no extra charge. CNN Max is differentiated by having 24/7 news at its core from CNN, the leading global news organization, and being available on a scaled streaming service in the US which has a significantly younger and additive audience compared to traditional TV. This provides even more quality choices for Max customers who will be able to easily catch up on what is happening in the world, particularly in moments of breaking news, all within one seamless experience. We’re excited to engage our Max community in this initial beta stage to help us learn and develop what appeals most to our customers in this new genre.”
“The quality, depth and reach of CNN’s global journalism is what distinguishes the company and we’re thrilled to launch CNN Max and create a 24/7 live news streaming service. CNN Max brings the advantages CNN has in global newsgathering, breaking news coverage and top analysis to a new platform and a new audience. CNN was founded by innovating new ways to deliver the news, and through CNN Max more consumers will now be able to find, engage and learn from CNN’s reporting, giving the company multiple ways to build and grow for the future,” added CNN Worldwide’s leadership team, Amy Entelis, David Leavy, Virginia Moseley and Eric Sherling.
The currently branded CNN Originals hub will be renamed CNN Max, where subscribers have expanded access to CNN Max 24/7 Live stream, CNN Originals, and additional News content. This features over 900 episodes of current and legacy programming. Additionally, users will be able to find this collection of content on the top navigation bar through a News Beta lens.
In April 2022, WBD axed its CNN+ news service after just one month.