Paid news streaming service CNN+ fails to woo viewers
San Francisco, April 13 (IANS) Subscription-based news streaming service CNN+ is reportedly struggling to gain users and after two weeks, less than 10,000 people are using it on a daily basis.
According to a report in CNBC citing sources, the weak response “casts doubt on the future of the application” following the making of Warner Bros Discovery.
Launched on March 29, CNN+ that charges $5.99 a month or $59.99 for a year, was made available on Roku this week, and is yet to arrive on Android TV.
According to the report, CNN’s cable network has also suffered a sharp decline in viewership and has an average of 773,000 total viewers per day.
“We continue to be happy with the launch and its progress after only two weeks,” a CNN spokesperson was quoted as saying in the report.
CNN is yet to release official numbers of CNN+ subscribers.
In comparison, Disney’s ESPN+ recently reported 21.3 million subscribers while NBCUniversal’s Peacock with news programming reported 24.5 million monthly active accounts in the US.
CNN+ features shows from Anderson Cooper, Audie Cornish, and former Fox News anchor Chris Wallace. It also offers interactive Q&A sessions.
Meanwhile WarnerMedia, CNN’s parent company, just completed a major merger with Discovery.
The combination creates a premier standalone global media and entertainment company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
Warner Bros. Discovery will create and distribute the world’s most differentiated and complete portfolio of content, brands and franchises across television, film and streaming.