Andrew Morse. Monica Schipper/Getty Images.
Warner Bros. Discovery is shutting down CNN+ just one month after its launch, Mediaite has learned.
The ambitious streaming service, conceived under former CNN president Jeff Zucker, was launched at the end of March with a massive marketing budget and a roster of high-profile hosts producing original content. Those hosts included Chris Wallace, who was poached from Fox News, as well as several other industry stars.
But reports that CNN+ was struggling to attract an audience dogged the service, which came under scrutiny from executives at Warner Bros. Discovery, the new parent company of CNN.
Despite CNN executives maintaining that the CNN+ launch was a success, the network suspended the service’s marketing spending and laid off its chief financial officer earlier this week. The New York Times first reported on Thursday that the service will completely cease operations on April 30. CNN confirmed the news with its own report shortly after.
“Chris Licht, the incoming president of CNN, called an all-hands meeting among CNN+ staffers for noon on Thursday to share the news,” the Times reported.
“I feel so badly for them,” a CNN insider told Mediaite, adding that CNN+ “had tons of potential” but “there were certainly some questionable programming decisions.”
“A lot of young talented people gave up good jobs to go there,” they said. “That’s the really sad part.”
Chris Licht, the incoming president of CNN, announced the news in a note to staff. He said that Andrew Morse, the head of CNN+, will be leaving the company.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.com
