Main Highlights:
- According to a CNBC report, CNN Plus is having problems getting viewers just two weeks after its introduction.
- According to persons familiar with the matter, the site receives less than 10,000 daily visits.
- As CNBC notes, this is a considerable fall from last year’s average daily viewership of CNN’s cable network, which averaged 773,000 people.
- However, recent research by Insider calls these data into question. CNN’s app, which users must download to watch CNN Plus, gained just 18,000 new installations on the day the streaming service launched, according to Insider.
- Six days later, CNN app installations jumped by 70,000, but Insider notes that it’s difficult to determine if the boost was for CNN alone or CNN Plus.
According to a CNBC report, CNN Plus is having difficulty gaining viewers just two weeks after its launch. According to sources acquainted with the subject, the site has less than 10,000 daily visitors. As CNBC observes, this is a significant decline from last year’s average daily viewing of CNN’s cable network, which averaged 773,000 people each day. However, CNN Plus is a new venture – CNN’s television channel has been operating for years, and it is (often) free for everyone with cable or satellite access.
However, a recent analysis by Insider casts doubt on these figures. Insider reported that the CNN app, which users must download to access CNN Plus, acquired just 18,000 new installs when the streaming service began. CNN app installations increased by 70,000 six days later, although, as Insider adds, it’s difficult to know if they were for CNN alone or CNN Plus. The service launched on Roku on Monday, but that may not be enough to increase viewing significantly.
After just two weeks, they remain pleased with the debut and its success, and a CNN representative told CNBC. CNN did not immediately reply to a request for comment from The Verge.
Low watching numbers combined with a shortage of exciting material (unless you’re a fan of on-demand news and documentaries) evoke profound Quibi memories — the service’s brief existence lasted less than six months. Quibi, which announced 5.6 million downloads three months after its debut, lost 90% of its members when their three-month free trials expired. CNN Plus has not disclosed its subscription total, but these preliminary figures are not encouraging. For comparison, Disney Plus is expected to reach over 130 million users by 2021 and surpass 86 million subscribers less than a year after launching.
CNN Plus debuted on March 29th and is available for $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year. It offers programming from Anderson Cooper, Audie Cornish, and former Fox News presenter Chris Wallace. Additionally, it includes interactive Q&A sessions to diversify the service’s focus beyond straightforward reporting. WarnerMedia, the parent company of CNN, just finalized a significant merger with Discovery, a move that would ultimately unite HBO Max and Discovery Plus into a single app. CNN president Jeff Zucker quit just before the debut of CNN Plus, while WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar departed last week.
Why should I subscribe to CNN+?
Because it blends live news coverage, an on-demand video library, and interactive interviews into a new subscription streaming service accessible on a wide variety of devices, you’re going to adore CNN+ if you enjoy CNN.
What is the cost of CNN+?
The product is available for $5.99 per month or $59.99 per year.
Where am I able to access CNN+?
CNN+ is available to view through a web browser, CNN mobile app (Android and iOS), or CNN app on Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV streaming devices.