‘CNN All Access’ Streaming Service Launching Oct. 28, Won’t Have Full CNN Channel Access

Three years after CNN+ launched and crashed within the space of a month, a new streaming service is rolling out. “CNN All Access” will be $6.99/month or $69.99/year. New users who sign up at launch can get a full year for $41.99.

The company’s news release says subscribers will “have the ability to stream a selection of CNN’s live US and International programming.”

When we asked CNN whether that language means it won’t have the full 24/7 CNN channel, they referred back to their release language, which is code for “no, it won’t have 24/7 CNN.” The spokesperson says full details will be available on release day.

The spokesperson also didn’t clarify whether the on-demand content will be ad-free, which probably means commercials are included.

This service is meant to build on CNN’s existing online subscription product, which provides exclusive access to paywalled content on CNN.com.

Earlier this month, HBO Max dumped its modified CNN livestream called CNN Max.

If “All Access” sounds familiar, “CBS All Access” was the name of the streaming service that eventually became Paramount+.

What Happened With CNN+?

CNN+ launched on March 29, 2022 and was shut down on April 28, 2022. It cost $5.99/month or $59.99/year.

The service was a colossal failure with fewer than 10,000 daily users.The big issue with CNN+ is that it didn’t offer a live stream of CNN. The service tried to compensate with original series like “Jake Tapper’s Book Club,” “Parental Guidance with Anderson Cooper,” and “20 Questions with Audie Cornish.”

CNN+ may have ultimately been a casualty of bad timing. The service launched just before Warner Bros. merged with Discovery on April 8, 2022. New CEO David Zaslav was eager to put his stamp on the combined media giant and CNN+ wasn’t part of that plan.

The launch also coincided with major behind-the-scenes shifts. Jeff Zucker had been the leader of CNN since 2013, but when his romantic relationship with a staffer was uncovered, he was forced to resign. Zucker was replaced by Chris Licht in February 2022, and Licht’s tenure was an absolute disaster.

Licht ran CNN into the ground over an embarrassing 16 months (as illustrated in this wonderful Atlantic article). He hid in an office most CNN personnel couldn’t find. Licht demoted Don Lemon to a morning show where he had zero chemistry with his co-anchors, then fired him. Licht ran all his decisions by his personal trainer. His pet show with Gayle King and Charles Barkley lasted less than 5 months – and it aired once a week at most.

CNN has been fumbling for an identity during the Trump era. In its effort to court right-wing viewers, it has hired ghoulish commentators like Jeffrey Lord and Jason Miller. Lord was fired when he tweeted “Seig Heil!” in response to a critic calling him a fascist. “Nazi salutes are indefensible,” a CNN spokesperson said in a statement. Pause for a moment to consider what went through that spokesperson’s head as they had to type those words.

Miller was cut loose in 2018 amid allegations he spiked a stripper’s drink with abortion medication. He has worked on all the Trump campaigns.

As CNN falls over itself trying to appeal to Republicans who are locked to Fox News, it’s also failing liberal viewers who prefer MSNBC. That leaves CNN in a “no man’s land,” where it’s just cranking out panel shows that irritate both sides. In the third quarter of this year, CNN was down 17% from Q2, both in total viewers and the key 25-54 demographic in primetime.