According to two people familiar with the matter, Warner Bros. Discovery is shutting down CNN+ effective April 30, in one of the company’s first significant maneuvers since the completion of the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger less than two weeks ago.
The decision puts an abrupt end to an ambitious company that has angered David Zaslav, the new CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, from the start, people familiar with the matter say. Zaslav was upset by the decision of Jason Kilar, WarnerMedia’s former CEO when it was still owned by AT&T, to launch CNN+ just weeks before Discovery was due to take over operations.
“This decision is consistent with WBD’s broader direct-to-consumer strategy,” Chris Licht, CNN’s new CEO, said in a statement. “In a complex streaming market, consumers want simplicity and an all-in-one service that offers a better experience and more value than standalone offerings.” company, which also includes Discovery+ and HBO Max, under a single umbrella./
Andrew Morse, CNN’s executive vice president, who oversees CNN’s newly launched streaming video outlet and digital and Spanish-language operations, was given advance notice of the decision, these people said, and is expected to depart after a transition period. Alex MacCallum has been appointed to oversee the digital and CNN+ staff, who will be paid for the next 90 days and given opportunities to explore other positions within the company.
The decision limits CNN’s efforts to join the TV news streaming wars already waged by NBCUniversal, CBS News, Fox News and ABC News. MSNBC has announced plans to release more opinion-led shows to generate more subscriptions for its parent company, Peacock. Fox News has expanded the scope of Fox Nation, serving true crime documentaries and even movies, to attract not only fans of its cable news agency, but also a wider range of potential subscribers. CBS News recently revamped its streaming. Video efforts and added new shows helmed by hosts like Norah O’Donnell and Tony Dokoupil. Both NBC News and ABC News have embraced live newscasts, putting presenters like Tom Llamas and Linsey Davis on early-evening weekday programs.
There’s more to come…
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