CNN to hire hundreds of journalists for new streaming service CNN+
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

CNN
CNN Worldwide President Jeff Zucker on Monday said the company plans to launch its new streaming service called CNN+ in the first quarter of 2022, sources on the company's editorial call tell Axios. The company publicly announced the news minutes later with more detail.
Why it matters: CNN is committing to building out a standalone streaming news operation, after a few failed attempts at creating a standalone streaming app with original content, most notably CNN Pipeline.
- Several of CNN's TV news rivals, like NBC News and CBS News, have also been investing heavily in standalone streaming news properties.
- Sources tell Axios CNN plans to hire hundreds of people to help launch the initiative, across all types of content verticals, including news, lifestyle and more.
Details: The new service will feature original, live, on-demand and interactive programming that is separate from CNN's live TV channels, the company said in a statement.
- At launch, the service will have 8–12 hours of live, daily programming that features CNN’s most prominent talent.
- It will launch with a library that includes past seasons of original CNN films and shows like "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown," "Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy," "This is Life with Lisa Ling," and "United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell."
- It will build on that library with original series and films developed for CNN+, the company said. More details on that will be revealed later this year.
- The company also announced new leadership roles for the platform. Andrew Morse, chief digital officer for CNN Worldwide, is the executive in charge of CNN+. Other executives with key roles include Alex MacCallum, who will be general manager of CNN+, and Rebecca Kutler, who will serve as senior vice president and head of programming for CNN+.
What they're saying: “CNN invented cable news in 1980, defined online news in 1995 and now is taking an important step in expanding what news can be by launching a direct-to-consumer streaming subscription service in 2022,” said Zucker, who also serves as chairman of WarnerMedia News and Sports.
