CNN’s Streaming Service With Chris Wallace Is A Flop: ‘CNNplus Employees Bracing For Layoffs Possibly As Soon As May’ Says Charles Gasparino
Fox Business News’ Charles Gasparino reported yesterday that CNN has another flop on its hands and Chris Wallace will be furious. Gasparino said that CNN+, a $120 million streaming venture that recently launched with high-profile hires like Chris Wallace, is already failing and may not survive on its own for much longer.
Gasparino said: “Breaking: @CNNplus employees bracing for layoffs possibly as soon as May amid projections of lackluster sales of new streaming channel; CNN employees say new streaming channel could be merged into larger @discoveryplus as early as May unless subscriptions pick up.”
CNN’s rep Matt Dornic said but did nit deny Gasparino’s report: “For the record, we are VERY happy with the launch of CNN+ and are only bracing for a long run of success.
Gasparino responded: “The “well oiled” @CNN PR Flack department won’t respond to my calls for comment but tweets out their response. Nice.”
Breaking: @CNNplus employees bracing for layoffs possibly as soon as May amid projections of lackluster sales of new streaming channel; CNN employees say new streaming channel could be merged into larger @discoveryplus as early as May unless subscriptions pick up 130 @FoxBusiness
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) March 30, 2022
Gasparino clearly has inside information because he also reported:
“Very awkward moment Monday night during @CNNplus launch party at the swanky Peak restaurant. @morsea gives speech thanking Jeff Zucker, Allison Gollust for creating the new product. Without missing a beat he thanks the dude who fired them @jasonkilar. Crowd stood is shock.”
From The Daily Mail:
CNN+, a $5.99-per-month streaming service, represents the media outlets step into the world of streaming, similar to how Fox launched its own Fox Nation streaming service in 2018.
CNN says that its new streaming service will feature live daily news programming, original series, true crime shows and food and travel docuseries.
The service made waves as it brought on big names to help it in the competitive world of streaming, grabbing Fox News’ Chris Wallace and MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt to host new shows on their platform.
…Andrew Morse, head of CNN Plus, said the new service was not ‘a defensive play’ due to the aging of traditional news fans as Nielsen data shows that the average CNN viewer is 64 years old. Both Fox and MSNBC’s average viewer is 68.
‘We made a very purposeful decision to create something distinct,’ Morse told the Post. ‘There are always going to be challenges when you’re building something new.’
For the record, we are VERY happy with the launch of CNN+ and are only bracing for a long run of success.
— Matt Dornic (@mdornic) March 30, 2022
The “well oiled” @CNN PR Flack department won’t respond to my calls for comment but tweets out their response. Nice https://t.co/jvSLIv3lie
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) March 30, 2022