AT&T’s news-focused streaming service CNN Plus debuted on Tuesday, offering a mixture of interactive news and feature programming for around $6 a month.
The streaming service became immediately available to users of Apple and Android phones and tablets, as well as streaming devices running Apple TV OS and Amazon Fire TV OS.
The app is not available to users of Roku devices or Android TV devices, though for different reasons. A CNN spokesperson confirmed to trade publication Broadcasting & Cable that a carriage deal with Roku is still being ironed out. A development glitch involving CNN Plus’ app for Android TV forced the company to skip support for those devices on the service’s launch date, a person familiar with the matter told The Desk.
A deal was reached earlier this year between WarnerMedia, the AT&T subsidiary that is the parent company of CNN, to bring CNN Plus to users of Comcast’s X1 smart TV platform. But users of Comcast’s X1 and Flex set-top boxes will also be waiting a little while for CNN Plus to arrive.
CNN Plus is also not available on Sony’s PlayStation or Microsoft’s Xbox consoles, and it is not clear if versions of the app are being developed for native smart TV operating systems like LG’s WebOS and Samsung’s Tizen.
Earlier this month, a CNN executive told financial news outlet Bloomberg that wide distribution across many platforms is a key goal of CNN Plus.
The app launched Tuesday at a price of $6 a month, though early subscribers can sign up for as little as $3 a month thanks to an early bird special being offered by the service.
Last week, CNN unveiled its programming line-up for CNN Plus, which includes shows hosted by journalists Kate Bolduan, Jake Tapper, Kasie Hunt and Anderson Cooper.
The CNN Plus app will contain shows and documentaries that are distinct from those aired on the traditional cable network. To access CNN Plus, users must download the CNN app for their supported device. CNN’s domestic and international news feeds will remain accessible within the CNN app for cable and satellite subscribers.
