CNN is moving forward with a plan to charge for access to most of its journalism and live programming with the launch of a new “All Access” membership tier later this month.
The cable network will charge $7 per month or $70 per year for full access to its website and digital services, including apps that are being designed around verticals like climate science.
A handful of live programming from CNN’s domestic and international news channels will also be accessible through the subscription service, CNN said on Thursday. Those shows are currently available through a live stream offered on HBO Max, which is pulling the feed in November.
The membership comes at a time when CNN is working to generate new sources of revenue from its global journalism. Historically, the network has depended on a mixture of advertising and affiliate fees charged to cable and satellite distributors. Both have waned in recent years.
Still, CNN is synonymous with excellence in international news, and its website and apps are among the most-visited in the world. The network is leaning into the digital space as a way to support its operations for years to come.
“No one covers the world like CNN. With this new subscription offering, our audience will now have access to the best of CNN across platforms, including multiple live stream channels, our signature video-led journalism and all articles on CNN.com and in the mobile app,” said Alex MacCallum, the Executive Vice President of Digital Products and Services at CNN. “It’s an essential step in CNN’s evolution as we work to give audiences the complete CNN experience in a format that reflects how audiences engage with the news today.”
In addition to CNN’s live programming and online news articles, All Access subscribers will be able to watch more than 1,000 hours of documentaries and original series from the network, including programs from its CNN Original Series and CNN Films franchises. The membership will also include exclusive live videos and events.
Pay television subscribers will be able to access the streaming perks of the All Access plan when authenticated with an eligible TV package. That said, they’ll need to subscribe directly to the “CNN Basic” subscription tier if they want to access written content on CNN’s websites and apps, the network said.
CNN is owned by Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), and will be part of Discovery Communications when WBD spins out its cable networks business from its film and studio units next year.
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