The news that far-left CNN is relaunching its streaming service is not a victory for CNN. Instead, it’s proof the fake news outlet is doomed.
To begin with, this new streaming service will not be a standalone service like the ill-fated CNN+.
Secondly, whatever this new CNN streaming outlet is called, it will be offered free—free—to those who already subscribe to the Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) streaming service Max (formerly HBOMax).
In other words, CNN is being demoted to nothing more than an add-on to an existing streaming service.
Why?
Because WBD knows CNN cannot survive on merit, meaning a standalone product that survives either on subscription fees or advertising revenue.
The 2022 launch of CNN+ was a catastrophe in countless ways, but all would have been forgiven had the streaming service come anywhere close to its subscriber projections. According to the “experts,” CNN+ was supposed to attract a few million subscribers immediately. On this day, CNN+ was projected to have seven to ten million subscribers.
The reality was quite different. At any given time, only 4,000 were tuning in to CNN+. Daily users sat at around 10,000. Numerous reports said only 100,000 subscribed.
The idea that an outlet as ridiculed and despised as CNN, an outlet that struggles to attract 500,000 primetime viewers, could somehow attract millions of subscribers… Well, only a media “expert” could believe such a thing.
CNN’s other existential problem is that the rigged cable TV scam is dying, and it is the rigged cable TV scam that keeps CNN artificially afloat. With so few viewers, CNN would never survive on advertising revenue. Instead, the hate outlet survives on a scam called “carriage fees.” Whether or not you watch CNN, if it is part of your subscription TV package, you fund CNN. Yes, you, dummy. CNN gets a piece of your cable bill. Well, this scam is doomed. People are moving to streaming.
For decades, and as I explained at length here, cable/satellite/ linear subscription TV has allowed Hollywood and the media to scam billions of unearned dollars from the tens of millions who pay for dozens of cable channels they never watch. But…
Streaming is merit-based. You actually have to attract and retain viewers to make money. This is why most of these streaming services are losing billions. This is why CNN+ closed after four weeks. The cable TV scam allows unpopular and failed outlets like CNN, MTV, and Comedy Central to hide how unpopular they are under a pile of unearned money. You can’t do that with streaming. And…
This is why CNN’s only hope to continue to exist is as a piece of free parsley on the Max streaming service. CNN won’t last another ten years on cable. Too many people are canceling. CNN already proved it couldn’t survive even a full month as a merit-based subscription service. So…
The only hope WBD has to keep its left-wing propaganda outlet in business is through the affirmative action of adding it for free to Max. Without that affirmative action, CNN will disappear altogether. As is, it will be an add-on no one watches.
Why free?
Who wants to pay to be lied to and deceived? As CNN+ proved last year, no one.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.
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