quibi: the sequel
CNN+ is shutting down weeks after it launched
CNN+ is officially the new Quibi — except Quibi survived much longer.
The streaming service from CNN is set to shut down only weeks after it launched, Variety and The New York Times report. According to the Times, it will officially cease operations on April 30.
It was a shockingly swift end for the new streaming platform after it launched less than a month ago. CNN chief media correspondent Brian Stelter at the time called it the "biggest bet any company has made in the news streaming world," and CNN hired hundreds of staffers to work on it.
But previous reports indicated the service did not have a strong launch, with CNBC reporting fewer than 10,000 people were using it daily. Earlier this week, Axios reported the service appeared "doomed," noting that CNN's chief financial officer was laid off and parent company Warner Bros. Discovery executives didn't believe the launch was successful.
CNN+ features original programming from anchors like Chris Wallace, formerly of Fox News, and Kasie Hunt, formerly of MSNBC. But in a tough review, Vulture's Josef Adalian wrote that it was "hard to figure out just what the service is supposed to be and why a large number of people will want to pay for it," noting it failed to offer on-demand access to the network's daily televised programming or a consistent live feed of breaking news. The review concluded it seemed like the "Quibi of streaming news," referring to the ill-fated streaming service of short-form content that shut down after less than a year.
CNN+ cost $5.99 per month, though it offered subscribers the chance to pay $2.99 for life if they signed up within the first few weeks.
It wasn't immediately clear what the plan for all the content on CNN+ is. But Warner Bros. Discovery also owns HBO Max, so at least some of it could end up there.