CNN+ Streaming Service, Shuttered After Less Than A Month, Is Mourned And Mocked In Memes | Know Your Meme

CNN+ Streaming Service, Shuttered After Less Than A Month, Is Mourned And Mocked In Memes

By Aidan Walker
1572 views
• Published 2 years ago

Published 2 years ago

CNN's streaming service, dubbed CNN+, was shuttered this week after less than a month in existence. The network’s new online streaming platform reportedly lost over $300 million and garnered less than 10,000 subscribers in its brief life.


Today's news marks the end of an experiment in streaming news content. It’s quite possible that the death of CNN+ has to do with the recent Warner Bros. (the parent company of CNN) and Discovery merger — apparently, management at Discovery was not happy with the performance of CNN+ or the business plan put forward. Jeff Zucker, the former president of CNN who originally championed CNN+, also left the company in February.


Many on social media networks like Twitter expressed empathy for the roughly 350 out of about 700 employees of CNN+ who were laid off.


Others, notably on the right (which has in recent years defined CNN largely as an enemy) backlashed against expressions of support for former CNN+ employees.


In turn, even more people online then backlashed that backlash, insisting that commentators take into account the human toll of the CNN+ failure.


Aside from political bickering over CNN+'s demise, the service’s extremely brief life span was a common theme in many memes over the last two days.


Some also speculated about the reaction of Chris Wallace, the high-profile former Fox News anchor who quit his job at Fox to join CNN+.


Conservatives seemed satisfied by the failure of CNN+, mocking and memeing CNN in droves around social media.


Several commentators online also brought up the role of controversial consulting company McKinsey & Company in CNN+’s death. They argued that an overly optimistic projection by McKinsey led to CNN executives investing too many resources into a project that was doomed to failure. McKinsey has come under fire in the past for its consulting work for clients such as the Chinese and Saudi Arabian governments, Purdue Pharmaceuticals and fossil fuel companies.

​​


The failure of CNN+ comes at a moment of change for the streaming industry overall. Netflix recently predicted a decline in subscriptions, causing its stock price to tank. The streaming landscape is becoming increasingly crowded, with new and more specialized providers such as Paramount+ stepping into the market and producing original content. What the early end of CNN+ will mean to a changing industry and society overall remains to be seen.


Top News

Alex Jones and Elon Musk alongside text that reads, "X Corp. Owns All X Accounts."

Elon Musk's X Has Objected To The Onion's Acquisition Of Infowars, Claiming 'X Corp. Owns All X Accounts'

Dr DisRespect posed next to the Rumble logo.

Dr DisRespect Quits YouTube After Signing An Exclusive Deal With Controversial Video And Streaming Platform Rumble

The "Chill Guy" meme copyrighted by creator Phillip Banks.

The 'Chill Guy' Meme Has Been Copyrighted By Its Creator Phillip Banks, Who Says He's DMCA Striking Brands Using It For Profit

Minecraft Movie trailer with the Children Yearn For the Mines meme reference.

'The Children Yearn For The Mines' Meme Mentioned In New 'A Minecraft Movie' Trailer, Sparking Renewed Interest In Child Labor

Comments ( 4 )

Sorry, but you must activate your account to post a comment.