CNN+ Seeks More Distribution Deals

CNN is racing to secure distribution for its new streaming service with more partners ahead of its launch later this month, reports Bloomberg.

CNN+ already has agreements with Apple and Roku but it’s hoping to close deals with other distributors before the launch, CNN Digital chief Andrew Morse said in an interview with Bloomberg TV’s Emily Chang at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. The company also previously announced a deal with Comcast.

Andrew Morse

In the interview, Morse didn’t mention Amazon.com Inc., one of the largest distributors of streaming services in the world via its Fire devices. Securing full distribution is vital for any new streaming service, as CNN owner WarnerMedia knows well. The company’s main streaming service, HBO Max, debuted without distribution on Amazon, which slowed its customer growth out of the gate.

CNN+ is set to launch on March 29 with a mix of topical news shows hosted by existing on-air talent and lifestyle programming featuring newcomers like actress Eva Longoria and food writer Alison Roman. The service is CNN’s most ambitious (and expensive) new initiative since the network’s launch, Morse said, as the network tries to broaden its audience online following a decline in the number of people paying for linear TV.

“We feel very confident we’ll grow a healthy subscriber base very quickly,” Morse said, adding that the company has “ambitious but achievable” subscriber targets. CNN expects the streaming service to be profitable within a few years, he added.

Morse cited the New York Times as a model for the business. The Times has built a multifaceted subscription business around news, games and cooking.