In the choppy seas of the media industry, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) - that unwieldy behemoth born from a merger of titans - continues to pitch and roll. As rumors swirl about a potential merger with Paramount and Skydance, and whispers of asset spin-offs grow louder, CNN is charting its own course with a stubborn pivot to digital.
After a disastrous first attempt at streaming three years ago, the network is resurrecting its ambitions with a new "All Access" subscription service, set to launch on October 28, 2025.
Priced at $6.99 per month or $69.99 annually (with an introductory annual rate of $41.99 for the first year if signed up by January 5, 2026), it's a bolder bet on "premium journalism" than before. But with WBD's CEO David Zaslav dodging debt grenades and corporate shake-ups, can this relaunch avoid becoming another streaming shipwreck?
A Familiar Plot: From CNN+ Flop to Second-Chance Sequel
Flash back to March 2022: CNN+ debuted with fanfare as a direct-to-consumer streaming hub, promising a blend of live news, on-demand shows, and original series featuring stars like Wolf Blitzer and Chris Wallace. It was meant to be the future of news—ad-free, personality-driven, and untethered from cable bundles. Instead, it lasted just 30 days.
The plug was pulled amid WBD's merger chaos, underwhelming subscriber numbers, and a harsh reality check: audiences weren't clamoring for more "talking heads" in their feeds. The shutdown cost hundreds of millions and led to layoffs, underscoring the pitfalls of premium news in a free-content world.
Fast-forward to today, and CNN is trying again - wiser, or at least more integrated. The new All Access tier builds on the "Basic" subscription launched in October 2024, which costs $3.99 monthly and unlocks unlimited articles on CNN.com and the app, plus subscriber-exclusive reporting.
All Access supercharges that with full video access: multiple live streams from CNN's U.S. and international channels, on-demand originals, documentaries, and the entire library of CNN Films. Pay-TV subscribers get the video perks for free (with a Basic tier add-on for digital content), while cord-cutters can dive in standalone.
Alex MacCallum, CNN Worldwide's executive vice president of digital products and services, frames it as evolution, not reinvention: "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." It's a one-stop shop for the network's "signature video-led journalism," designed for mobile and connected TVs—where eyeballs are fleeing traditional cable.
Price Hike and Perks: $1 More for "Firmer" Journalism?
At first glance, the pricing feels like a quiet escalation. CNN+ launched at $5.99 monthly, a steal that still couldn't save it. Now, All Access jumps to $6.99 - still cheaper than Netflix's ad-free tier or Disney+'s bundle, but a premium ask for news in an era of TikTok clips and free YouTube breakdowns. The annual plan sweetens the deal at roughly $5.83 per month, and that intro rate could lure early adopters. But skeptics wonder: Is the extra buck justified by "more premium content," or is it just inflation on a recycled idea?
CNN insists the value lies in exclusivity - think deep dives into global crises, unfiltered docs, and live coverage without ads interrupting your doomscroll. It's also a hedge against cable's cord-cutting apocalypse; WBD reported streaming revenue growth in its latest quarter, but linear TV remains a sinking ship. As CEO Mark Thompson (ex-New York Times digital wizard) pushes CNN toward "platforms where audiences are shifting," this feels like a calculated risk to monetize loyalists before the whole model capsizes.
Zaslav's Tightrope: Mergers, Splits, and Streaming Salvation?
Timing couldn't be more precarious for WBD. David Zaslav, the cost-cutting maestro who's slashed jobs and shelved films to stem $40 billion in debt, faces fresh headwinds. Paramount's flirtation with Skydance could reshape Hollywood alliances, while WBD's June 2025 announcement of a 2026 split - carving out a streaming/studios powerhouse (HBO Max, Warner films) from a cable-focused entity (including CNN) - adds urgency. CNN Max, the network's current streaming hub on Max, shutters November 1, funneling users straight to All Access.
Critics - and there are plenty - doubt it'll stick. Online chatter echoes the CNN+ backlash: "Who pays $7 for more CNN?" one commenter quipped. Fox News edges ahead with its bundle-free Fox Nation, and rivals like NBC eye similar launches. Yet, CNN's global brand and Thompson's track record (he digitized the Times into a subscription beast) offer glimmers of hope. If All Access can blend breaking news with bingeable originals, it might just carve a niche in a market dominated by entertainment giants.
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The Verdict: Gritty Gamble or Glorified Paywall?
Three years after CNN+'s hasty exit, this relaunch smacks of defiance - a refusal to let cable's decline dictate destiny. At $6.99, it's accessible enough to test the waters, but success hinges on proving news can be sticky, not skippable. Zaslav's empire may be weathering mergers and splits, but CNN's persistence is oddly admirable. In an industry where every pivot feels like a plot twist, watching this unfold might indeed be more entertaining than the headlines it covers. Mark your calendars for October 28: the stream starts flowing, for better or worse.
