The US-based Cable News Service (CNN) has announced on Monday that they are starting a new venture CNN Plus- a streaming platform that will exist alongside its existing linear TV networks.
According to The Verge, “The new service “complements the core CNN linear networks and digital platforms to serve the CNN superfans, news junkies and fans of quality of non-fiction programming.”
The company is still determining the price for CNN Plus, but there will be no ad-supported version of the service at launch. It will launch in the US only, and CNN expects to hire 450 people over the next six to nine months.
The company says, “CNN will continue to have a single app where CNN Plus subscribers will be able to access CNN Plus programming. The app will include CNN’s linear television feeds, available to paid TV subscribers. If those subscribers want to “maximize their experience, they can also subscribe to CNN Plus, to access the full CNN Plus programming all in one place.”
A CNN spokesperson clarified that CNN Plus subscribers do not have the access to the TVE feeds of CNN’s cable channels, and CNN Plus is a standalone direct-to-consumer product.
CNN Plus will have original, live, on-demand, and interactive programming separate and interactive programming separate and distinct from CNN’s linear channels, the company says.
At launch the service will have a “deep library of non-fiction, long-form programming,” that includes past seasons of CNN shows like Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, This is Life with Lisa Ling, and United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell.
The service will add new original programming to be announced later last year.
Andrew Morse, CNN Worldwide chief digital officer, will be the executive in charge of CNN Plus.