A Jeep Wrangler Rubicon sits on an outdoor track during the press preview of the International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City on April 13, 2022.
Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images
Warner Bros. Discovery is shutting down CNN+, according to two people familiar with the matter.
An official announcement is coming later Thursday. Operations will halt April 30. CNN+ head Andrew Morse is leaving Warner Bros. Discovery, the people said.
WarnerMedia launched the standalone news service less than a month ago on March 29.
New CNN head Chris Licht has been working behind the scenes with other executives at Warner Bros. Discovery for several weeks to analyze a streaming strategy for CNN, one of the people said. The decision to shut down CNN+ is based on his recommendation, the person said. Licht will address CNN staffers at a meeting Thursday, one of the people said. Licht’s official start date is May 1.
CNN has invested already invested hundreds of millions of dollars on new talent and programming for CNN+. Some of that programming will move to HBO Max and other series may live on CNN.com, one of the people said. Some new talent may have roles on CNN’s linear station, the person said. Licht will make those determinations in the coming weeks, the person said.
CNN+ had fewer than 10,000 daily active viewers about two weeks after its launch, CNBC reported last week.
Warner Bros. Discovery leadership wants to use CNN programming to bolster a larger streaming bundle that will be combine the best of WarnerMedia and Discovery, as CNBC has previously reported.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
