History of CNN

The Cable News Network (CNN), is an Americanbasic cableandsatellite televisionchannel owned by theCNN Worldwidedivision ofWarner Bros. Discovery.Upon its launch, CNN became the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and was the first all-news television network in the United States.

Founded underTurner Broadcasting Systemin 1980, the channel's success set the stage for conglomerateTime Warner's acquisition of the parent company in 1996. Time Warner later became WarnerMedia afterAT&T Inc.'s buyout in 2018. However, due to creative differences and debts, AT&T split from WarnerMedia as it merged withDiscovery, Inc.,formingWarner Bros. Discoveryin 2022.

Early history (1980–1989)

Launch

Three and a half years before CNN's launch, in December 1976,Ted Turnerturned hisAtlanta,Georgiaindependent stationWTCGinto one of the originalsatellite-distributedtelevision channels, leasing atransponderonRCA'sSatcom 1geostationary satellite. The Cable News Network was intended to be distributed on RCA's newSatcom 3,which was lost on its launch date of December 7, 1979. Because replacement transmission capacity was not readily available, theTurner Broadcasting Systemfiled suit against RCA seeking use of anothercommunications satelliteand $35.5 million in damages. On March 5, Turner announced that a consent order had been worked out with RCA in federal court, allowing CNN to begin operations on June 1 as scheduled, using a transponder on Satcom 1.

The network launched on Sunday, June 1, 1980, at 6:00 p.m.Eastern Timewith an original staff of 300 employees based at its headquarters inAtlanta,and bureaus inChicago,Dallas,Los Angeles,New York City,San FranciscoandWashington, D.C.The station first pictured a shot of the CNN logo on a red background bar with a 750hertzbeep tone followed by silence. Afterwards, the inaugural broadcast on the channel was an introduction byTed Turner.

Following the introduction and a pre-recorded version of "The Star-Spangled Banner"(which was a tradition whenever a new Turner-owned network launched) that was played afterward officially opening based at its headquarters inAtlantaand bureaus inChicago,Dallas,Los Angeles,New York City,San FranciscoandWashington, D.C.the husband and wife team ofDave WalkerandLois Hartas very first news anchored the channel's very first newscast.Among the first segments was an interview with then-PresidentJimmy CarterbyDaniel Schorr.And to let "the undecided voter… hear the issues debated by all three leading candidates" in thesecond 1980 presidential debate,Schorr read the debate questions toJohn B. Anderson.CNN then aired Anderson's live responses along with tape delay of Carter andRonald Reagan's responses,despite technical difficulties.In April 1981, CNN successfully sued theBig Three television networksand theReagan administrationfor equal representation in theWhite House press corps.

On January 1, 1982, the channel launched a spin-off network called CNN2,which was subsequently renamedHeadline News (HLN)the following year in January 1983.

Replica of the newsroom at CNN Center

Whereas CNN featured a mix of newscasts and specialized topical and feature programs, Headline News was originally formatted to strictly focus on rolling news coverage, featuring half-hour newscasts 24 hours a day with segments scheduled in fixed timeslots each half-hour; as such, it was one of the first news channels to utilize a "wheel" schedule. Headline News would scale back its rolling news coverage in February 2005, with the incorporation of personality-based news discussion programs during its nighttime schedule.

Following the launch of CNN, other cable news channels launched in an attempt to capitalize on the channel's growing success, which often had marginal to no success in competing with CNN.One of the first wasSatellite News Channel,which launched on June 21, 1982, with a mix of national and regionally focused newscasts; after the channel ceased operations on October 27, 1983, its satellite transponder slot was subsequently purchased by Ted Turnerto expand the distribution of Headline News further into additional homes.

After five years, CNN outgrew its original home, a former country club on the outskirts ofmidtown Atlanta.In 1985, Turner purchased the Omni International complex from its original developer, Atlanta-based real estate mogulTom Cousins,and moved CNN's headquarters to the building, rechristening the complex as theCNN Center.As Omni International, the complex had never succeeded. Cousins sold it to Turner, along with theAtlanta HawksNBAfranchise. CNN moved into the end of the tower that once housedThe World of Sid and Marty Krofft.Turner was instrumental in the revival of Atlanta's downtown.

Original programs

Moneyline

Moneylinepremiered in 1980 and was CNN's main financial program for more than 20 years. As the show, hosted byLou Dobbs,moved more towards general news and economic andpolitical commentary,it was renamedMoneyline with Lou Dobbs,Lou Dobbs Moneylineand thenLou Dobbs Tonight.In 2010, Dobbs – the last remaining original host from the network's launch in 1980 – resigned amid controversy over hisquestioning of whether President Barack Obama was a native-born U.S. citizen– aqualification for the presidencyrequired under theU.S. Constitution.

Evans & Novak

The political discussion showEvans and Novakwas created in 1980, withRowland EvansandRobert Novakas its hosts. It became one of the cable network's most-watched discussion programs. Only a short time after,Al HuntandMark Shieldsjoined the show as occasional panelists; the name of the program was eventually changed toEvans, Novak, Hunt & Shieldsin 1998 when Hunt and Shields were named as permanent members of the show.

Crossfire

In June 1982,the channel launched a late night political debate program,Crossfire,which featured discussions on political issues from opposing viewpoints; it was hosted byliberalTom BradenandconservativePat Buchanan.The idea of the program came about when Braden and Buchanan debated on a daily radio show in 1978. The show soon became popular and was moved to a primetime slot. In 1985, Buchanan left the show to become thecommunications directorfor theRonald Reaganpresidential administration.He was replaced by conservative columnist Robert Novak, who had already co-hosted another political program on CNN,Evans & Novakand was also a regular onThe McLaughlin Groupat the time. Buchanan returned to the show in 1987, replacing Novak. In 1989, Braden was replaced byMichael Kinsley,a liberal columnist forTime,and magazine editor forThe New Republic.

Larry King Live

In June 1985, CNN launched a primetime interview show hosted byLarry King.Larry King Livefeatured interviews with one or more prominent individuals, mainly celebrities, politicians and businesspeople. The show became the longest-running program on CNN, lasting for 25 years until King's retirement from the network in 2010.It was the highest-rated news show on television until 2001, whenThe O'Reilly Factoron rivalFox News ChannelsurpassedLarry King Livein the ratings and has remained the highest-rated cable news program ever since.

Unlike many interviewers, Larry King had a direct, non-confrontational approach. His interview style was characteristically frank, but with occasional bursts of irreverence and humor. His approach attracted some guests who would not otherwise appear. King, who was known for his general lack of pre-interview preparation, once bragged that he never pre-read the books of authors who appeared on his show. Critics have claimed that Larry King asked "soft" questions in comparison to other interviewers, which allowed him to reach guests who would be averse to interviewing on "tough" talk shows.

On February 24, 1987, King suffered a majorheart attackand had to undergo a quintuple-bypass surgery. It was a life-altering event as previously,smokingwas one of his trademarks and he was unashamed of his addiction. King was a three-pack-a-day smoker and kept a lit cigarette during his interviews, so he would not have to take time to light up during breaks. After the incident, he encouraged curbing smoking to reduce the risk ofcardiovascular disease.

Variety shows

• Sports Tonight(1980–2001)
• People in the News
• Style with Elsa Klensch(1980–2000)
• Business Morning
• CNN Daybreak(1980–2005)

Early coverage

Space ShuttleChallengerdisaster

On January 28, 1986, CNN was the only TV network news to provide live coverage ofthe launchof theSpace ShuttleChallengerto the public. However,NASA TVprovided the live coverage to schools nationwide, and HBO (Home Box Office) carried the live feed without commentary as well (before its normal broadcast, at that time, of films beginning in the late afternoon). The Space Shuttle Challengerabruptly disintegratedjust 73 seconds after lift-off. Seven astronauts, including schoolteacherChrista McAuliffe,were killed in the disaster.

Then President Ronald Reagan postponed theState of the Union Addressthat evening. He addressed the nation in the time of tragedy and grief from theOval Office.On January 31, 1986, two days after the tragedy, CNN provided live coverage of the memorial service for the Challenger crew members atJohnson Space CenterinHouston,Texas.

Baby Jessica rescue

On October 14, 1987, 18-month-old toddlerJessica McClurefell down a well inMidland, Texas.CNN quickly reported on the story, and the event helped make its name.New York Timescolumnist Lisa Belkin wrote a retrospective article in 1995 on the impact of live video news:

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a moving picture is worth many times that, and a live moving picture makes an emotional connection that goes deeper than logic and lasts well beyond the actual event... This was before correspondents reported live from the enemy capital while American bombs were falling. BeforeSaddam Husseinheld a surreal press conference with a few of the hundreds of Americans he was holding hostage. Before the nation watched, riveted but powerless, asLos Angeleswaslooted and burned.BeforeO. J. Simpsontook a slow ride in a white Bronco, and before everyone close to his case had an agent and a book contract. This was uncharted territory just a short time ago.

Leadership under Tom Johnson (1990–2000)

In 1990,Tom Johnson,who formerly served as publisher of theLos Angeles Timesfor 13 years, was named as the president of CNN.

Under Johnson, CNN expanded its reach with the launches of a number of cable and satellite television networks, both domestic and internationally, beginning with the 1991 launch ofCNN International.Two specializedclosed-circuitnetworks launched in 1991:CNN Airport Network,which provides a mix of original content and simulcasts of CNN International to national and world airports; andCNN Checkout Channel,a customized channel made available togrocery storeswhich shut down in 1993. 1996 saw the debuts of two specialty news channels:CNNSI,a sports news channel created in partnership with co-owned magazineSports Illustrated,andCNNfn,a business news channel created as a competitor toCNBC(CNNSI shut down in 2002, while CNNfn shut down in December 2004; CNN continues to maintain a partnership withSports Illustratedthrough CNNSI.com).

CNN launched its website, CNN.com (initially an experiment known asCNN Interactive), on August 30, 1995, which grew to become one of the most popular news websites in the world. Several specialty websites were launched in later years such asCNNMoney,created in partnership with fellow co-owned magazineMoney;CNN also launched aradio networkthat provided news updates and other content to radio stations nationwide. The network grew to include 36 bureaus (10 domestic, 26 international), and expanded its broadcast partnerships to more than 900 affiliated local stations (which also receive news and features content via the affiliate video serviceCNN Newsource). CNN's success made a bona-fide mogul of founder Ted Turner and set the stage for multimedia conglomerate Time Warner's eventual acquisition of the Turner Broadcasting System in 1996.

Coverage of the Gulf War

The first PersianGulf Warin 1991 was a watershed event for CNN that catapulted the network past the "big three"American networks for the first time in its history, largely due to an unprecedented, historical scoop: CNN was the only news outlet with the ability to communicate from insideIraqduring the initial hours of the American bombing campaign, with live reports from theal-Rashid HotelinBaghdadby reportersBernard Shaw,John Holliman,andPeter Arnett.

The moment when bombing began was announced on CNN by Bernard Shaw on January 16, 1991, as follows:

This is Bernie Shaw. Something is happening outside.... Peter Arnett, join me here. Let's describe to our viewers what we're seeing... The skies over Baghdad have been illuminated.... We're seeing bright flashes going off all over the sky.

The Gulf War experience brought CNN some much sought-after legitimacy and made household names of previously obscure, low-paid reporters. Many of these reporters now comprise CNN's "old guard." Bernard Shaw became CNN's chief anchor until his retirement in 2001.Others include then-PentagoncorrespondentWolf Blitzer(now host ofThe Situation Room) and international correspondentChristiane Amanpour.Amanpour's presence in Iraq was caricatured by actressNora Dunnin the role of the ruthless reporter Adriana Cruz in the 1999 filmThree Kings.FellowTime Warner-owned networkHBOlater produced atelevision movie,Live from Baghdad,about CNN's coverage of the first Gulf War.

CNN was criticized for excessively pushing'human interest' storiesand avoiding depictions of violent images; the result of all this being an alleged 'propagandistic' presentation of news.A report byFairness and Accuracy in Reportingquotes an unnamed CNN reporter as describing "the 'sweet beautiful sight' of bombers taking off fromSaudi Arabia."

The CNN effect

Coverage of the first Gulf War and other crises of the early 1990s (particularly the infamousBattle of Mogadishu) led officials at the Pentagon to coin the term "theCNN effect"to describe the perceived impact ofreal time,24-hour news coverage on the decision-making processes of theAmerican government.

John Kiesewetterexplained:

CNN has changed news. Before CNN, events were reported in two cycles, for morning and evening newspapers and newscasts. Now news knows no cycle. When a plane has crashed, or shots are fired in school, we expect to see it immediately on all-news channels. We don't depend on the Big Three broadcast networks. The turning point came shortly after CNN's 10th birthday, when Bernard Shaw, Peter Arnett and John Holliman provided play-by-play of the 1991 Gulf War from a Baghdad hotel. The Gulf war proved how CNN had changed the world. U.S. military leaders chose their words carefully during televised press briefings, knowing that Sadam Hussein was watching CNN, too.

Shows created

Both Sides with Jesse Jackson

Both Sides with Jesse Jacksonwas a political talk show, hosted bycivil rightsleader and two-time presidential candidateJesse Jackson,that aired on Sundays. Each program began with a short taped report on the topic being discussed in that week's edition by CNN correspondent John Bisney. The show ran from 1992 to 2000.

Capital Gang

Capital Gangis one of cable news' longest-running programs; running from 1988 to 2005 on Saturday nights, it featured discussions of the week's political news stories. The original panelists werePat Buchanan,Al Hunt,Mark ShieldsandRobert Novak.When Buchanan left the network to run for president,Margaret Warner,Mona Charen,and laterMargaret CarlsonandKate O'Beirnebecame regular panelists.

Burden of Proof

Burden of Proofwas a show that discussed legal issues of the day, hosted byGreta Van Susterenand Roger Cossack. It debuted in 1995 and was canceled in 2001. The show was developed by CNN Executive Vice-presidentGail Evans.

TalkBack Live

TalkBack Livewas a daytime talk show that aired on CNN from 1994 to 2003. The hour-long program, which was broadcast from the first floor ofCNN Centerand aired at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time each weekday, allowed questions and comments from audience members and calls from viewers. It was hosted at various times bySusan Rook,Bobbie Battista,Karyn BryantandArthel Neville.

End of the monopoly

In 1996, CNN received its first major competitors with the launch ofMSNBC,originally ajoint venturebetweenNBCandMicrosoft,andNews Corporation'sFox News Channel;despite this, CNN remained #1 in the ratings among the cable news channels andLarry King Liveremained its most-watched news show.

In 1998, CNN, in partnership with corporate sisterTimemagazine, ran a report thatOperation Tailwindin 1970 inVietnamincluded use ofSaringas to kill a group ofdefectorsfrom theUnited States military.The Pentagon denied the story. Skeptics deemed it improbable that such an extraordinary and risky atrocity could have gone unnoticed at the height of theVietnam War's unpopularity. CNN, after a two-week inquiry, issued a retraction.

Restarting business (2001–2006)

In 2000 and 2001, CNN hired many key people such asAnderson Cooper,Aaron Brown,Paula Zahnand (rehired)Lou Dobbs.The leadership of the network also changed. Kaplan left CNN in 2000, and moreover Tom Johnson retired as head of CNN in 2001 after 10 years.Following his retirement, new management and increased competition fromFox News Channelled to the network's gradual decline during the decade.

New shows

NewsNight with Aaron Brown

Created in 2001,NewsNight with Aaron Brownfocused on investigative journalism and had a strong emphasis on interviews. The program included segments such as "The Whip" (which quickly previewed segments from four reporters at large), "On The Rise" and "Segment 7". The Morning Papers segment, known as "The Rooster", featured a brief preview of compelling or interesting headlines from the next day's newspapers around the world. The segment concluded with the weather forecast forChicagoas provided in theChicago Sun-Times.Newsnightwas cancelled on November 5, 2005, and Brown resigned from CNN shortly afterward.

Paula Zahn Now

The primetime show that aired in the timeslot precedingLarry King Live,Paula Zahn Now,which debuted in 2003, was never very popular. It competed against Fox News Channel'sThe O'Reilly Factor,which had grown to become the highest-rated cable news program. The program lasted for four years before being cancelled on August 2, 2007.

Connie Chung Tonight

Launched in 2002,Connie Chung Tonightwas a short-lived news and interview show, hosted byConnie Chung,that was canceled after one year on the air.

The Point w/Greta Van Susteren

Greta Van Susteren,who had been with CNN as a correspondent for over a decade, began hosting her own primetime news and interview show in 2001, calledThe Point;the program was canceled after a year, with Van Susteren joining Fox News Channel shortly afterward.

The Spin Room

The Spin Room,a half-hour debate show that aired in the 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time slot, debuted in 2000 and was hosted byTucker CarlsonandBill Press;the program was canceled after a few months and replaced byGreenfield at Large.

Greenfield at Large

Launched in 2001 and hosted byJeff Greenfield,Greenfield at Large,which replacedThe Spin Roomin the 10:30 p.m. slot, was also short-lived; it was cancelled in 2002 and replaced byNewsNight with Aaron Brown,which was expanded to an hour.

Coverage

9/11 attacks

CNN was the first major network to break the news of theSeptember 11 attacksin 2001.AnchorCarol Linwas on the air to deliver the first public report of the event. She broke into a commercial at 8:49 a.m. Eastern Time and said:

This just in. You are looking at obviously a very disturbing live shot there. That is theWorld Trade Center,and we have unconfirmed reports this morning that a plane has crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center. CNN Center right now is just beginning to work on this story, obviously calling our sources and trying to figure out exactly what happened, but clearly something relatively devastating happening this morning there on the south end of the island ofManhattan.That is once again, a picture of one of the towers of the World Trade Center.

Sean Murtagh,CNN vice president for finance and administration, was the first network employee on the air in New York City.Coincidentally,Paula Zahn,who assisted in the coverage, began working as a CNN reporter on the day that the attacks occurred (Zahn mentioned this fact on a 2005 episode ofJeopardy!,in which she appeared as a guest clue presenter).

Amongst the criticisms levied against CNN, as well as the other major U.S. news channels, is the charge that CNN took a lenient approach to theBush administration,particularly after the September 11 attacks. At the 2002 Newsworld Asia conference held inSingapore,the executive vice-president and general manager of CNN International, was quoted as saying: "Anyone who claims the US media didn't censor itself is kidding you. It wasn't a matter of government pressure but a reluctance to criticize anything in a war that was obviously supported by the vast majority of the people. And this isn't just a CNN issue – every journalist who was in any way involved in 9/11 is partly responsible."

Iraq War

In April 2003,Eason Jordan,chief news executive at CNN, wrote an op-ed piece inThe New York Timesstating that he had lobbied the Iraqi government for 12 years in order to maintain a CNN presence inIraq.He also admitted to withholding what would be considered newsworthy information of the government's atrocities, citing fears that releasing news would potentially endanger the lives of Iraqis working for CNN in Baghdad, some of whom had already been subject to beatings and torture. Critics take particularly strong exception to the handling of the Bush administration's rhetoric leading up to the2003 invasion of Iraq.Veteran CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour characterized the behavior of the news media as "self-muzzling" and as "cheerleaders for the Bush war drive against Iraq".An editorial in the German publicationSüddeutsche Zeitungcompared CNN's war coverage to "live coverage of theSuper Bowl",and theQatar-basedAl-Jazeeranews network has criticized CNN for portraying U.S. soldiers as heroes.

Partnering events (2007–2017)

New anchors

Daryn KaganandLeon Harriswere live on the air just after 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time as the second plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center and through an interview with CNN correspondentDavid Ensor,reported the news that U.S. officials determined "that this is a terrorist act".Later,Aaron BrownandJudy Woodruffanchored through the day and night as the attacks unfolded, winning anEdward R. Murrow awardfor the network.Brown had just joined CNN fromABCto serve as the breaking news anchor.

2008 U.S. election

The stage for the second 2008CNN/YouTube presidential debate

Leading up to the2008 U.S. presidential election,CNN devoted large amounts of its coverage to politics, including hosting candidate debates during theDemocraticandRepublicanprimary seasons. On June 3 and 5, 2007, CNN teamed up withSaint Anselm Collegeto sponsor theNew HampshireRepublican and Democratic Debates.Later that year, the channel hosted the firstCNN/YouTube presidential debates,a non-traditional format where viewers were invited to pre-submit questions over the internet via theYouTubevideo-sharing service.In 2008, CNN partnered with theLos Angeles Timesto host two primary debates leading up to its coverage ofSuper Tuesday.CNN's debate and election night coverage led to its highest ratings of the year, with January 2008 viewership averaging 1.1 million viewers, a 41% increase over the previous year.

2016 U.S. election

Driven by live coverage of the year'sU.S. presidential election,2016 was CNN's most-watched year in its history.Throughout the campaign, the network aired unedited coverage of many of theTrump campaign rallies.Aides for Republican candidatesMarco Rubio,Jeb Bush,andTed Cruzaccused CNN President Jeff Zucker of undermining their candidates during theRepublican primaries.After the election, Zucker acknowledged that it was a mistake to air so many of the campaign rallies.CNN also drew criticismduring the election for hiring former Trump campaign managerCorey Lewandowski,who was still being paid by and was effectively working on behalf of the campaign.

Political subject controversies

Thepresidency of Donald Trumpled to many prominentcontroversies involving CNN.Critics have accused the network of excessive coverage of Donald Trump andDemocraticcandidateHillary Clinton.CNN presidentJeff Zuckerdefended CNN against the criticism, commenting that Trump was the most willing Republican candidate to give on-air interviews. Trump's response to the allegations during his speech at the 2017Conservative Political Action Conference(CPAC), jokingly referring to CNN as the "Clinton News Network."

On June 26, 2017, CNN investigative journalists Thomas Frank,Eric Lichtblau,and Lex Haris resigned after the network retracted an online article that incorrectly connected Trump aideAnthony Scaramuccito a $10 billion Russian investment fund. The network apologized to Scaramucci and admitted that the online story did not meet itseditorial standards.Zucker responded by stressing that the network needs to "play error-free ball" regarding future stories about Trump.

In July 2017, Trump posted a video on Twitter of himself tacklingVince McMahonon the ground duringWrestleMania 23,edited to replace McMahon's face with the CNN logo. Trump's criticism of mainstream media outlets could have encouraged right-wing supporters to commit violence against journalists.CNN also faced criticism over an investigation that identified theReddituser (r/The_Donald) who had allegedly created the video, facing accusations that they hadblackmailedthe user.

New ownerships and expansion (2018–present)

2018–2022: AT&T (WarnerMedia)

Later that month, a group of Democratic senators, led byAmy Klobuchar,issued a request for information over allegations that the Trump administration was planning to use CNN as "leverage for political gain" in the process of clearing the proposed acquisition of its parent company Time Warner byAT&T—a purchase which was first announced in October 2016.The Daily Callerreported that, in particular, the administration was seeking the removal of Jeff Zucker as CNN president. Although Trump had promised to block the acquisition entirely during his presidential campaign, Trump's transition team later stated that the government planned to evaluate the deal without prejudice.

Following the announcement of the acquisition, AT&T CEORandall L. Stephensonstated that the company was "committed to continuing the editorial independence of CNN".In August 2017,Deadline Hollywoodreported that AT&T had considered spinning off CNN and its stake inTMZpost-acquisition.In October 2017, Stephenson downplayed the possibility that the ongoing tensions between Trump and CNN could affect the deal, stating that he "[didn't] know what the relevance of CNN is in terms of an antitrust review", and that AT&T did not plan to make managerial changes to Time Warner properties that were operating well, such as CNN.

On November 6, 2017, Stephenson met withMakan Delrahim,assistant Attorney General of theU.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division,to discussantitrustandconcentration of media ownershipconcerns surrounding the acquisition, and possible options for satisfying them.Two days later, major media outlets publicly reported that the Justice Department had recommended that either the entire Turner Broadcasting System unit, orDirecTV,be divested as a condition of the merger. TheFinancial Timeswent further, stating that it had specifically demanded the divestment of CNN.

At theDealBookconference in New York City the next day, Stephenson denied that the department had demanded the divestment of CNN at all (stating that he had "never been told that the price of getting the deal done was selling CNN" ), and that the company aimed to "get to a negotiated settlement". However, he stated that if they were unable to do so, AT&T was "prepared to litigate".In a statement toCNBC,a Department of Justice official backed Stephenson, denying that there were any specific demands to divest CNN during the discussion, and considering the claims to be "shocking" and an attempt to politicize the situation. The official added that the department had officially recommended either abandoning the deal entirely, or divesting DirecTV or Turner, but that it was open to other options for quelling antitrust concerns.The same day, the watchdog group Protect Democracy sued the Department of Justice to seek information on whether the Trump administration had "improperly interfered with the Department's review of the merger between AT&T and Time Warner, or has acted in that matter based on the President's personal dislike of CNN'sprotected speech."The group had issued aFreedom of Information Actrequest for these details, but the department had not responded.On November 20, 2017, the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit over the acquisition.

AfterDistrict of Columbia U.S. District CourtjudgeRichard J. Leonruled in favor of AT&T in the lawsuit, AT&T completed its acquisition of Time Warner on June 14, 2018, and renamed the companyWarnerMedia.

In March 2019, WarnerMedia announced a reorganization that effectively dissolved Turner Broadcasting, and CNN became part of the new WarnerMedia News & Sports division. Jeff Zucker was named head of the new division, which addedTurner Sportsand theAT&T SportsNetregional sports networksto his remit.

On May 6, 2019, CNN began to broadcast programming from its new studios at30 Hudson Yards,which succeeded theTime Warner Centeras the network's Manhattan headquarters.Meanwhile, in late May 2019, CNN International announced it was reducing its programming and staff based in London to reduce costs, citing losses of $10 million per-year.

In May 2021, AT&T announced that it would divest WarnerMedia, and that it would subsequently merge withDiscovery Inc.to formWarner Bros. Discovery,pending shareholder and regulatory approval.

2022–present: Warner Bros. Discovery

In July 2021, CNN announced it would launch a subscription streaming service,CNN+,in the United States during the first quarter of 2022, which would feature original programming and an on-demand library of CNN original series and documentaries.In December 2021, CNN hired long-time Fox News journalistChris Wallaceto host a program on the service.CNN+ would launch on March 28, 2022, shortly before the completion of the WarnerMedia/Discovery merger.

After a dismal launch (with CNBC estimating only around 10,000 average daily users),CNN announced on April 21 that CNN+ would be shut down at the end of the month. Both Warner Bros. Discovery's head of Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment J.B. Perrette, and new CNN headChris Licht(who replaced the outgoing Jeff Zucker) stated that the service was incompatible with the company's goal of having a single streaming service to cover all of its brands—which would include a future merger ofDiscovery+andHBO Max.Perrette stated that the situation was "avoidable", but that the existing leadership (which were unable to discuss plans with Discovery's executives until the completion of the merger for legal restrictions) had gone on with the launch despite the pending merger.

During the WBD upfronts in May, Licht argued that "extremes are dominating cable news", and that he planned for CNN to "challenge the traditional philosophy of cable news" —indicating that the network planned to lean back towards its roots as a hard news outlet. He also announced plans to introduce a new morning show that would be a "disruptor [..] in the space", and confirmed that Wallace's CNN+ show,Who's Talking to Chris Wallace?,would move to HBO Max and CNN's Sunday-night lineup.It was later reported that Licht had undertaken the issuance of internal guidance for use of the term "breaking news"on-air, arguing that due to overuse by CNN and others," its impact has become lost on the audience. "

In September 2022, following the sudden departures of veteran White House correspondentJohn Harwood,chief media correspondentBrian Stelter,and legal punditJeffrey Toobin,The Washington Postreported that many CNN staff believed that the new CEO, Chris Licht, was "starting his tenure by casting out voices that had often been critical of former president Donald Trump and his allies, in an effort to present a new, more ideologically neutral CNN", in line with the vision repeatedly expressed byWarner Bros. DiscoveryCEODavid Zaslav,who hired Licht to head up CNN.Critics have accused CNN of shifting to the right.CNN has denied allegations of shifting to the right or center, saying that "We are entirely focused on our core strength and mission – objective journalism, presented in a fair and compelling way. We will continue to acknowledge different worldviews and experiences. We will always stand up for democracy and call out lies – regardless of their origin. That is not centrism, that is journalism."

On September 15, 2022, CNN announced that primetime anchorDon Lemon,daytime anchorPoppy Harlow,and White House correspondentKaitlan Collinswould co-anchor the new CNN morning show, replacing the outgoingNew Day.CNN This Morningpremiered November 1, 2022.

In October 2022, Licht issued a memo announcing cuts to commissioned and acquired original series and films as a cost savings measure, explaining that "it was based, in large part, on the ever-increasing cost of commissioning third-party premium content. However, I want to be clear that longform content remains an important pillar of our programming."On November 30, Licht announced a series of layoffs as part of cost-cutting measures by Warner Bros. Discovery.

In May 2023, in response to backlash over CNN hosting a townhall by Former PresidentDonald Trump,Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav stated that "Republicans are back on the air" and that CNN was repositioning itself to be a network that focused on "both sides of every issue".

Licht was fired as CNN's president and CEO in June 2023, after an article in The Atlantic revealed that employees had become unhappy with him over actions taken during his tenure.In August 2023,Mark Thompsonwas hired as chief executive and chairman.In July 2024, CNN announced it would eliminate 100 jobs and introduce apaywall.

External links

• Booknotesinterview with Reese Schonfeld onMe and Ted Against the World,March 25, 2001.