Warner Bros. Discovery is making plans to enhance its Max streaming service by adding live programming from CNN later this year, insiders reveal. The company is betting that incorporating news content will help attract more subscribers. These sources also disclose that CNN’s owner has already made the decision to include live news on the service outside of the United States.
While bringing news to Max in the US might be complex due to existing agreements with pay-TV providers like Comcast and DirecTV, Warner Bros. Discovery executives are exploring various approaches to offer live CNN programming without renegotiating deals with these providers.
The streaming team at Warner Bros. Discovery has begun addressing technical issues related to airing live news on Max in recent weeks. The company introduced Max last month as a combination of reality programming from Discovery and scripted shows and blockbuster movies from HBO Max. CEO David Zaslav has hinted at plans to expand news and sports content in the near future.
Although news and sports do not currently play a major role on Max, it remains to be seen how they will factor into the competition. While rival streaming services Paramount+ and Peacock heavily feature sports content, the role of news in streaming services is less clear. Streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon.com, Apple, Paramount Global, Comcast, and Walt Disney Co. have largely kept their news programming separate from their entertainment offerings.
CNN, a leading global news organization, has faced challenges in adapting to the streaming era. Last year, the company shut down its CNN+ streaming service shortly after its launch. The network is also experiencing leadership changes, with CEO Chris Licht stepping down after a brief and tumultuous tenure earlier this month.
Having live programming from CNN on Max could significantly boost the network’s audience reach. CNN’s subscribers have declined from 85 million in 2020 to 70 million this year, while Warner Bros. Discovery had approximately 100 million streaming subscribers across HBO, HBO Max, and Discovery+ as of the end of March.
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