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NEW THIS MORNING

CNN charts a new course

CNN is now in the digital subscription business in a very big way. 

Today, the network is launching a streaming service called All Access, charting a new course in a media era defined by direct-to-consumer relationships and mobile-first news reports.

The new service, which is built into CNN’s existing apps and websites, features multiple live TV streams of news coverage and exclusive content for subscribers. The target audience includes cable cord-cutters and people who consume news primarily on their phones.

No other major TV network has attempted something like this, so it's a newsworthy moment for the industry. I'll take you through it step by step...

How is this different?

This "is not CNN 'extra' or 'plus,' it’s CNN," the network's CEO, Mark Thompson, told me in an interview last week. All Access carries "all the programs you expect to get from CNN," he said, which is one of the main reasons why it's different from the short-lived CNN+ service.

Back when CNN+ launched in 2022, cable and satellite carriage contracts stopped CNN from selling a live stream of its existing shows. That's why CNN+ built a parallel programming track.

But as cord-cutting has become an existential crisis for the TV biz, carriage deals have been renegotiated all across the industry, giving channel owners more flexibility while ensuring that cord-keepers still get value for their monthly payments. 

The result: CNN can now sell "All Access" for $6.99/month or $69.99/year. CNN is enticing users to pay annually by offering an intro price of $41.99 for the first year.

If you sign up, you'll see that the streaming schedule largely mirrors CNN's existing US cable channel, including the complete prime-time lineup. A handful of CNN US hours are replaced by shows from CNN International and CNN Headlines, but the bottom line is that the anchors and reporters you already know are streaming all day long. Plus, you can toggle over to CNN International during the day and stream live feeds from the field.

"This is live at its core," CNN EVP for digital products and services Alex MacCallum told me as she demoed the service.

 >> Big picture: Thompson and MacCallum spearheaded the NYT's shift to digital subscriptions, and in effect, they're now trying to launch a video-centric version inside CNN. If successful, this will reorient CNN's business model over time, making it less reliant on cable subscribers' $$ and giving it more direct relationships with news viewers and readers. Here's my full story for CNN.com...