# CNN+ launch and shutdown

> CNN+ closed 30 days after its official launch, drawing coverage of the shutdown.

- Owner: CNN / WarnerMedia; Warner Bros. Discovery from April 8, 2022
- Kind: App & software
- Sector: Media & publishing
- Seed date: 2022-03-28
- Observed peak date: Week of Apr 27, 2022
- Date basis: Observed peak within the documented measurement window; not an all-time maximum. Some dates are known only to the week, month or year.
- Spread Score: 32 (Niche), v1.3
- Mechanics: Controversy, Platform jump, Press loop, Response chain, Pairing

## Summary

CNN+ launched with paid promotion and original programming. Coverage questioned its value before a shutdown decision by its new owner. The closure drew Twitter jokes and replies, then coverage of those reactions; some programming moved to other services.

## Timeline

- 2021-07-19 — CNN / Jeff Zucker (Open web) — CNN announced a subscription service with live shows, on-demand programs and an interactive community.
- 2021-12-12 — Chris Wallace (Press) — Chris Wallace left Fox News after 18 years to host a show on CNN+.
- 2022-03-11 — CNN (Open web) — CNN set the launch for March 29 and offered early subscribers a lifetime discount on the monthly plan.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/mcp#api).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/cnn-plus-launch

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “CNN+ launch and shutdown.” Case HIS-01729. Spread Score v1.3: 32/100. Updated 2026-10-26. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01729