CNN’s parent company has announced a sweeping cable cut, separating the liberal network from its more lucrative streaming and film assets. Warner Bros. Discovery revealed Monday that it will split into two publicly traded entities—one focused on streaming and studios, the other housing CNN, TNT Sports, Discovery, and other legacy cable channels.
The move comes as CNN continues to suffer staggering losses. Over the last three years, the network has reportedly lost $400 million in revenue. Primetime ratings have collapsed by 62 percent since 2020, with overall daily viewership plummeting 58 percent and an alarming 71 percent decline among viewers aged 25 to 54. The cable cut places CNN in a silo apart from HBO, Warner Bros. Pictures, and DC Studios—the brands that have remained profitable amid shifting media trends.
CEO David Zaslav will helm the new streaming division, while CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels is set to lead WBD Global Networks, the division that now owns CNN. It remains unclear how this restructure will impact CNN’s recently announced second attempt at launching a streaming platform. The network previously spent $300 million on CNN+, which failed within weeks.
CNN’s challenges mirror MSNBC’s. In November, Comcast announced plans to spin off MSNBC, similarly distancing its main business from a struggling cable brand. MSNBC has also seen ratings freefall and faced backlash over partisan content, particularly after giving former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki a primetime hosting role.
The reorganization reflects mounting pressure on legacy media outlets long accused of biased reporting. President Donald Trump has frequently called out CNN and MSNBC, branding them “fake news” and criticizing their alignment with liberal agendas. The network’s waning audience seems to affirm those criticisms.
