4 ms·

Leaked CNN+ revenue, profit, user projections

2 points by cwwc 5y ago

spupe 5y ago
> By the time the service was shut down, CNN+ had garnered around 150,000 subscriptions in a little over two weeks from launch. This is baffling. Regular CNN has ~540,000 daily viewers, with less than 130,000 of those being younger than 54 years old [1]. It is just inconceivable in my mind that about a third of this largely geriatric audience would sign up for CNN+ in two weeks, AND that somehow they thought this was too few people. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2022/02/21/cnns-ratings-collapse-prime-time-down-nearly-70-in-key-demo/?sh=6ec84c26dda0 https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2022/02/21/cnns-rat...
- missedthecue 5y ago
  I can't believe they were projecting ~30 million subscribers in 8 years.
richliss 5y ago
This is almost the perfect poster child for big upfront launch mandated by egotistical senior product people. CNN+ could have been launched like a startup using Lean Startup/agility: 1. Take a third party streaming technology and create a simple solution and launch for free and see how many people start using it from friends and family. If lots then improve, if not then cancel and save a fortune. 2. If growth continues then launch to existing subscribers for free for 12 months, if not then cancel the project and save a fortune. Review how many people start using it over a longer time frame. 3. If growth continues launch as-is to everyone for free for 12 months and if not, cancel and save a fortune. 4. If growth continues introduce a cheap model after 12 months to entrap people and build out a better solution. If not cancel and save a fortune. Cancelling and saving a fortune should be celebrated like success. Instead a Senior Product person at CNN will have either jumped ship already or will jump ship soon to another senior role somewhere else with "launching a flagship online streaming platform" on their CV. A lot of product people think they are Steve Jobs and shouldn't be questioned about their vision by the tech people. Only one was but a lot of companies still get hoodwinked by a charming Product person who paints a blue sky picture of possibility and the large scary threat of competitors.

2 points by cwwc 5y ago

> By the time the service was shut down, CNN+ had garnered around 150,000 subscriptions in a little over two weeks from launch. This is baffling. Regular CNN has ~540,000 daily viewers, with less than 130,000 of those being younger than 54 years old [1]. It is just inconceivable in my mind that about a third of this largely geriatric audience would sign up for CNN+ in two weeks, AND that somehow they thought this was too few people. [1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2022/02/21/cnns-ratings-collapse-prime-time-down-nearly-70-in-key-demo/?sh=6ec84c26dda0 https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2022/02/21/cnns-rat...

missedthecue 5y ago
I can't believe they were projecting ~30 million subscribers in 8 years.

richliss 5y ago

This is almost the perfect poster child for big upfront launch mandated by egotistical senior product people. CNN+ could have been launched like a startup using Lean Startup/agility: 1. Take a third party streaming technology and create a simple solution and launch for free and see how many people start using it from friends and family. If lots then improve, if not then cancel and save a fortune. 2. If growth continues then launch to existing subscribers for free for 12 months, if not then cancel the project and save a fortune. Review how many people start using it over a longer time frame. 3. If growth continues launch as-is to everyone for free for 12 months and if not, cancel and save a fortune. 4. If growth continues introduce a cheap model after 12 months to entrap people and build out a better solution. If not cancel and save a fortune. Cancelling and saving a fortune should be celebrated like success. Instead a Senior Product person at CNN will have either jumped ship already or will jump ship soon to another senior role somewhere else with "launching a flagship online streaming platform" on their CV. A lot of product people think they are Steve Jobs and shouldn't be questioned about their vision by the tech people. Only one was but a lot of companies still get hoodwinked by a charming Product person who paints a blue sky picture of possibility and the large scary threat of competitors.