CNN just announced another streaming play. The news network will launch CNN All Access on October 28, priced at $7 per month or $70 annually.

Sound familiar? It should. This marks CNN’s third major streaming attempt in recent years. But this time, they’re bundling everything into one package and betting big on subscriber loyalty.

What You Actually Get

CNN All Access combines several existing pieces into one subscription. You get live CNN broadcasts, on-demand content, original series, and unlimited access to CNN.com articles.

Plus, the service includes multiple live stream channels. That means breaking news coverage, international programming, and CNN’s documentary library all in one place. So you’re not just paying for articles anymore.

Here’s the pricing breakdown. Monthly costs $7. Annual runs $70 normally. But early adopters who sign up before January 5, 2026 pay just $42 for the year. That’s 40% off and works out to $3.50 monthly.

Meanwhile, CNN Max disappears from HBO Max next month. Warner Bros. Discovery is consolidating its news streaming under one roof instead of spreading it across multiple platforms.

The Failed Launch Nobody Forgot

Remember CNN Plus? Probably not, because it barely existed.

CNN's third major streaming attempt after CNN Plus and CNN Max

In March 2022, CNN launched CNN Plus as a standalone streaming service. It offered live news, original shows, and on-demand programming for $6 monthly. The company invested hundreds of millions developing content and hiring talent.

Then it died 30 days later. Warner Bros. Discovery shut it down in April 2022 after the merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery. New leadership didn’t see the value and pulled the plug immediately.

Industry analysts estimated CNN Plus attracted fewer than 10,000 daily users at its peak. That’s brutal for a service backed by major investment and marketing push. So this launch comes with baggage and skepticism.

Why This Might Work Better

CNN All Access differs from CNN Plus in important ways. First, it’s cheaper. Seven dollars undercuts most streaming services significantly.

Second, it bundles existing CNN content instead of creating entirely new programming. That reduces costs and avoids the “what even is this” confusion that plagued CNN Plus. Subscribers know exactly what they’re getting: CNN, but all of it.

Third, timing matters. Streaming economics changed since 2022. Companies now focus on profitability over growth. A modest subscription tier that monetizes existing content makes more sense than expensive original programming nobody watches.

But challenges remain. News streaming hasn’t proven wildly profitable for anyone. Most people access news for free through social media, YouTube, or ad-supported websites. Convincing audiences to pay monthly requires consistent value they can’t get elsewhere.

The Bigger Streaming Picture

Warner Bros. Discovery keeps shuffling its streaming strategy. HBO Max became Max. CNN Max launched on Max, then gets removed. Now CNN All Access launches as its own thing.

CNN All Access bundles live broadcasts, articles, and documentary library

This constant reorganization signals uncertainty about the right model. Do news and entertainment belong together? Should everything live under one brand or separate services? Warner Bros. Discovery hasn’t figured it out yet.

For CNN specifically, subscriber revenue matters more as advertising declines. Traditional TV viewership keeps dropping. Digital ad rates stay low. So subscription income provides stability that ad-based models can’t match anymore.

Alex MacCallum, CNN’s executive vice president of digital products, says All Access centralizes everything CNN offers. That’s the pitch: pay once, access everything. Simple value proposition in a complicated streaming landscape.

Will People Actually Pay?

Here’s my take. Seven dollars feels reasonable for news junkies who already visit CNN daily. If you’re reading articles behind paywalls anyway, paying for unlimited access plus streaming makes sense.

But casual news consumers? Probably not. Most people graze headlines from multiple sources instead of committing to one network. They’ll keep getting free news from YouTube, social media, and ad-supported sites.

The early bird discount matters though. Forty-two dollars annually equals $3.50 monthly. That’s cheaper than any major streaming service. At that price, even casual CNN viewers might bite.

Still, CNN’s track record doesn’t inspire confidence. Launching and killing CNN Plus destroyed trust. Subscribers who paid for CNN Plus felt burned. Convincing them to try again requires more than just a lower price.

The real test comes six months after launch. If CNN All Access survives past April 2026, it might actually stick. If it disappears quickly like CNN Plus, Warner Bros. Discovery needs to stop launching streaming services and focus on making Max work.