CNN is shuttering the CNN Airport Network effective March 31. That means an end to those televisions blaring news across approximately 50 U.S. airports. The cable network explains that this is because of a decline in air travel, and more people “consuming content on their personal devices” rather than watching their broadcasts.
Producing separate content isn’t the primary expense. It’s true that CNN Airport Network, which broadcasts 24 hours a day 7 days a week, is different than the primary channel. It doesn’t show sexually explicit or violent content or air disasters. However the main cost is payments to airports (at least $150,000 a year to a single large airport) in addition to the cost of the video screens and connectivity to show the broadcasts. They then sold advertising on the network to generate revenue.
The service initially ran in the summer of 1991 at Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta, and Chicago O’Hare and then formally debuted at the start of 1992. CNN Airport Network will not see its 30th birthday.
Jeff Zucker has notified CNN staff that "the CNN Airport Network will end operations as of March 31."
"The steep decline in airport traffic because of COVID-19, coupled with all the new ways that people are consuming content on their personal devices, has lessened the need…" pic.twitter.com/9se3oCw1gr
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) January 12, 2021
Like American Airlines, CNN appears to believe the future is in people watching entertainment on their own devices rather than the screens provided for them.
Great news! Was tired of being thrust into face with leftist sensational garbage 24×7. What a relief!!
That’s kinda sad. I haven’t been to the USA in a long time but watching CNN at the gate was a uniquely American airport experience.
Why doesn’t the CEO of CNN put on his/her kneepads and beg Congress for bailout money?
It worked for Doug Parker at American Airlines.
What is it with readers making everything political? Why can’t someone just say: I prefer to be in a quieter environment, or, the non-stop talking wasn’t very calming?
What has happened to this country, and its’ people? Where is common courtesy, humility, respect?
I heard that PNN (Parler News Network) will be taking its place.
Thank goodness a steady steam of lies and misinformation won’t be blaring at airports anymore. It’s embarrassing. Sad to think that foreigners passing through our airports believe CNN accurately broadcasts American “news”.
They’ll run out of things to talk about after Jan. 20.
Any alternative being explored?
So are those screens owned by CNN? Sometimes they show sporting events
Thank goodness. If only airports would get rid of the incessant announcements as well. With no peace and quiet, it’s no wonder passengers are agitated prior to boarding the aircraft.
Okay, so CNN is more left leaning, but really. Can we all grow up. This is our country, we don’t have to all agree, but we can be civil.
@KimmieA – Unfortunately it seems all that has been gone for a while. Imagine what you would see here if they had announced they were replacing CNN with FOX (even if it was cheaper) . Silence is fine with me – better to read by.
CNN in all its forms will reach an expiration date at some point soon, as will any service that requires cable distribution. Perhaps it will transition to streaming although it would have to be advertiser supported as I can’t see anyone paying more than a nominal fee for the service.
Good riddance. Tired of listening to their “Anonymous sources say” and the fake crap we have had to listen to for the last four years from them.
I don’t mind random news channels being shown in the gates but I don’t need any additional noise. I also don’t like the limit of only having one news source. Like most channels these days there is no original content. The weather channel doesn’t even seem to show the weather most of the time. I really miss the old days of CNN Headline News when they showed the news every 30 minutes. I say that and I don’t even like CNN. I won’t miss it. I like some of the comments. Imagine Donald Trump launching a new channel and buying the rights to show that in all the gate areas 🙂
Great!!!! CNN is news in the same way that Dorritos are a healthy snack.
Fantastic news, for many reasons.
$150K a year so that thousands of people per day can be assaulted by this utter drivel?
Proof that there is a God!!
I look forward to learning how airports plan to extract the missing CNN money from us travelers.
Thank God! Just play CNBC
@Tim. CNBC is even worse!
Great News. I hope they go bankrupt.
Correlation of people complaining here about CNN being “ fake news” and also complaining about “the rigged election” = .99
(Ouch the truth hurts)
To the idiots above saying that CNN Airport shows politics, please research your facts before making such ignorant comments. Oh that’s right, you are used to blindly believing whatever FoxNews tells you and don’t understand the concept of fact-checking.
@UA-NYC needs to take a Statistics class. He seems dumb. But, I am politically on his side. BIDEN 2020
@Gene — you are such a nasty person, painting with a wide brush so many fellow travelers as “idiots above”
@ Jason — According to you, UA-NYC is “dumb”, but I am “such a nasty person” for calling people idiots? Um, okay.
GOOD!!!
I hear it’s being replaced by QVC
@Gene — GOOD!!! You have learned the concept of hypocrisy. Now it is your bedtime, please brush your teeth and don’t forget to floss. Tomorrow, you will learn about trolling on the internet.
@Gene is it your man bun or thong that’s twisted too tight?
@KimmieA +1
And Trump finally breaks CNN. lol. Took way too long, but in this case, late is truly better than never. At least we know America will truly be greater again in at least one area knowing travelers aren’t forced to endure the Left’s premier propaganda purveyor. We can’t help but be a slightly better nation by dialing down the volume of this shrill voice of hate and lies incessantly purveying and ratcheting up the hate and division among us. Gary is going to have to help even more to pick up some of the left’s partisan derangement slack when this kicks in. lol
Looking for good things in 2021, this is a nice start. Angry actors yelling does not exactly calm the nerves before a flight.
As long as it isn’t replaced with the shit from FOX. Then people would be hurling even before they got on a plane.
@ All — Please allow me to try again — CNN Airport is NOT the same as CNN. The content is VERY different. Do your research before proclaiming the death of a political news network.
@Jason – here’s a different statistical example for you then:
Correlation of Biden/Harris voters (note – they won the election easily, Trump troglodytes) and those Trump terrorists who committed insurrection last week = .00000000000001
Hallelujah!!
Peace and quiet at the gate.
KimmieA says: “What is it with readers making everything political? Why can’t someone just say: I prefer to be in a quieter environment, or, the non-stop talking wasn’t very calming? What has happened to this country, and its’ people? Where is common courtesy, humility, respect?”
KimmieA: I agree that just about every conversation these days veers to politics in no time, which is highly annoying. In this one case however, I think it’s hard to avoid the topic. Not only were the TVs loud and annoying, but they were also wrong and insulting to half of the country. Which is not surprising considering that CNN’s political director was famous for saying that the Romneys didn’t care about New Orleans residents being hit by Hurricane Isaac: “They aren’t concerned at all. They are happy to have a party with black people drowning.”
I don’t know what you think about Mitt Romney (I’m not a fan) but do you really think he’s a racist who relishes the idea of African Americans drowning? Maybe you do, but even if you do think that, try to put yourself in the shoes of the maybe 50% of the country who do not think that Romney likes watching African Americans drown, and then imagine them being forced to sit and listen to this guy and his subordinates for an hour in each direction of every trip.
I can’t wait for them to replace CNN with OAN, Newsmax, or Blaze TV. Now that’s world leading journalism! Even Fox News is left leaning for the crazies. I have zero hope for this country.
Where’s Hunter ?
Just don’t play that FAUX NEWS BS.
Look at what Donald Trump has done to you people!!! lol
Thank GOD. CNN used to be a legitimate news agency before being hijacked by special interest groups and the radical left. They no longer represent the opinion of many of their viewers. I now watch BBC when I want REAL news without political commentary.
Thank GOD! No more fake news at airports.
GREAT! No more of their neo-Nazi propaganda! WHOOHOO!
It’s been a while since I’ve watched CNN at a gate, but I must say as a former journalist I’ve had great fun the past couple of years watching the CNN chyrons at airport lounges. Even better is when the lounges simultaneously had FOX News on but Fox can’t really complete with the hysterical and often misleading CNN chyrons. Mind you, my amusement has been tinged with some sadness at the decline of reliable, non-partisan American media, but so it goes. Personally, I would prefer to see the Babylon Bee develop an airport TV network. At least that would be intentionally humorous.
Sometimes things just go to hell in a basket. CNN didn’t have a basket! Bye, ya’ll.
Finally, I can quit traveling by train, and fly again. NO MORE CNN. Thank you! I don’t read National Enquirer or watch CNN for news.