CNN Plus is reportedly drawing fewer than 10,000 viewers a day

CNN/Warner Media

CNBC reported that CNN Plus is struggling to gain viewers just two weeks out from its launch. People familiar with the matter told the outlet that the platform is only making a small amount of money.

CNN's cable network had an average of 773,000 viewers per day last year. CNN's TV channel has been around for many years and is usually free for anyone with cable or satellite service.

The recent report from Insider doesn't make the numbers look better. Insider used data from SensorTower to show that the CNN app only gained 18,000 new installs on the day the streaming service launched. Insider notes that it is hard to tell how many downloads were for CNN alone or CNN Plus. The service just arrived on the platform, but it may not be enough to increase viewers.

A CNN spokesman said in a statement that they were happy with the launch and progress after only two weeks. CNN didn't reply to The Verge's request for comment.

The short-lived service that lasted less than six months is giving off some serious Quibi vibes because of the low viewership rates and lack of entertaining content. After their three-month free trials ended, 90 percent of their subscribers lost their subscriptions. CNN Plus hasn't revealed its subscriber count, but these early numbers aren't the most promising. Disney Plus had almost 130 million subscribers by the end of 2021, and had surpassed 86 million subscribers less than a year into its existence.

CNN Plus was launched on March 29th. It has shows from Anderson Cooper, Chris Wallace, and Audie Cornish. It also offers interactive Q&A sessions in a bid to make the service more than just being about straight-up news.

WarnerMedia, CNN's parent company, just completed a major merger with Discovery, which will eventually combine the two channels into one app. Jeff Zucker resigned as president of CNN before CNN Plus was launched, and last week, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar left the company.