CNN+ Streaming Service Is Set to Shut Down

CNN+, the streaming service that was supposed to bring CNN into the digital future, was shut down by Warner Bros. Discovery just weeks after its splashy debut, according to two people familiar with its plans.

The service will cease operations on April 30. Another person said that Andrew Morse, CNN's chief digital officer and a key architect of the streaming strategy, will step down.

Chris Licht, the incoming president of CNN, called an all-hands meeting for CNN+ staffers at noon on Thursday to share the news.

CNN+ was launched just a few weeks ago, with ambitious plans to spend heavily and expand fast. The former president of CNN, Jeff Zucker, recruited big stars to CNN+, including the former anchor of Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace.

The service's fortunes changed abruptly after WarnerMedia completed its merger with Discovery. The future of CNN+, which was promoted to CNN employees and subscribers as the future of the network, has been questioned since the merger closed.

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David Zaslav, the chief executive of Discovery, is putting together a new management team and sketching out a new streaming strategy for Warner Bros.

The chief executive of WarnerMedia and the top executive of WarnerMedia Studios are both leaving the company.

CNN had planned to spend more than $1 billion on CNN+ over the next four years, with 500 additional employees and an additional floor in Midtown Manhattan, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company has its own priorities that could conflict with CNN's. Discovery executives agreed to assume $55 billion in debt as part of its deal with AT&T. The company said it would find $3 billion in savings between the two companies, which could result in belt tightening at some divisions.

CNN was torn by the departure of Mr. Zucker, its president who resigned after failing to disclose a relationship with the network's marketing chief. The most prominent advocate of the service at the network was lost when Mr. Zucker left.

The network went ahead. Mr. Kilar told a group of executives that the streaming service was important to the future of CNN. CNN held a launch party for its new service at Peak, a sleek restaurant and bar at 30 Hudson Yards, not far from the network's New York offices. CNN announced at the party that Ted Turner was the service's first subscriber.

This is not a finished story. You can check back for updates.