CNN is not free anymore!

CNN, a news website, announced that the company will introduce a paywall over time. From what is understood, the company is asking some of its visitors to pay $3.99 a month for access. According to the company, this development is to help foot the bill for CNN’s journalism around the world. “Starting today, we are asking users in the United States to pay a small recurring fee for unlimited access to CNN.com’s world-class articles,” Alex MacCallum, executive vice president of digital products and services, CNN, wrote in an internal memo.

Reportedly, an average visitor to CNN’s website, who may only read a few articles in a month, will not be asked to pay. Only users who regularly consume content from the website upto a certain limit will be asked to subscribe, the company added. “In addition to unlimited access to CNN. com’s articles, subscribers will receive benefits like exclusive election features, original documentaries, a curated daily selection of our most distinctive journalism, and fewer digital ads,” MacCallum said.

This move is aiming to generate subscriptions after the failure of its CNN+ streaming service, which was launched in 2022 but cancelled within weeks. Under its new model, some content will remain freely accessible, including breaking news and sponsored articles. Meanwhile, Thomson Reuters, the world’s largest multimedia news provider, also announced the launch of a paywall for its website and app starting in early October, offering subscriptions worldwide for $1 per week to expand coverage and invest in subscriber-focused products. Financial Express