History of CNN in Timeline
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational news organization, founded in 1980 by Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld, and currently owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Headquartered in Atlanta, it was the first 24-hour cable news channel and the first all-news television channel in the United States, pioneering continuous news coverage.
1962: CNN airs a series about Detroit
In 1962, CNN aired a series about Detroit.
1968: CNN airs 1968 Documentary spin-off
In 1968, CNN aired a documentary spin-off.
June 1, 1980: CNN Launches
On June 1, 1980, the Cable News Network launched at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Ted Turner introduced the channel, and the first newscast was anchored by David Walker and Lois Hart. Burt Reinhardt hired most of the channel's first 200 employees, including Bernard Shaw, the network's first news anchor.
1980: CNN Founded
In 1980, the Cable News Network (CNN) was founded by Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel. CNN was the first television channel to provide 24-hour news coverage and the first all-news television channel in the United States.
1989: CNN Student News Aired
In 1989, CNN Student News had been aired, a long-running show replaced by CNN-10.
August 30, 1995: CNN Launches CNN.com
On August 30, 1995, CNN launched its website, CNN.com (initially known as CNN Interactive). Over the first decade, the site attracted growing interest and became one of the most popular news websites globally.
1996: Time Warner Acquires Turner Broadcasting System
In 1996, conglomerate Time Warner (later WarnerMedia which merged with Discovery Inc. forming Warner Bros. Discovery) acquired the Turner Broadcasting System, following CNN's success which made founder Ted Turner a mogul.
1998: CNN Hosts Live Chat with Benjamin Netanyahu
In 1998, CNN placed a live chat with Benjamin Netanyahu on the network's internet relay chat (IRC) network at chat.cnn.com.
1998: CNN Received Four Freedoms Award
In 1998, CNN received the Four Freedoms Award for the Freedom of Speech.
April 2001: CNN Correspondent Covers US Navy Crew Release
In April 2001, CNN correspondent Lisa Rose Weaver covered, and was detained, for the release of the US Navy crew of a damaged electronic surveillance plane after the Hainan Island incident. This was the first use of the integrated and portable IP-based live, edit and store-and-forward digital news gathering (DNG) system that would later win CNN an Emmy award.
2003: CNNj Broadcasts in Japan
In 2003, CNNj started broadcasting in Japan, with simultaneous translation in Japanese.
2004: CNN on-air appearance
Since 2004, CNN had an existing style on its on-air apperance
2005: Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics Features Blog Round-Up
In 2005, Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics was the first CNN program to feature a round-up of blogs.
2005: Launch of CNN Pipeline
In late 2005, CNN launched CNN Pipeline. The widespread growth of blogs, social media and user-generated content have influenced the site, and blogs, in particular, have focused CNN's previously scattershot online offerings, most noticeably in the development and launch of CNN Pipeline.
2006: CNN Launches CNN Exchange and CNN iReport
In 2006, CNN launched CNN Exchange and CNN iReport, initiatives designed to further introduce and centralize the impact of everything from blogging to citizen journalism within the CNN brand.
July 2007: CNN Discontinues CNN Pipeline Service
In July 2007, CNN discontinued its paid subscription service, CNN Pipeline, and replaced it with a free streaming service.
September 2007: CNN Begins Broadcasting in High Definition
In September 2007, CNN began broadcasting in the high-definition 1080i resolution format.
October 2007: CNN Election Express Bus Introduced
In October 2007, CNN introduced the CNN Election Express bus, capable of five simultaneous HD feeds, for political coverage in HD.
April 18, 2008: CNN.com Targeted by Chinese Hackers
On April 18, 2008, CNN.com was targeted by Chinese hackers in retaliation for the channel's coverage of the 2008 Tibetan unrest. CNN reported taking preventive measures following news of the impending attack.
December 2008: CNN Redesigns On-Air Appearance
In December 2008, CNN introduced a comprehensive redesign of its on-air appearance, which replaced an existing style that had been used since 2004.
2008: CNN Honored at Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards
In 2008, CNN was honored at the Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for the development and implementation of an integrated and portable IP-based live, edit and store-and-forward digital news gathering (DNG) system.
2008: CNN Begins Live Streaming Broadcast
In early 2008, CNN began maintaining a live streaming broadcast available to cable and satellite subscribers who receive CNN at home. CNN International is broadcast live, as part of the RealNetworks SuperPass subscription service outside the US. CNN also offers several RSS feeds and podcasts.
April 2009: CNN.com Ranks Third Among Global News Sites
In April 2009, CNN.com ranked third place among online global news sites in unique users in the US, according to Nielsen/NetRatings; this is an increase of 11% over the previous year.
October 24, 2009: CNN.com Launches New Website Version
On October 24, 2009, CNN launched a new version of the CNN.com website, featuring a "sign up" option for user profiles, a new "CNN Pulse" (beta) feature, and a red color theme. However, most of the archived news stories were deleted.
April 2010: CNN Announces Launch of Food Blog "Eatocracy"
In April 2010, CNN announced via Twitter that it would launch a food blog called "Eatocracy", which will "cover all news related to food—from recalls to health issues to culture".
2010: CNN's Stance on Nonpartisanship
In 2010, CNN claimed to be "The Most Trusted Name in News", but its efforts to be nonpartisan have led to accusations of false balance.
January 10, 2011: CNN Introduces Major Redesign
On January 10, 2011, CNN introduced a major redesign, replacing the dark appearance of the 2008 look with a glossier, blue-and-white color scheme.
July 27, 2012: Jim Walton Resigns as CNN President
On July 27, 2012, CNN president Jim Walton announced he was resigning after 30 years at the network.
October 2012: CNN Forms Film Division CNN Films
In October 2012, CNN formed a film division called CNN Films to distribute and produce made-for-TV and feature documentaries. Its first acquisition was a documentary entitled Girl Rising, a documentary narrated by Meryl Streep that focused on the struggles of girls' education.
January 2013: Jeff Zucker Replaces Jim Walton as CNN President
In January 2013, former NBCUniversal President Jeff Zucker replaced Jim Walton as CNN President.
January 29, 2013: CNN Lets Go Political Analysts
On January 29, 2013, longtime political analysts James Carville and Mary Matalin, and fellow political contributor Erick Erickson were let go by CNN.
February 18, 2013: CNN Drops Flipper and Reverts to Scrolling Ticker
On February 18, 2013, CNN dropped the "flipper" and reverted to a scrolling ticker, following Jeff Zucker's arrival as head of the network.
2013: Flipper since 2013
Since 2013, it was the first time that CNN replaced the ticker with a static "flipper".
May 2014: CNN Premieres The Sixties
In May 2014, CNN premiered The Sixties, a documentary miniseries produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman which chronicled the United States in the 1960s.
July 2014: Cumulus Media Partners with CNN
In July 2014, Cumulus Media announced that it would end its partnership with ABC News Radio and enter into a new partnership with CNN to syndicate national and international news content for its stations through Westwood One beginning in 2015.
August 11, 2014: CNN Introduces New Graphics Package
On August 11, 2014, CNN introduced a new graphics package, dropping the glossy appearance for a flat, rectangular scheme incorporating red, white, and black colors, and the Gotham typeface.
2014: CNN Launches Radio Version on TuneIn Radio
In 2014, CNN launched a radio version of their television programming on TuneIn Radio.
2014: Inside Politics Returns to CNN
In 2014, Inside Politics returned to CNN, hosted by John King, the network's chief national correspondent. The program had previously been folded into The Situation Room.
2014: Return closer to the 2014 Graphics
On August 14, 2023 CNN made further changes with the show title box to make it closer to the 2014 graphics
2015: Cumulus Media Syndicates CNN Content
In 2015, Cumulus Media started to syndicate national and international news content for its stations through Westwood One, including access to a wire service, and digital content for its station websites.
April 2016: CNN Introduces CNN Sans Typeface
In April 2016, CNN began to introduce a new corporate typeface, known as "CNN Sans", across all of its platforms.
August 2016: CNN Launches Drone-Based News Operation
In August 2016, CNN announced the launch of CNN Aerial Imagery and Reporting (CNN AIR), a drone-based news collecting operation.
November 28, 2016: CNN Acquires Beme
On November 28, 2016, CNN announced the acquisition of Beme for a reported $25 million.
November 29, 2016: Beme App Shutdown Announced
On November 29, 2016, Matt Hackett, co-founder of Beme, announced via an email to its users that the Beme app would be shutting down on January 31, 2017.
January 31, 2017: Beme App Shutdown
On January 31, 2017, the Beme app shut down. CNN intended to use the current talent behind Beme to work on a separate start-up endeavor. Beme's current team will retain full creative control of the new project, which was slated to be released in the summer of 2017.
March 7, 2017: CNN Launches Virtual Reality Unit CNNVR
On March 7, 2017, CNN announced the official launch of its virtual reality unit named CNNVR, producing 360 videos for its Android and iOS apps within CNN Digital. The unit plans to cover major news events with teams in various cities globally.
2017: CNN Receives Prince Rainier III Special Prize
In 2017, CNN received the Prince Rainier III Special Prize at the Monte Carlo TV Festival for the documentary, Midway: A Plastic Island about sea pollution.
2018: CNN Receives George Polk Award
In 2018, CNN received the George Polk Award of Long Island University for Foreign Television Reporting for uncovering a hidden modern-day slave auction of African refugees in Libya. Reporting done by Nima Elbagir and Raja Razek.
2018: CNN Receives Overseas Press Club of America David Kaplan Award
In 2018, CNN received the Overseas Press Club of America David Kaplan Award for best TV or video spot news reporting from abroad for reporting on the fall of ISIS by Nick Paton Walsh and Arwa Damon.
2018: CNN Wins Six News and Documentary Emmy Awards
In 2018, CNN won a network-record six News and Documentary Emmy Awards of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
2018: Nima Elbagir Receives Courage in Journalism Award
In 2018, CNN's Nima Elbagir received the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation.
2018: Parts Unknown Concludes
In 2018, Parts Unknown concluded after the suicide of its host Anthony Bourdain.
May 2019: CNN International News Coverage Absorbed
In May 2019, CNN's American domestic version absorbed international news coverage in order to reduce programming costs.
2019: CNN Viewership Ranking
In 2019, CNN ranked 14th among all basic cable networks.
2019: CNN Awarded Walter Cronkite Award
In 2019, The USC Annenberg School awarded CNN with a Walter Cronkite Award for its Parkland Town Hall event.
January 2020: CNN Settles Defamation Lawsuit with Nick Sandmann
In January 2020, CNN settled a multi-million dollar defamation lawsuit from Nick Sandmann, a Covington Catholic High School student involved in an encounter with Omaha tribe elder Nathan Phillips at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
July 9, 2020: Westwood One Discontinues CNN Syndication
On July 9, 2020, Westwood One announced that the CNN service for Cumulus Media would be discontinued on August 30, citing "extraordinary circumstances in the current marketplace" and a need to prioritize the company's resources.
2020: CNN's Ed Lavandera and CNN Films Awarded Peabody Awards
In 2020, CNN's Ed Lavandera was awarded a Peabody Award for "The Hidden Workforce: Undocumented in America", and CNN Films was awarded a Peabody for the documentary "Apollo 11".
March 2021: CNN Subscriber Count
In March 2021, CNN had 80 million television households as subscribers in the US, according to Nielsen.
December 2021: Chris Cuomo Fired
After being fired in December 2021, former host Chris Cuomo was reported to be seeking $125 million in damages, alleging a breach of agreement.
2021: Liberal Bias on CNN
A study measured airtime of guests on major news networks between 2010 and 2021 and compared that to the guests' campaign donations. It found guests on CNN to have a liberal bias.
2021: CNN and Clarissa Ward Named DuPont-Columbia Award Finalists
In 2021, CNN and Clarissa Ward were named as finalists for the DuPont-Columbia Award of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for their "Russia's Secret Influence Campaigns" investigation.
February 2022: Jeff Zucker Resigns as CNN President
In February 2022, Jeff Zucker was asked to resign as CNN President by Jason Kilar after Zucker's relationship with one of his lieutenants was discovered.
February 26, 2022: Chris Licht Announced as Next CNN President
On February 26, 2022, it was announced that Chris Licht would be the next president of CNN.
May 2022: Chris Licht Starts Tenure as CNN President
In May 2022, Chris Licht started his tenure as CNN president.
September 18, 2022: Coy Wire Replaces Carl Azuz as Host of CNN 10
On September 18, 2022, Coy Wire replaced Carl Azuz as the host of CNN 10, after Carl Azuz left CNN due to a "personal decision".
October 2022: CNN Announces Cost-Cutting Measures
In October 2022, with the takeover of CNN by Chris Licht and Warner Bros. Discovery, it was announced that CNN would cut back on acquisitions and commissions from third-parties as a cost-cutting measure.
2022: CNN Viewership Ranking
In 2022, CNN's ranking declined to number 21 among all basic cable networks.
2022: Chris Licht Intends to Have More Republicans
In 2022, Chris Licht, who took over the network in 2022, expressed an intention to have more Republicans on the air and cut down on opinion-related content.
February 2023: CNN Operates Bureaus in Multiple Cities
As of February 2023, CNN operates bureaus in multiple cities worldwide.
April 2023: Don Lemon Fired
In April 2023, host Don Lemon announced that he had been fired.
April 2023: CNN News Central Launched
Since April 2023, CNN News Central has served as the network's rolling news block on weekdays.
June 1, 2023: CNN Refreshes Graphics
On June 1, 2023, CNN refreshed its graphics to mark the 43rd anniversary of its launch, using gradients and rounded corners, thinner fonts, and a modified layout.
June 2023: Chris Licht's Tenure Ends as CNN President
In June 2023, Chris Licht's tenure ended as CNN president.
August 14, 2023: CNN Reinstates Elements of Prior Graphics
On August 14, 2023, CNN made further changes to its graphics, with the return of the scrolling ticker and the show title box to make it closer resemble the 2014–23 graphics.
October 2023: Mark Thompson becomes CEO of CNN
In October 2023, Mark Thompson, formerly of The New York Times, became the CEO of CNN. Thompson retained the existing executive team under Chris Licht, known as the "Quad," and expanded their responsibilities, also appointing Alex MacCallum as executive vice president of digital products. Thompson also emphasized that existing staff would need to adapt to change.
November 2023: King Charles Premieres on CNN
From November 2023, the Wednesday edition of Newsnight has been replaced with King Charles, a limited-run late-night talk show helmed by Gayle King and Charles Barkley.
December 2023: CNN Subscriber Count
In December 2023, CNN had 68,974,000 television households as subscribers in the US, according to Nielsen.
2023: CNN Announces Slate for 2023
In 2023, CNN announced a slate for the year that would include commissions such as Giuliani: What Happened to America's Mayor?, United States of Scandal, and The 2010s.
May 2024: CNN Orders American Version of 'Have I Got News for You'
In May 2024, CNN ordered an American version of the long-running British news comedy panel show Have I Got News for You.
June 27, 2024: CNN Hosts Presidential Debate
On June 27, 2024, CNN hosted the first presidential debate for former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. CNN claimed that more people watched the CNN Presidential Debate than any other CNN program in history.
July 2024: CNN Announces Job Cuts and Newsroom Consolidation
In July 2024, CNN announced the elimination of one hundred jobs, representing approximately 3% of its workforce. Additionally, CNN announced the consolidation of its US, international, and digital news gathering operations into a single newsroom. CNN's global workforce in July 2024 totaled around 3,500 employees.
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