History of CNN in Timeline
CNN (Cable News Network) is an American multinational news media company founded in 1980 by Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, it was the first television channel to provide 24-hour news coverage. CNN is currently the flagship property of CNN Worldwide, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery.
1968: 1968 Spin-off
By 2019, CNN had produced at least 35 original series, one of which was a spinoff of the Hanks/Goetzman franchise (including the 1968 spin-off).
June 1, 1980: CNN Founded
On June 1, 1980, the Cable News Network (CNN) was founded by Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, CNN was the first television channel to provide 24-hour news coverage and the first all-news television channel in the United States.
1980: CNN's Inception and Controversies
Since its inception in 1980, CNN has been involved in various controversies, criticisms, and allegations.
1989: CNN Student News Aired
Since 1989, CNN Student News was aired. It was later 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.
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 the success of CNN.
1998: CNN Hosts Live Chat with Benjamin Netanyahu
In 1998, CNN placed a live chat with Benjamin Netanyahu on the network's IRC network.
1998: CNN Receives Four Freedoms Award
In 1998, CNN received the Four Freedoms Award for the Freedom of Speech.
April 2001: CNN Correspondent Covers Hainan Island Incident
In April 2001, CNN correspondent Lisa Rose Weaver covered the release of the US Navy crew following the Hainan Island incident, marking the first use of the technology 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's On-Air Style
Since 2004, CNN had a particular on-air style, before it was changed in December 2008.
2005: CNN Program Features Round-Up of Blogs
In 2005, Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics became the first CNN program to feature a round-up of blogs.
2005: Development and Launch of CNN Pipeline
In late 2005, CNN focused its online offerings, particularly with 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 introduce and centralize the impact of blogging and citizen journalism within the CNN brand.
July 2007: CNN Pipeline Discontinued
In July 2007, CNN Pipeline, a paid subscription service, was discontinued and replaced with a free streaming service.
September 2007: CNN Broadcasts in HD
In September 2007, CNN began broadcasting in the high-definition 1080i resolution format.
October 2007: Introduction of CNN Election Express Bus
In October 2007, CNN introduced the CNN Election Express bus, capable of five simultaneous HD feeds, to provide mobility for its 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 response to the channel's coverage of the 2008 Tibetan unrest. CNN implemented preventive measures after learning of the impending attack.
December 2008: CNN Redesign
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: 2008 CNN Look
In 2008, CNN had a dark, flat appearance, which was redesigned on January 10, 2011.
2008: CNN Honored at Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards
In 2008, CNN was honored at the Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards for its 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 for Subscribers
In early 2008, CNN began maintaining a live streaming broadcast available to cable and satellite subscribers who receive CNN at home, a precursor to the TV Everywhere services.
April 2009: CNN.com Ranks Third Among Global News Sites in the US
In April 2009, CNN.com ranked third place among online global news sites in unique users in the US, according to Nielsen/NetRatings, marking an 11% increase over the previous year.
October 24, 2009: CNN Launches New Version of CNN.com Website
On October 24, 2009, CNN launched a new version of the CNN.com website. The revamped site included a new "sign up" option, where users can create their own username and profile, a new "CNN Pulse" (beta) feature, and a new red color theme. Most of the news stories archived on the website were deleted.
April 2010: CNN Announces Launch of "Eatocracy" Food Blog
In April 2010, CNN announced via Twitter that it would launch a food blog called "Eatocracy" to cover food-related news.
2010: Study Examines Bias on News Networks
In 2010, a study measured airtime of guests on major news networks and compared it to their campaign donations. The study found that guests on CNN had a liberal bias.
January 10, 2011: CNN 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
On July 27, 2012, CNN president Jim Walton announced he was resigning after 30 years at the network.
October 2012: CNN Forms Film Division
In October 2012, CNN formed a film division called CNN Films to distribute and produce made-for-TV and feature documentaries.
January 2013: Jeff Zucker Replaces Jim Walton
In January 2013, Jeff Zucker replaced Jim Walton as CNN president.
January 29, 2013: Political Analysts Let Go
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: Ticker Reverts to Scrolling
On February 18, 2013, CNN dropped the "flipper" and reverted to a scrolling ticker.
2013: CNN's Ticker in 2013
Since 2013, CNN's ticker was a scrolling ticker, until June 1, 2023, when CNN changed its graphics.
May 2014: Premiere of 'The Sixties'
In May 2014, CNN premiered 'The Sixties', a documentary miniseries produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, chronicling 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.
August 11, 2014: New CNN 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.
2014: CNN's 2014 Graphics
CNN's 2014–23 graphics were closer to August 14, 2023's design changes, with the return of the scrolling ticker and the show title box.
2014: CNN Launches Radio Version of Television Programming
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, this time hosted by John King, the network's chief national correspondent.
2015: CNN and Cumulus Media Partnership Begins
In 2015, Cumulus Media began its partnership with CNN to syndicate national and international news content for its stations through Westwood One.
April 2016: Introduction of "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: Launch of CNN AIR
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 Shutting Down
On November 29, 2016, Matt Hackett, co-founder of Beme, announced that the Beme app would be shutting down on January 31, 2017.
January 31, 2017: Beme App Shutdown
The Beme app shut down on January 31, 2017.
March 7, 2017: CNN Launches Virtual Reality Unit CNNVR
On March 7, 2017, CNN officially launched its virtual reality unit named CNNVR, producing 360 videos for its Android and iOS apps within CNN Digital.
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 of Long Island University
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: Parts Unknown Concludes
In 2018, CNN's 'Parts Unknown' concluded after the suicide of its host Anthony Bourdain.
2018: CNN's 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.
May 2019: CNN Absorbs International News Coverage
Since May 2019, the American domestic version of CNN has absorbed international news coverage in order to reduce programming costs.
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 at the Lincoln Memorial.
July 9, 2020: Westwood One Announces Discontinuation of Service
On July 9, 2020, Westwood One announced that the CNN syndicated service would be discontinued on August 30, citing "extraordinary circumstances in the current marketplace".
2020: CNN 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 United States, according to Nielsen.
June 2021: CNN Viewership Ranking
In June 2021, CNN ranked third in viewership among cable news networks, behind Fox News and MS NOW, averaging 580,000 viewers throughout the day, down 49% from a year earlier.
December 2021: Chris Cuomo Fired and Seeks Damages
In December 2021, former host Chris Cuomo was fired and reported to be seeking $125 million in damages, alleging a breach of agreement.
2021: CNN Digital Leads in Unique Visitors
In 2021, CNN Digital had an average of 144 million unique visitors in the United States, making it the most viewed digital news outlet.
2021: CNN and Clarissa Ward Named Finalists for DuPont-Columbia Award
In 2021, CNN and Clarissa Ward were named finalists for the DuPont-Columbia Award of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for their "Russia's Secret Influence Campaigns" investigation.
2021: Study Examines Bias on News Networks
In 2021, a study measured airtime of guests on major news networks and compared it to their campaign donations. The study found that guests on CNN had a liberal bias.
February 2022: Jeff Zucker Resigns
In February 2022, Jeff Zucker was asked to resign by Jason Kilar, the chief executive of CNN's owner WarnerMedia.
February 26, 2022: Chris Licht Announced as Next President
On February 26, 2022, it was announced that Chris Licht would be the next president of CNN, planned to be instated after the spin off and merger of WarnerMedia into Discovery Inc.
May 2022: Chris Licht Starts Tenure
In May 2022, Chris Licht started his tenure as president of CNN.
September 18, 2022: Carl Azuz Replaced by Coy Wire as CNN 10 Host
On September 18, 2022, it was announced in a newsletter that Carl Azuz was replaced by Coy Wire as the host of CNN 10, after leaving CNN due to a "personal decision".
October 2022: CNN Cuts Back on Acquisitions
In October 2022, it was announced that CNN would cut back on acquisitions and commissions from third-parties as a cost-cutting measure under Chris Licht and Warner Bros. Discovery.
February 2023: CNN Operates Bureaus in Various Cities
As of February 2023, CNN operates bureaus in various cities around the world.
April 2023: Don Lemon Fired From CNN
In April 2023, host Don Lemon announced that he had been fired.
April 2023: CNN News Central Launch
Since April 2023, CNN News Central has served as the network's rolling news block on weekdays, with a morning edition anchored by John Berman, Kate Bolduan, and Sara Sidner from 7 a.m–10 a.m., and an afternoon edition from 1–4 p.m. ET anchored by Brianna Keilar and Boris Sanchez.
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 and other changes.
June 2023: Chris Licht's Tenure Ends
In June 2023, Chris Licht's tenure as president of CNN ended.
August 14, 2023: Graphics Changes Made
On August 14, 2023, further changes were made to CNN's graphics, with the return of the scrolling ticker and the show title box.
October 2023: Mark Thompson Becomes CEO
In October 2023, Mark Thompson, formerly of The New York Times, became CEO of CNN.
December 2023: CNN Subscriber Count
As of December 2023, CNN had 68,974,000 television households as subscribers in the United States.
2023: CNN Announces Slate for 2023
In 2023, CNN announced a slate that would include commissions such as 'Giuliani: What Happened to America's Mayor?', 'United States of Scandal', and 'The 2010s'.
May 2024: CNN Orders '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 it was cutting approximately 3% of its workforce, which equated to one hundred jobs. Additionally, in July 2024, the company consolidated its US, international, and digital news gathering operations into a single newsroom.
January 2025: CNN's YouTube Channels Rank Among Most Subscribed
In January 2025, CNN's YouTube channels "CNN" and "CNN-News18" ranked among the 20 most subscribed news publishers.
October 2025: Introduction of 'The Story Is'
In October 2025, CNN introduced a live program anchored from Los Angeles, 'The Story Is' with Elex Michaelson, which airs from 9–11 p.m. PT (12 a.m–2 a.m. ET).
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