Eleven days after launching, CNN Plus has solved a major distribution problem, signing a deal with Roku to put its app on the No. 1 connected TV platform.
Starting Monday, Roku users will be able to sign up and watch the new $5.99-a-month CNN Plus subscription service. The activity will funnel through the CNN app, which will also host authenticated TV Everywhere service for CNN, CNN International and HLN. An early-bird $2.99-per-month offer is in effect until April 26.
CNN Plus parent company WarnerMedia has not yet announced deals for support on Google's Android TV and Google TV, as well as Samsung smart TVs, and Sony Playstation and Microsoft Xbox gaming consoles.
For its part, Roku is the top connected TV device platform in the U.S. Of the 60.1 million active accounts it reported at the end of 2021, it's believed that around 88% of those are in the United States.
WarnerMedia, which just shuffled its top-level executive ranks last week ahead of Friday's merger closure with Discovery, hasn't yet released details on early subscriber performance for CNN Plus.
Roku is the top U.S. connected TV device platform. Of the 60.1 million active accounts Roku reported at the end of 2021, it's believed that around 88% of those are in the United States.
CNN Plus debuted on March 29, available on Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV as well as both major mobile platforms, Apple iOS and Android. However, lack of device support in the living room OTT area has, in recent history, curtailed the launches of key Streaming Wars competitors.
CNN Plus need only look at now thriving sibling HBO Max, which struggled mightily in its first six months in the market until it locked in support for both Roku and Fire TV. ■
