It doesn’t look like the two direct-broadcast satellite providers are replacing CNNfn, which went dark Wednesday night, with anything at this juncture.
DirecTV Inc. had been carrying CNNfn and CNN International on channel 358. But Thursday, the DBS provider was just running a blue screen on that channel with a message about the demise of the financial-news network.
The text message said, “CNNfn and CNN International programming ceased broadcasting on this channel. Turner Networks thanks you for your support and invites you to continue to enjoy CNN [202] and CNN Headline News [204].”
In terms of what DirecTV will eventually put in CNNfn’s old slot, spokesman Bob Marsocci said, “We’re still looking at our options.”
Similarly, EchoStar Communications Corp.’s Dish Network was running a text message on CNNfn’s old channel slot, 206, which said the network is "off-air" and directed viewers to press the "information" button on their remotes. That next step informs them that the network has ceased operations.
The two DBS companies provided a good chunk of CNNfn’s 30 million subscribers. Time Warner Cable, another one of the network’s affiliates, is mainly replacing it with sister networks CNN International and Boomerang.
