Scoop: CNN to launch new "CNN Weather" app
CNN plans to launch a new app, "CNN Weather" by the end of the year, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It's part of a broader plan by the network to invest more in lifestyle and subscription news products as part of its digital transformation under its CEO Mark Thompson.
The network also plans to introduce a new cross-platform streaming service this year.
Zoom in: CNN Weather will combine expertise from CNN's meteorology and climate teams in a mobile-first app that will provide targeted local weather forecasts and 24/7 coverage of major regional and national weather events, CNN's EVP of digital products and services Alex MacCallum told employees in a town hall Tuesday.
Thompson plans to officially announce the news at its advertising presentation in New York on Wednesday, a source said.
The app will be available for free to start, but it's expected to eventually be paywalled.
A spokesperson confirmed the launch and provided a comment from MacCallum, who said, "As we build out a subscription portfolio and offering for our users, we are looking to launch a series of lifestyle-oriented products that become essential to people's everyday lives. Weather is a natural fit for our audience and for the CNN portfolio."
Zoom out: CNN has been beefing up its climate and weather teams ahead of launch.
The company, which has decades of experience covering breaking weather events, is considered an authority in emergency weather events, especially internationally.
The company was one of the first major international outlets on the ground to cover the catastrophic flooding in Libya in 2023, as well as the Turkey-Syria earthquakes that same year.
CNN is nominated for an Emmy for Hurricane Milton coverage from last year.
The big picture: CNN's digital evolution has been rocky amid leadership and ownership changes.
The network launched a subscription streaming app, CNN+, in 2022, only to have it shuttered weeks after launch by its new owners, Warner Bros. Discovery.
What's next: CNN Weather is likely the first of many lifestyle and subscription products that CNN will experiment with as it looks to find its future beyond cable.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
4 hours ago
- CNN
Hear from Americans still trying to leave Israel
Commercial airlines have, for days now, halted all flights in and out of Israel due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. CNN spoke to multiple Americans in central Israel who are still struggling to leave the country.
CNN
4 hours ago
- CNN
Hear from Americans still trying to leave Israel
Commercial airlines have, for days now, halted all flights in and out of Israel due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. CNN spoke to multiple Americans in central Israel who are still struggling to leave the country.
Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Miami Herald
What happens if your power goes out in a storm? FPL has some advice
Will your power zap off during a summer storm? Now that hurricane season is here, Florida Light & Power says now is the time to double down on preparations, including what to know about the utility's work and what happens in a power outage. Conlan Kennedy, Bianca Soriano and Jack Eble of FPL's communications team sat down with the Miami Herald in early June and offered advice for this Q&A: MORE: Can you lower your FPL bill this summer? How to set your AC and other tips What should customers be doing right now, before a hurricane hits? Have a plan. That will make sure you're ready to make the best decisions for you and your family. Make sure you have checked batteries, radios and flashlights. Have phone chargers available, including a car charger. What about generators? If you're planning to use a generator, now would be the time to make sure you fully understand how to operate that equipment safely in your home. FPL can visit your home or business to help you with that. Do you have a loved one that has medically sensitive equipment that requires electricity? What's your plan for that person whether back-up power or relocation? What has FPL done year-round to prepare for storms? We have a smart grid that we're upgrading all year. It help us speed up the restoration process. In 2024 — for hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton — it helped customers avoid more than 800,000 outages. We've been investing in smart grids since 2011. It helps improve our day-to-day reliability. How does the smart grid work? Smart switches can go on main lines or neighborhood power lines. With smart meters, the meters communicate with devices on the grid which communicate with mobile diagnostic centers throughout the state. The grid is communicating with itself. We no longer have to go house to house throughout the state. Is there anything consumers can do to reduce the probability of a power outage? That's the reason we invest year round in the grid. When storms come, we emphasize safety. If you feel your home is susceptible through your roof or window, we advise you unplug any unnecessary equipment, and in some cases turn off the breaker. Never plug in anything if standing water is in your house. If you see damaged electrical equipment or a downed power line after the storm, you can call 911 and then FPL. Stay away from flooded areas. What else should people be aware as a storm threatens? Before the storm, you'll see mini-cities where crews are set up, staging sites. These are areas we believe will see the hardest impact from the storm. When a storm passes and conditions are safe, crews cans spring right into action. As long as wind speeds are below 35 mph, we can safely restore power. We can begin restoration process even before a storm makes landfall. How soon will customers know about getting back their power? FPL will provide initial estimate time of restoration for all customers affected roughly 24 hours after a storm has cleared the area. This allows damage assessment teams to sweep the area and provide valuable information to restoration crews. How do you prioritize whose power to restore? We start with critical infrastructure like hospitals and 911 call centers. Then community essentials like grocery stores and gas stations. Meanwhile, households are automatically getting their electricity back. Then, going house-by-house in the hard-hit neighborhoods. If everybody else around you has power and you don't, that means it's customer-owned equipment that's damaged. That would be a time to give us a call What are other FPL resources during hurricane season? FPL has the following additional information online: ▪ Storm Center: ▪ Tips for businesses: ▪ Tips for homes: ▪ Power Tracker: ▪ FPL social media: The utility is on Facebook, X, YouTube and Instagram. It also has tools in the App Store or Google Play, or by texting the word 'App' to MyFPL (69375).
