CNN boss Mark Thompson. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery)
Inside CNN’s Hudson Yards headquarters, the clock is ticking. What began earlier this year as an announcement that the network would debut a new streaming platform by the fall has now turned into a countdown. Executives, engineers, and editorial leaders are working against the clock to finalize both the technology and programming slate for the cable outlet’s new platform as the spotlight on the Mark Thompson-led digital transformation shines more intensely than ever.
Behind the scenes, I’ve learned, the process is entering its most critical phase. A “code freeze”—the point when no new features are added and attention is solely focused on shipping—is scheduled for early September. That milestone will be followed by product testing and various rehearsals, with CNN targeting an official launch of its streaming service in October. The platform is expected to start lean and gradually expand in features and programming over time.
A spokesperson for CNN declined to comment.
What exactly the streaming service will look like at launch remains shrouded in secrecy. Still, hints are beginning to surface. Last week, the network told staffers…
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A "Fox News Lied" truck near the network's headquarters. (Photo by Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress)
Inside the Fox Hole: Fox News is once again facing the embarrassment of private messages from its biggest stars and executives surfacing in court. This time, the disclosures come from Smartmatic, the election technology company suing the network, which on Tuesday made public a partially unredacted summary judgment filing. First reported by The WaPo’s Jeremy Barr, the document contains a series of revelations that underscore the internal dysfunction and political pressures inside Fox News in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Among the highlights:
Pirro slammed Hannity. Then-host Jeanine Pirro derided Sean Hannity as an “egomaniac,” recounting in a text message how he strutted into the Oval Office “like he owns the place,” tossed papers on the president’s desk, and casually asked to use the private bathroom. “It’s all abt him, period,” she wrote. “No one else matters.”
Pirro boasted about loyalty to Trump. Pirro privately told Ronna McDaniel…
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