The Marketing mix of Cable News Network analyses the 4Ps of Cable News Network, including the Product, Price, Place, and Promotions. Cable News Network is commonly called CNN and is associated with media through its news channel. It is of American origin and is a satellite and cable channel on television. CNN is a subsidiary company owned by its parent company, Turner Broadcasting System. It was founded by Ted Turner in 1980 to provide news 24*7 to news lovers. The company faces threats from several competitors and some of them are as follows-
- Times Now
- BBC
About CNN
- Type: Cable news television network
- Industry: Mass media
- Founded: 1980
- Founder: Ted Turner
- Headquarters: United States
- Area served: Worldwide
- Key people: Chris Licht (Chairman)and Chris Licht (CEO)
- Number of employees: 4,000
Table of Contents
CNN Product Strategy
CNN has finally become a multiplatform worldwide network that works continuously for 24 hours, seven days a week. It was the first channel in the United States that provided only news about every minute and every day. To work efficiently, it has various tools at its disposal.
CNN has 26 international and ten domestic bureaus, and approximately 900 local stations are affiliated with it, as well as several foreign languages and regional networks in and around the globe. The company has an efficient team of correspondents that covers global events with panache and competency. CNN has several sister channels linked to it, like CNN Indonesia, CNN Chile, Cartoon Network, CNN International, and CNN Airport Network.
It has launched CNN2, a companion channel that features live news and sports coverage. Currently, the weekday schedule of CNN includes news programming during the day and evening, and at prime-time hours, it is followed by factual programs and in-depth news. In 2012, a film division was formed by creating a company titled CNN Films to produce and distribute documentaries on television.
CNN (Cable News Network), a prominent news and media organization, offers a diverse product mix that caters to a wide range of audiences nationwide on different platforms.
The new Product Mix of CNN in 2023 is as follows (Source).
- Television Channels: CNN’s primary product is its news channels, including the flagship CNN channel, which offers 24/7 news coverage, and other specialized channels like CNN International, providing global news, and CNN en Español, catering to Spanish-speaking audiences.
- Digital News Platforms: CNN has a solid online presence with its website and mobile applications, offering news articles, live updates, videos, and interactive features. This digital expansion caters to the growing audience that prefers online news consumption.
- CNN Radio: Although CNN Radio was discontinued, it previously offered news broadcasting and programming for radio stations and digital platforms, expanding CNN’s reach beyond television and online media.
- CNN Airport Network: This was a specialized service broadcasting at airports across the United States, providing news, weather, and travel content. However, this service was discontinued in 2021.
- Documentaries and Original Series: CNN produces and airs various documentaries and original series, covering various topics from politics and history to culture and science. These productions often gain critical acclaim and attract viewers interested in in-depth, long-form content.
- Live Events and Debates: CNN hosts and broadcasts political debates, town halls, and other significant live events, playing a key role in shaping public discourse on important issues.
- CNN Newsource: This is CNN’s syndication service, providing news stories, video, and other content to over 1,000 partners, including local TV stations and digital news publishers.
CNN Place Strategy
CNN is a globally viewed international news channel, and its headquarters is based in Atlanta, Georgia. CNN broadcasts its international news show from its studios in Los Angeles and Washington D.C. and Time Warner Center in New York. Its headquarters are currently used only for weekend programming. Viewers can watch news through CNN International in nearly two hundred and twelve countries. Domestically, it was available to more than one hundred million households in the United States in 2010. Its broadcast coverage extended to 890,000 hotel rooms in America and throughout Canada. By 2015, CNN became accessible to 96,289,000 satellite, cable, and telco television households in America.
Brand CNN is also accessible online through CNNGo and from news reports on the radio. CNN.com is the official website of CNN and was launched in 1995 because of increased usage of user-generated content, social media, and blogs.
CNN’s place strategy, focusing focus on the channels and methods of content distribution to reach its audience, can be summarized as follows:
- Global Television Broadcasting: As a cornerstone of its strategy, CNN broadcasts its television channels globally, ensuring accessibility in numerous countries. This wide-reaching broadcast network allows CNN to deliver news and content to a vast international audience.
- Online and Digital Platforms: CNN extensively uses digital platforms, including its website and mobile apps, to reach a digitally savvy audience. This online presence is crucial for delivering real-time news updates and interactive content, catering to the growing trend of news consumption via the internet.
- Social Media Presence: CNN leverages social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to distribute content and engage with viewers. This approach helps reach a younger demographic and ensures participation in contemporary digital conversations.
- Partnerships and Syndication: Through CNN Newsource, the network provides news content to over 1,000 affiliate partners, including local TV stations and digital news publishers, thus expanding its reach and influence beyond its channels.
- Specialized Services: Previously, CNN operated the CNN Airport Network, which broadcasted in airports across the U.S., tailoring content to travelers. Though discontinued, it represented a strategic placement to reach a specific audience segment in a unique setting.
This successful multifaceted place strategy enables CNN to remain a leading global news and entertainment provider, reaching a diverse audience across various platforms and settings.
CNN Pricing Strategy
CNN has global exposure and has become one of the most-watched channels on television. Revenues are significant for every company as its survival and business depend on them. CNN has a competitive advantage and several sources of income. It offers discounted rates on fiber and satellite services. Its sponsorship deals and advertising bring good revenues. CNN is a paid channel, and millions of its viewers are responsible for its upkeep by indirectly paying cable operators to view this channel. The company has maintained a competitive pricing policy for this channel and has fixed the rates based on the prices of its competitors.
As a major news network, CNN employs a pricing strategy that aligns with its business model, focus, and market positioning. While CNN primarily earns revenue through advertising and partnerships with businesses rather than direct consumer sales, its pricing strategy can be understood in the following context:
- Advertising Revenue Model: CNN’s primary revenue comes from advertising. The network employs a pricing strategy for advertisers based on viewership ratings, time slots, and the demographic profile of its audience. Premium pricing is often set for high-visibility slots during peak news hours or special events.
- Subscription Fees from Cable Providers: CNN charges cable and satellite providers subscription fees for carrying its channels. These fees are based on the value CNN adds in terms of content and viewership. Higher fees are likely negotiated for channels with higher ratings and viewership numbers.
- Tiered Content Accessibility: CNN offers some of its digital content for free, but premium content, such as exclusive articles, in-depth analyses, or notable documentaries, might be placed behind a paywall. This tiered access strategy allows them to monetize more in-depth, specialized content.
- Syndication and Licensing Fees: Through CNN Newsource, CNN licenses its content to other news organizations. This syndication is another revenue stream where pricing varies based on the nature of the content and the purchasing organization’s reach.
- Partnerships and Sponsored Content: CNN engages in partnerships and sponsored content deals, which involve pricing based on the extent of content integration, the duration of the campaign, and the exposure the partner is expected to receive.
CNN’s pricing strategy reflects its status as a premier news network, leveraging its brand value, audience reach, technology infrastructure, and content quality to maximize revenue through various streams, primarily focused on advertising and content syndication.
CNN Promotion Strategy
Some of the best slogans of CNN are CNN=Politics, The Best Political Team on Television, The Worldwide Leader in News, CNN=Money, and Go Beyond Borders. They describe what CNN has always been about. The company has one of the best analytical research teams and has become a global market leader where news is concerned. It brilliantly captures and portrays every news to viewers irrespective of time and location.
Various firsts have been credited to CNN. It was the first channel to report live about the Gulf War in the year 1991and it also became the first to write about the September 11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center. All these breaking news items made it immensely popular amongst viewers. Under its promotional policy, CNN has started advertising while running its shows. Advertising logos are now running at the bottom side of the screen. It serves a dual purpose. The news channel is still running for 24 hours, but advertisements have now aired simultaneously.
Some Recent Video ads and Print ads of CNN are:
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