CNN

Quick Facts: Who was CNN?

Subject:

CNN

Known for:

American multinational news media company, pioneering 24-hour global news coverage.

Born:

1980

Century / Era:

1980s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Cable News Network, Inc. (CNN) is an American multinational news media company and the flagship namesake property of CNN Worldwide, a division of Skydance. Founded on June 1, 1980, by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, CNN is the first television channel to provide 24-hour news coverage and the first all-news television channel in the United States.

Career & Major Achievements

As of December 2023, CNN had 68,974,000 television households as subscribers in the United States, according to Nielsen. This is down from 80 million in March 2021.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In June 2021, CNN ranked third in viewership among cable news networks, behind Fox News and MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), averaging 580,000 viewers throughout the day, down 49% from a year earlier, amid sharp declines in viewers across all cable news networks. While CNN ranked 14th among all basic cable networks in 2019, then jumped to 7th during a major surge for the three largest cable news networks (completing a rankings streak of Fox News at number 5 and MS NOW at number 6 for that year), it settled back to number 11 in 2021 and had further declined to number 21 in 2022.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1980: Birth of CNN — American multinational news media company, pioneering 24-hour global news coverage.
2. 2019: 2019 Milestone — While CNN ranked 14th among all basic cable networks in 2019, then jumped to 7th during a major surge for the three largest cable news networks (completing a rankings streak of Fox News at number 5 and MS NOW at number 6 for that year), it settled back to number 11 in 2021 and had further declined to number 21 in 2022.
3. 2021: 2021 Milestone — This is down from 80 million in March 2021.
4. 2023: 2023 Milestone — As of December 2023, CNN had 68,974,000 television households as subscribers in the United States, according to Nielsen.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: CNN

True or False: “CNN was the first television channel to provide 24-hour news coverage in the United States.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): This pioneering format fundamentally changed the media consumption landscape by offering continuous news updates.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abby Wambach — Contemporary (Born in 1980) (1980): Iconic American soccer forward, celebrated for her goal-scoring prowess and longevity.
• Adande Thorne — Contemporary (Born in 1980) (1980): Trinidadian-American YouTuber, animator, comedian, and actor known as Swoozie.
• Alejo Carpentier — Contemporary (Died in 1980) (1980): Influential Cuban novelist, essayist, and musicologist of the Latin American Boom.
• Alexei Kosygin — Historical peer (Died in 1980) (1980): Soviet statesman who chaired the Council of Ministers from 1964 to 1980.
• Alexei Yagudin — Historical peer (Born in 1980) (1980): Pioneering Russian figure skater, celebrated for multiple World and Olympic titles.
• A. S. Byatt — Historical peer (Died in 2023) (2023): Acclaimed English novelist, poet, and critic known for complex literary works.
• Alan Arkin — Historical peer (Died in 2023) (2023): Esteemed American actor, filmmaker, and musician with a seven-decade career.
• Aaron Beck — Historical peer (Died in 2021) (2021): Father of Cognitive Therapy and CBT, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment.
• Abdelaziz Bouteflika — Historical peer (Died in 2021) (2021): Algerian politician who served as the seventh President of Algeria from 1999 to 2019.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Historical peer (Died in 2019) (2019): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• 1980 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1980

Frequently Asked Questions about CNN