When did CNN officially launch and who anchored the first newscast?
CNN officially launched on the 1st of June 1980 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The first newscast was anchored by the husband and wife team of David Walker and Lois Hart.
Common questions about CNN
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who founded CNN and what was the network's initial purpose?
Ted Turner founded CNN as the first all-news television channel in the United States. The network was designed to provide continuous 24-hour news coverage without interruption.
When did CNN begin broadcasting in high definition and what was the resolution?
CNN began broadcasting in high-definition 1080i resolution in September 2007. This format is now standard for CNN and available on all major cable and satellite providers.
Who is the current CEO of CNN as of July 2024 and how many employees does the network have?
Mark Thompson became CEO of CNN in October 2023 after serving as the former CEO of The New York Times. The global workforce of CNN included roughly 3,500 people in July 2024.
Which CNN digital platform ranked among the 20 most subscribed news publishers in January 2025?
CNN and CNN-News18 ranked among the 20 most subscribed news publishers in January 2025. CNN had 17.4 million subscribers and CNN-News18 had 8.8 million subscribers.
When did CNN launch its website and what was its original name?
CNN launched its website on the 30th of August 1995. The site was initially known as CNN Interactive before becoming CNN.com.