CNN’s All Access Election Night Experiment
CNN attempted a fresh approach on election night through its new subscription-based streaming service, CNN All Access. The idea was to bring a sense of fun and informality to political coverage, but the experiment seemed somewhat disconnected from its audience.
The Concept and Motivation
As traditional cable audiences shrink—apart from Fox News—CNN has sought ways to keep engagement high. Declining cable subscriptions and the growing appeal of cheaper streaming services or social media content prompted the network to expand digitally.
Introducing CNN All Access
This platform, priced at $6.99 per month, gives online viewers comprehensive access to the network’s full content library. Unlike earlier initiatives, CNN All Access includes both live television streams and on-demand programming outside standard news coverage.
Election Night Feature
For its first major test, CNN All Access offered an exclusive election night event called “CNN Election Livecast,” hosted by political analyst Harry Enten.
“It’s kind of like hanging out with your best friends who know the most about politics,”
Enten remarked while promoting the broadcast on CNN’s main channel. The production was styled as a “watch party,” but reviews noted it felt uneven, lacking the energy or authenticity viewers expected from such a format.
Summary
CNN’s effort to make election coverage feel casual and interactive was well intentioned but failed to strike the right tone, revealing the challenges traditional media faces in reinventing itself for streaming audiences.
Author’s summary: CNN’s All Access election night aimed to modernize coverage with a friendly, digital flair but ultimately felt mismatched to viewer expectations.