Sachin Walls
CNN Airport is a spin-off of the Cable News Network (CNN) that is shown in over 60 airports in North America. CNN Airport is a popular choice for airports as it provides a mix of news, sports, and entertainment programming that is family-friendly and avoids controversial topics. The network also pays hefty fees to airports for the right to broadcast, with annual contracts reaching six digits. While some travellers appreciate the ability to stay informed and entertained, others have expressed frustration with the ubiquity of CNN in airports, especially those who disagree with the network's political leanings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of airports with CNN | 61 |
| Programming | News, sports, travel tips, guides to destinations, entertainment pieces, etc. |
| Languages | English, Spanish |
| Control | CNN controls the channel and volume |
| Revenue | Six-digit annual contracts |
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What You'll Learn
CNN pays airports to air their news
CNN Airport was an American out-of-home television network owned by AT&T's WarnerMedia and operated by CNN. It was launched in 1991 and broadcast a range of programming, including news, weather, stock market updates, entertainment, and travel content to airports across the United States. The network aimed to keep passengers informed and entertained during their dwell time at the airport, providing a connection to world events, domestic events, sports updates, and travel tips.
CNN Airport's 24-hour schedule included live news, live sports, lifestyle content, travel guides, and local airport inserts. The network also aired full-length NFL, NBA, MLB, and NCAA basketball games and tournaments, ensuring that passengers with children had family-friendly programming options. Additionally, CNN Airport produced custom pieces, including guides to destinations and airport amenities, and delivered specific information to gate hold areas through IP delivery.
CNN Airport addressed passenger demand for connectivity and information during their time at the airport. The network was well-received, with positive feedback from passengers who appreciated staying informed and entertained while waiting for their flights. However, in 2018, Republican Iowa congressman Steve King accused CNN Airport of having a monopoly on partisan grounds and proposed an unsuccessful amendment to prohibit a single broadcaster from dominating television programming in airport terminals.
CNN Airport's operations concluded on March 31, 2021. During its existence, the network was available in 47 airports, including Miami International Airport, where it was reported that CNN paid $150,000 annually to air its channel on airport televisions. This included reimbursements for televisions, cable connections, and maintenance.
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CNN Airport is family-friendly and avoids negative aviation news
CNN Airport is a service provided by CNN that is available in airports. The service was designed to cater to travellers' desire for news during their travel day, while also providing entertainment. CNN Airport is family-friendly and avoids negative aviation news.
CNN Airport's programming includes news, sports, weather, business, and travel segments. The network also produces custom pieces, including guides to destinations and things to do at airports. The content standards for CNN Airport are stricter than those of regular CNN, and stories involving commercial aviation incidents and crashes are not aired. Instead, automated weather conditions are overlaid. Stories involving sexual content and graphic violence are also avoided.
The network features larger-than-usual on-screen graphics, making it easier for viewers to read the fonts from a distance. In addition, the service provides custom channels to cater to diverse interests, such as a Spanish-language version of CNN in airports with a large Spanish-speaking audience.
CNN Airport is focused on providing a connection to information of interest to travellers, such as world events, domestic events, weather, the stock market, and sports updates. The network aims to enhance travellers' dwell time at airports, making it productive and filled with opportunities to connect with what's happening in the world.
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CNN Airport offers travel tips and destination guides
CNN Airport is a dedicated service provided by CNN at airports. It aims to keep passengers informed and entertained with a mix of news, sports, and entertainment programming. The service is tailored to meet the unique needs of travellers, who often want to stay updated on world events, domestic news, weather, the stock market, and sports while waiting for their flights.
CNN Airport offers a range of programming, including live news coverage, feature pieces, and entertainment segments. They air popular shows like New Day and Morning Express with Robin Meade, as well as sports programming featuring live sporting events and shows like NFL games, the Super Bowl, NBA, and NCAA. CNN Airport also airs entertainment pieces from TBS, including custom content from Conan and TruTV.
In addition to news and entertainment, CNN Airport provides travel tips and destination guides. They offer guides to destinations worldwide, suggestions for activities at airports, and travel tips for frequent flyers. These tips include advice on staying fit while travelling and highlights of the latest trends at airports, such as the availability of putting greens, spas, and nail salons.
CNN Airport also recognises the diverse interests and languages of travellers. They have introduced IP delivery, allowing them to create custom channels and deliver specific information to gate hold areas. For example, they partnered with Boingo in Miami to offer CNN in Español through WiFi, catering to the 65% of travellers who are Spanish-speaking.
CNN Airport is committed to enhancing the overall airport experience by providing connectivity and helping travellers feel productive and informed during their dwell time. By offering a mix of news, entertainment, and travel-related content, they ensure that passengers can stay connected to the world and make the most of their time at the airport.
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CNN Airport is tailored for viewers in waiting areas
CNN Airport is a television network tailored for viewers in airport waiting areas. It was an American out-of-home television network owned and operated by AT&T's WarnerMedia through CNN. The service broadcast a mix of news, weather, stock market updates, entertainment, and travel content to airports across the United States. The network aimed to cater to people waiting in airports by providing a mix of informative and entertaining content.
CNN Airport's 24-hour schedule included live news, sports, lifestyle, and travel segments. They also aired custom pieces, such as travel guides and feature stories. The network had stricter content standards than regular CNN, avoiding stories involving commercial aviation incidents and graphic content. The on-screen graphics were designed to be larger than industry standards to ensure readability from a distance.
The network paid airports to keep the channel on and even provided funding for TVs and infrastructure. This financial relationship gave CNN Airport a monopoly in many airport terminals, leading to criticism from some travellers and competitors. However, the network also faced scrutiny for its ideological programming and the lack of alternative options in airport waiting areas.
CNN Airport's programming was designed to keep passengers informed and entertained during their wait. They introduced entertainment pieces and focused on family-friendly content to appeal to a diverse audience. The network also utilised IP delivery to provide specific information to gate hold areas and enable interactivity through the TV.
CNN Airport ceased operations on March 31, 2021, with the rise of streaming video on mobile devices rendering the network's purpose outdated. Despite its closure, CNN Airport's presence in airport waiting areas left a significant impact on the overall airport experience for travellers.
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Some travellers are aggravated by CNN's ubiquity in airports
While CNN Airport is not available at every gate, it is the prime video source at many of the biggest airports. Some travellers are aggravated by CNN's ubiquity in airports, especially those who are opposed to former US President Donald Trump, and those who believe the network spreads "fake news".
CNN Airport is a curated feed that is different from the standard CNN channel. It has a greater emphasis on sports and weather, and most plane crash stories are edited out. However, there is still a lot of political news, which means there is a lot of commentary about Trump. This can be frustrating for travellers who are not fans of the former president, or those who believe that the media has a vendetta against him.
CNN Airport's programming is designed to keep passengers informed and entertained, with content including news, live sports events, and entertainment pieces from TBS. The network also produces custom pieces, including guides to destinations and things to do at airports. CNN Airport is delivered via satellite and IP, which allows for specific information to be delivered to a gate hold area and enables interactivity through the TV.
While some travellers may be frustrated by the prevalence of CNN in airports, the network is likely to remain a dominant provider as long as airports prioritise cost over the mental health of travellers.
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Frequently asked questions
CNN Airport Network is a spin-off of CNN that is only shown in airports. It is a 24-hour news channel that is family-friendly and avoids airing negative aviation news. CNN pays airports for the ability to remotely control the channel and volume on airport TVs.
CNN Airport alternates between live CNN and HLN news programming. It also airs additional topics such as sports, lifestyle, travel, and local/regional information. The network also produces custom pieces, including guides to destinations and things to do at airports.
The hefty contracts that CNN Airport News signs with airports are an important revenue source for the airports. These contracts give CNN the ability to control the channel and volume on airport TVs remotely.
There have been discussions and petitions to allow greater broadcast choice for travellers by eliminating CNN's monopoly in airports. However, airports should be free to play whatever they choose, and CNN remains a popular and well-known option.
