CNN President Jeff Zucker in a note sent to staff on Tuesday accused the coronavirus pandemic of causing the end of the CNN airport network after 30 years of operation.
Zucker announced that the network, which was broadcast at 54 airports in the US and Bermuda, will stop operating “starting March 31”, citing the interruption of the air travel pandemic in the US and around the world.
He also quoted that travelers were focused on streaming news on their personal devices.
“The sharp decline in airport traffic due to COVID-19, combined with all the new ways people consume content on their personal devices, has diminished the need for CNN’s airport network,” Zucker said in a note to The Hill.
“Having to say goodbye to such a beloved brand is not easy,” he continued. “I want to thank our friends and colleagues who contributed to its success and celebrate the fact that, for 30 years, the CNN Airport Network has kept millions of domestic travelers informed. It has also become an iconic part of the travel experience in the country. ”
Jeff Zucker notified CNN staff that “CNN’s airport network will close on March 31.”
“The sharp drop in airport traffic due to COVID-19, combined with all the new ways in which people consume content on their personal devices, has diminished the need …” pic.twitter.com/9se3oCw1gr
– Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) January 12, 2021
People informed about this issue said Los Angeles Times The CNN airport network, backed by advertisements, was no longer considered profitable. The closure will result in layoffs for about two dozen CNN headquarters in Atlanta.
CNN’s airport network was first launched in 1990.
Air travel dropped during the pandemic, although the Transportation Security Administration estimated that millions of people boarded planes on Thanksgiving and Christmas.