MUMBAI: In the growing market for providing online coverage of news events, CNN has expanded its online presence with the launch of a subscription-only broadband video service, 'cnn.com'. This subscription service, called CNN Pipeline, will give viewers access to a selection of CNN video archives and allows them to view CNN International television.
The commercial-free Pipeline service costs $2.95 a month or $24.95 a year and provides access to live and archived material, while one-day subscribers can access it for 99 cents.
CNN.com notes that the service is 'designed to meet the needs of consumers who want live, on-demand news they can select with a click of the mouse,' and offers the live Pipeline coverage as a complement to the free video clips available on the site.
On its first morning on 5 December, the product, which is geared for people who don't have access to television during the day but want to keep abreast of news events, featured live coverage of Saddam Hussein's trial and of the 9/11 Commission issuing its final report.
Anchor commentary is complementary or absent in the four "pipes," or feeds, that concentrate on showing viewers a variety of live events available for selection.
"This is another evolution of CNN.com and our commitment to bring people the latest news at their command," said CNN news services and general manager of CNN.com senior vice president David Payne.
CNN News Services executive vice president Susan Grant says, "Today, the CNN.com user not only can read a story and view video on demand, but with CNN Pipeline, also can take control of daily news clips, several live streams of news and even video from CNN's extensive archives. CNN Pipeline creates an added dimension to online news, offering an experience that is even more relevant, credible and catered specifically to the user's needs."
CNN Pipeline is available in 25 countries and includes a downloadable player that offers multiple screen sizes and a Web-based player with broad access to video content from throughout the CNN News Group.
