CNN
24-hour cable and digital news network.
CNN at a glance
CNN is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #20 in the country. It was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Today CNN is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 650 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through display advertising, subscriptions, licensing. Its closest rivals include nytimes.com, foxnews.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 611 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 631 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 650 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 689 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 195 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| cnn | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- cnn.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Warner Bros. Discovery
- Owner type
- Subsidiary
- Founders
- Ted Turner
- Founded
- 1980
- Headquarters
- Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Employees
- 4,000+
- Ownership
- Warner Bros. Discovery controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $1.5B annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $1.5B annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
CNN operates a news and media publisher focused on United States. 24-hour cable and digital news network. Revenue comes mainly from display advertising, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Display advertising
- Subscriptions
- Licensing
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #20 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in United States
- Global rank
- 55
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| nytimes.com | ≈ 390 million / month | #21 class competitor | — |
| foxnews.com | ≈ 292 million / month | #22 class competitor | — |
What is CNN?
CNN (cnn.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in United States. 24-hour cable and digital news network. It ranks #20 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns CNN?
The site is operated by Warner Bros. Discovery, founded by Ted Turner. The company was established in 1980 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It employs around 4,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place CNN at roughly 650 million visits per month, about 21.7 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How CNN makes money
Revenue comes primarily from display advertising, alongside subscriptions, licensing.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include nytimes.com, foxnews.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1980
CNN is founded in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #20 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns CNN?
CNN is operated by Warner Bros. Discovery. Subsidiary structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is CNN headquartered?
CNN is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
When was CNN founded?
CNN was founded in 1980 by Ted Turner.
How many employees does CNN have?
CNN employs approximately 4,000+ people.
What is CNN's revenue?
CNN's revenue: ≈ $1.5B annual revenue (est.).
Who are CNN's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include nytimes.com, foxnews.com.
How does CNN make money?
Mainly display advertising, subscriptions, licensing.
Is CNN publicly traded?
No — CNN is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Warner Bros. Discovery.
How many visitors does CNN get?
Third-party estimates place CNN at roughly 650 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is CNN safe?
CNN is an established news & media site founded in 1980 and ranked #20 in United States; use the official domain cnn.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementscnn.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos