CNN’s New App Lets Business Fans Track CEOs Like Sports Stars
Is the world of business and finance a spectator sport? CNN is adopting that conceit with the launch of CNN MoneyStream, a free mobile app that delivers personalized business news to let users follow companies, topics and CEOs like they their favorite teams, sports or players.
In a splash of corporate synergy, the new CNN app is based on Bleacher Report’s Team Stream sports-tracking app; Turner acquired Bleacher Report in 2012. CNN MoneyStream will deliver customized news feeds and alerts based on a user’s picks of companies, business leaders, the economy and markets in the form of articles, social-media posts, videos and charts. The app is scheduled to launch Tuesday for iOS and Android.
Notably, CNN MoneyStream will pull in business-news coverage from third-party media outlets, in addition to original reporting from CNNMoney. The app also includes market data on more than 13,000 companies, 5,400 indexes and 30,000 exchange-traded funds and mutual funds. Exclusive content will include guest-curated streams from biz celebs including Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Arianna Huffington.
“We’re trying to engage an audience we know is incredibly passionate about business, companies, finance, markets and CEOs in the same way sports fans are passionate about their teams and players,” said Andrew Morse, EVP of editorial for CNN U.S. and GM of CNN Digital Worldwide.
CNN MoneyStream replaces CNNMoney’s existing general biz-news app, which is being phased out. The Turner-owned news network has lined up E-Trade and SAP as the official launch sponsors of CNN MoneyStream.
Morse said the MoneyStream app includes third-party content “so you get the deepest view of the business landscape.” He declined to identify which sources the app will pull from. Initially CNN MoneyStream will present that content as curated links to external sites, but Morse said CNN also will explore partnerships with potential revenue-sharing deals and different distribution models.
That said, the app will highlight CNN-produced content. Earlier this year, the news network said it was earmarking an additional $20 million investment in CNN Digital, and part of that was to “prop up the editorial muscle of CNNMoney,” Morse said.
According to Morse, the concept for CNN MoneyStream was on the road map pretty much since he first joined the news network in mid-2013, after previously running Bloomberg Television in the U.S.
“CNN MoneyStream is an incredible example of Turner properties working together to better serve the consumer and deliver digitally innovative products to the marketplace,” John Martin, Turner chairman and CEO, said in a prepared statement. “Building off of our Bleacher Report platform expertise in super-serving passionate sports fans, CNN has developed a unique product that we hope resonates with people that are passionate and interested in business, from the corporate world and Wall Street to Main Street.”
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