CNN grounds Airport Network after 30 years, citing pandemic and streaming

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

CNN grounds Airport Network after 30 years, citing pandemic and streaming

COVID-19 and the ubiquity of personal devices that stream live video led to the decision to end the service after 30 years.

www.latimes.com

Not really shocking that CNN has to shut down their airport feed after 30 years.

 

[davideduardo]

Remember, the airport feed is not related to the cable channel. It was most like the old CNN Headline News with non-stop news summaries.

In the last ten to fifteen years, it seemed to be an afterthought and was only adequately done. I noticed that the screen in most US airports was where the fewest people would sit. Families and groups did not want the background noise, folks with tablets and smartphones found it was to much noise for their main interest and younger people just found it old fashioned or non-compelling.

 

[TheBigA]

Mark Levin is thrilled that he won't have to listen to CNN in airports any more:

Mark Levin Will No Longer Have to ‘Listen to Outrageous, Constant Propaganda of CNN’ in Airports | The Mark Levin Show

 

[davideduardo]

Mark Levin is thrilled that he won't have to listen to CNN in airports any more:

Mark Levin Will No Longer Have to ‘Listen to Outrageous, Constant Propaganda of CNN’ in Airports | The Mark Levin Show

Levin deals with hyperbole (and he screams like a mad man). As a too-frequent-to-think-about traveler, I have been subjected to CNN everywhere I go domestically. The content is pretty neutral because it's pure news, not commentary.

 

[Don CT]

Levin deals with hyperbole (and he screams like a mad man). As a too-frequent-to-think-about traveler, I have been subjected to CNN everywhere I go domestically. The content is pretty neutral because it's pure news, not commentary.

I'm hoping SNL does a bit where Levin screams at everything, ordering diner, talking to his kids, at a funeral.

 

[seatownmedia]

Obviously, airport tv is now a relic with most media access available on phones. I remember when local stations were shown at airports (mid to late 80’s), then Cnn took over but yes it wasn’t their main channel, I think they actually had a separate airport feed for many years that focused on weather and flight delays but memory may be failing me here. Times change for sure.

 

[TheBigA]

Times change for sure.

The thing I notice when I travel is how many people congregate around TVs when live sporting events are being broadcast. Some of the attraction may be that these TVs are also located in bars. I may have been among them from time to time.

 

[davideduardo]

Obviously, airport tv is now a relic with most media access available on phones. I remember when local stations were shown at airports (mid to late 80’s), then Cnn took over but yes it wasn’t their main channel, I think they actually had a separate airport feed for many years that focused on weather and flight delays but memory may be failing me here. Times change for sure.

Yes, I believe it was a specific production from early on. Some of it, IIRC, was fresh broadcast CNN material and there were flight-related inserts about weather and flight related stuff... as it evolved (and when Headline News was closed), it became separate in all aspects. They also did not cover airline incidents nor overtly violent or sensitives subjects. They used much larger screen fonts, too.

CNN Airport - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[TheBigA]

This particular situation has parallels to a lot of radio stations. I read where they're discontinuing this service because the number of eyeballs at airports has become insufficient to meet the minimums for advertisers. I get that. Other than Christmas, airports are pretty empty. I used to travel on planes twice a month. I haven't even been near an airport since mid-march. I have some frequent flier miles expiring in March. That's an issue I have to deal with soon. When CNN shuts down this service, it will be hard, or almost impossible for them to restart it. It took years to set that thing up. Now they're just walking away from it. The infrastructure is still there, so it's possible some ad-networking service will seek to take over that infrastructure at some point when travel returns. It makes me wonder what nature that will take.

But a lot of radio stations are also dealing with formats and services that have been on the back burner, or of less use, since the pandemic hit. That might include traffic reports. That might include station events & promotions. How long can a station hold that service open before they do what CNN did and just walk away from it?

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

The thing I notice when I travel is how many people congregate around TVs when live sporting events are being broadcast. Some of the attraction may be that these TVs are also located in bars. I may have been among them from time to time.

The Only time I see people crowding at the TV's is when the NBA Finals, SuperBowl, World Cup, Olympics, Stanley Cup, World Series are on. I never saw any regular season game have anybody crowded near a TV though but that was pre-pandemic.

 

[anotherguyTN]

It looks like it would make sense to have a channel like Newsy, Cheddar or the Weather Channel on airport screens.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

It looks like it would make sense to have a channel like Newsy, Cheddar or the Weather Channel on airport screens.

Would CBSN, CBSN Local in some cities be considered too or BBC News be considered on Airport Screens if any Airport wants to continue using their screens.

 

[seatownmedia]

BBC News at US airports? That would be a bit odd...Imagine getting off a plane in Seattle from London and the first thing you see is BBC...(Yes, I do understand it is on most US cable systems, but really?)

 

[davideduardo]

Would CBSN, CBSN Local in some cities be considered too or BBC News be considered on Airport Screens if any Airport wants to continue using their screens.

I don't think airports want the maintenance expense. It was all done by CNN, who also paid the airports a fee. Now, I would imagine that the screens will simply be removed.

 

[TheBigA]

I would imagine that the screens will simply be removed.

I don't know....If you're an airport and you've been getting a nice fee for 30 years, wouldn't you like to find a way to get that to continue from someone else? Easy money is hard to give up.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

when Channel One shut down, what happened to old Magnavox tube TVs they gave to the schools in the early 90s?

 

[Syfy]

when Channel One shut down, what happened to old Magnavox tube TVs they gave to the schools in the early 90s?

Probably recycled or thrown in a landfill.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Probably recycled or thrown in a landfill.

or still bolted to the walls in classrooms

 

[PTBoardOp94]

when Channel One shut down, what happened to old Magnavox tube TVs they gave to the schools in the early 90s?

I don't know, but I do remember when my middle school cancelled their agreement with Channel One, the TVs were taken out. That would suggest they weren't donated the schools, but leased as part of the programming arrangement.

Also, imagine telling a modern student that we used to watch documentaries in class on a 13 inch TV!

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

I don't know, but I do remember when my middle school cancelled their agreement with Channel One, the TVs were taken out. That would suggest they weren't donated the schools, but leased as part of the programming arrangement.

Also, imagine telling a modern student that we used to watch documentaries in class on a 13 inch TV!

Removed as soon as DSL's internet, DVD players and Windows xp came to classrooms. But that was when I was in High School and College in the 2000's. CRT-TV's were on their way out the door and LCD computer monitors were heading into classrooms.