Russia’s RT moves to Rumble after being deplatformed elsewhere

Russia’s RT is facing numerous bans and restrictions following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, and it’s using a familiar tactic to get around them: move to a laissez-faire service. The state-supported media company has made its around-the-clock livestream available on the “free speech” platform Rumble. This will theoretically let devotees tune in when its broadcasts and social media posts aren’t accessible elsewhere.

The move may be more of a hedge than a necessity, although that situation could change. RT’s English livestream was still available on YouTube as of Thursday. However, CNN said it obtained a memo indicating that RT America’s production company T&R Productions was laying off all staff due to “unforeseen business interruption events.”

Rumble, like Gab and Parler, has lately served as a haven for right-wing personalities who’ve been kicked off other platforms or feel their content is restricted elsewhere. Fox News host Ban Bongino, for instance, moved to Rumble after YouTube banned him over COVID-19 misinformation.

As a Russian state-backed media firm, RT has been accused of serving as a propaganda mouthpiece and either heavily restricted on some sites or banned outright. An EU ban on RT has led to action at multiple sites. Facebook has demoted RT content, Twitter has halted ads and recommendations (on top of labels warning of RT’s ties) and YouTube has denied ad revenue. Most recently, Reddit banned all links to Russian state media. This is on top of bans from conventional TV providers like DirecTV.

As with other moves to alternative services, though, the Rumble shift might not help RT recover its lost exposure. Rumble is relatively small compared to mainstream social media sites, streaming providers and conventional broadcasters. RT’s viewership is likely to take a steep hit regardless — Rumble is more of a consolation prize than a solution.

CNN+ streaming service arrives this spring for $6 per month

CNN is starting to narrow down the launch details for its CNN+ streaming service. The online-only offering is now slated to debut this spring at a price of $6 per month. You’ll have a strong incentive to sign up quickly, though — CNN will offer lifetime monthly subscriptions at 50 percent off for anyone who signs up within the first four weeks.

The company also outlined how you’ll access the service. A unified CNN app will provide access to CNN+ as well as live and on-demand content for conventional TV subscribers. This will encourage everyday CNN users to subscribe to CNN+, of course, but you also won’t have to switch apps to view the content you want.

CNN+ is banking on a combination of recognizable hosts and shows to pull you in. Former Fox News host Chris Wallace will provide live daily news, for instance, while other hosts range from CNN veterans (such as Anderson Cooper and Poppy Harlow) through to outside talent like cook and writer Alison Roman. You can expect some on-demand material, including the Big Tech-focused The Land of the Giants to back catalog releases like Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown.

Whether or not the pricing is right, there’s little doubt CNN+ faces some competition. There are direct rivals such as Fox Nation, but services like NBCUniversal’s Peacock and Paramount+ mix live news and sports with plenty of on-demand entertainment. The success of CNN+ isn’t guaranteed, particularly when subscription fatigue might make it harder to justify yet another outlay.