CNN’s online store was down earlier this week, at least the second time this summer that the online store had a service outage.
In both instances, TKNN reached out to a CNN or Turner (the parent company of CNN) spokesperson for comment and explanation as to why the site was down. The requests were not returned, but the website was then back up soon after we had emailed. In the first case, it was back up after days of being down.
The Turner online store has decreased in size over the years. At one point, the online store boasted products from around the Time Warner corporate family, including Warner Bros. and HBO. However, those categories have gone away and the current website only boasts products from the CNN Worldwide family, including HLN and CNN International. The website design has been the same for many years and the trademark information at the bottom is dated 2008. The site also features an older version of the Turner Broadcasting logo.
Many of the products are outdated, however or a throwback to an earlier era of CNN. The CNN International tagline used has been out of commission since 2013. The store also features a Nancy Grace magnet, but her show ended in 2016. The store also features a Crossfire t-shirt for the 2013 revival of the classic debate show. Although that program was then cancelled in 2014. Some of the categories are also empty.
The CNN store also has a physical presence at CNN’s global headquarters in Atlanta. The store features a wider selection that the online store and some items, like the CNN chullo hat that personalities have worn on-air, are not sold online.
A CNN source did say that the site would be getting an update later this year.