What Channel is CNN On DIRECTV?

More than an hour of channel surfing, and still cannot find the right CNN on your DIRECTV? 

Been there, done that. So, we know your ordeal. Finding your pick from a long list of over 150 channels can be like a needle in a haystack. 

But don’t worry. We are here to answer all your CNN on DIRECTV-related queries. From helping you find the right version of the network to the correct channel numbers on DIRECTV or DIRECTV Stream, and clearing the confusion between national and regional coverage, we will be your certified channel guides. 

So, are you ready to explore the land of CNN with us?

How to Get CNN On DIRECTV?

Cable News Network (CNN) is one of the most-watched news channels in the USA. With a daily average of 557,000 viewers, CNN broadcasts original news programming and prime-time shows 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. And if that’s the CNN you are after, you are in for the win. 

All DIRECTV and DIRECTV Stream packages carry CNN (the US-based cable news channel). It doesn’t matter whether you opt for DIRECTV via Satellite, DIRECTV via the Internet, or subscribe to the DIRECTV Stream application, access to CNN is guaranteed. And the magic number you must look for is 202. But we will discuss that in detail later. First, let’s try and answer some other burning questions.

What if you are looking for a CNN but the one offering Spanish-language programming? Again, your missing piece of the puzzle is in the hands of DIRECTV. CNN en Espanol, a Pan-American, Spanish-language news channel, owned and managed by CNN Worldwide, is also available on all DIRECTV and Stream plans. 

No? Still not the CNN you wanted? Look, let’s just cut the chase. There are over 33 variations of CNN, and we cannot discuss every single one of those national and regional affiliates here. So, the simplest and easiest way to tackle this dilemma is to tell you that along with CNN and CNN en Espanol, you can get CNN International on DIRECTV. That’s 3 kinds of CNNs on DIRECTV! 

Related Article: DIRECTV Channel Guide 2024

What Channel Number is CNN On DIRECTV?

CNN is on channel 202 on all four packages of DIRECTV. So, it doesn’t matter if you are subscribed to the most budget-friendly option, DIRECTV Entertainment, or have opted for the exclusive service in the likes of DIRECTV Premier, your remote control should always be ready to press 202 for unbiased, in-depth, and live news coverage. 

But if your interest lies in CNN en Espanol to watch all the latest news in Spanish language, then your three magic digits are 419. CNN en Espanol’s diverse programming includes breaking news, sports, weather and business updates, and insights on current events during prime-time news shows.  

Next on the channel lineup, we have CNN International. Unlike its US-focused sister channel, CNN, CNN International (CNNi) is aired on channel 358, bringing you news from all around the world. 

But the rules of the game are not the same on DIRECTV Stream. On DIRECTV Stream, an over-the-top, 4K-enabled, paid streaming platform, cable TV channels are listed in alphabetical order. Therefore, the need to remember the channel number becomes null and void. You can scroll down the playlist to find your version of CNN or type the channel name in the search bar. 

Moreover, you can add your preferred cable news channel to the “Favorites” list and cut the search time by half. 

And guess what? With the recent addition of a free Gemini Air and its voice-activated remote control in the ‘DIRECTV via Internet’ service, you can just give voice commands to find CNN on DIRECTV.  

CNN in HD on DIRECTV

CNN and its sister channels upgraded to high-definition video output in 2007. In fact, CNN was the nation’s first cable news channel to adopt HD and later full HD with 720p and 1080p resolutions, respectively.

Some of the first few programs produced in CNN’s HD studio in New York were ‘American Morning’ and ‘Anderson Cooper 360’. 

So, if you have an HD TV or device and watch CNN on DIRECTV, the video output on channel 202 will be in high-definition. However, for standard TV sets and devices, the quality will be downconverted to the standard definition (480p). 

What Happened to CNN On DIRECTV?

In the fall of 2023, DIRECTV’s relationship with the CNN news division was on the verge of collapse. The root cause of this bad blood was the launch of CNN Max on Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)’s streaming platform. Programming available on CNN Max was similar to the shows aired on CNN (the traditional cable channel). 

DIRECTV argued that this move by CNN violated the legal agreement between them. While DIRECTV was forking out millions to purchase exclusive broadcast rights of CNN and its sister channels, CNN was rolling out similar programming on streaming services. 

Luckily, this skirmish over distribution rights did not escalate, resulting in the expulsion of CNN and affiliate channels from the DIRECTV lineup. So, you can continue to view CNN on DIRECTV and DIRECTV Stream and leave it to the corporations to sort out the mess.  

DIRECTV Packages and Prices 

DIRECTV, jointly owned by AT&T and TPG, offers 4 month-to-month packages with varying prices and channel counts. The subscription includes over 90,000 in-demand movies & shows and unlimited Cloud storage for DVR recordings. 

You can access DIRECTV packages through a satellite dish or the Internet using the all-in-one Gemini Air device. 

By subscribing to one of these pay-TV packages, you can get CNN on DIRECTV for as low as $69.99 per month. 

CNN on DIRECTV Stream – Packages 

If you want to drop the filler channels, streamline your On-Demand playlist, and break free from 2-year-long contracts, then DIRECTV Stream packages are purpose-built for you.  

At the time of writing, 3 packages are available for the DIRECTV Stream service. Starting from the base plan, the Entertainment package, all the way up to its premium offerings, Ultimate and Premier packages, CNN, CNN en Espanol, and CNN International remain a standard offering.

Along with the DIRECTV Stream subscription, you will need a DIRECTV Stream box to search for CNN on the DIRECTV Guide numerically. DIRECTV Stream box’s remote has a numeric keypad that allows you to press the channel number, unlike other devices where you scroll down the A-Z channel guide. 

However, it is unclear whether CNN on DIRECTV Stream, too, can be found on channel 202 or another number was assigned to it. 

Related Article: DIRECTV Stream vs YouTube TV

CNN On DIRECTV – National and Regional Coverage

CNN, a global news media organization, was founded in 1980 in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then, its distribution has extended to over 200 countries, reaching more than 2 billion people or 347 million households. 

As a news division, CNN offers at least 30 branded networks or sister channels to offer tailored programming within the USA and internationally. Some of them are CNN Arabic, CNN Brasil (Brazil), CNN Prima News, CNNj (Japan), and CNN Turk. 

However, DIRECTV is an American pay-TV provider, and its satellite TV coverage is limited to 50 states of the USA, including Alaska and Hawaii and some parts of Latin America (Argentina, Columbia, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and the Caribbean)   

The good news is that regardless of your location within the USA, you will get CNN on DIRECTV on channel 202. The same is the case with CNN en Espanol and CNN International when viewed on US soil. Whichever state, city, or zip code you may be in, you can always find CNN en Espanol on channel 419 and CNN International on 358 on DIRECTV. 

But when you leave the national boundaries to explore regional terrains, the distribution of CNN on DIRECTV becomes EXOTIC! A simple example is that while CNN en Espanol is on channel 419 in the United States, its channel number changes to 704 in Latin America. 

Why Should You Opt For CNN On DIRECTV?

CNN is rightly dubbed “the channel of firsts”. It was the first news-only channel in the USA, the first to offer 24-hour news coverage, the first to go global through the launch of CNN International, and the first cable TV channel to record news segments in HD quality.

With a track record of winning 11 News and Documentary Emmy Awards in a night, CNN and its stellar team of broadcast journalists have proven that news media is the fourth estate. It has the power to inform and educate the masses through unbiased reporting, fact-based analysis, and expert opinions.  
So, if Anderson Cooper, Christiane Amanpour, and Wolf Blitzer are the epitome of fearless journalism for you, then you must opt for CNN on DIRECTV and keep seeking the truth.

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