CNN is establishing a new creator-focused division as social media influencers increasingly shape news consumption, particularly among younger audiences.

The network’s international division announced “CNN Creators,” a new unit based in its Middle East hub in Media City Qatar, Doha. The initiative includes a 30-minute weekly show scheduled to launch on October 23, per The Hollywood Reporter.

According to Meara Erdozain, Senior Vice President of Programming at CNN International, the show “is unlike any show we have ever launched” and “will reflect how our younger audiences are engaging with stories and will deliver compelling, entertaining content in a multitude of ways.”

The unit will focus on “news-adjacent topics and stories that feel real, relevant, and relatable,” with content covering “AI, tech, art, culture, sport, and social trends,” according to the company.

According to recent findings from the Pew Research Center, 21% of Americans regularly receive news from social media creators. The trend is especially prominent among younger demographics, with 37% of adults aged 18-29 turning to creators for news content.

Competition Format 

Job listings for the new team describe a competition-themed approach to news content production.

“The weekly linear show is a high-stakes storytelling challenge where two teams of content creators go head-to-head. At the start of the week, they choose a topic to tackle and set out to craft the most compelling stories around that topic,” the listing states. “Viewers get a front-row seat to their creative process – brainstorming, scripting, filming, editing, and refining their work – before the teams present their final pieces in an energetic live showdown.”

Andrew Potter, formerly a producer at Vice Media, will lead the team.

CNN’s Digital Transformation

The new creator-focused unit represents one element of CNN’s digital reorganization under CEO Mark Thompson, who joined the network two years ago. Earlier this year, Thompson implemented a restructuring that included hundreds of job cuts while investing $70 million toward shifting “CNN’s gravity towards the platforms and products where the audience themselves are shifting.”

Other recent initiatives include the launch of a digital paywall on CNN.com and the planned debut of a new streaming product in fall 2025 as part of CNN’s expanded subscription offering.

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