CNN Academy
CNN Academy, the training arm of CNN under Warner Bros. Discovery, delivers journalism education globally through workshops, simulations, bootcamps, and a co-branded MA degree, serving individual learners, government sponsors, universities, and foundations across six cities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersAtlanta, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What CNN Academy does
CNN Academy is the professional education and training arm of CNN, operating under Warner Bros. Discovery. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Atlanta, it delivers journalism training through a portfolio of formats including short-form workshops, multi-day bootcamps, immersive simulations, and a fully accredited Master of Arts degree co-branded with the UCD Clinton Institute. Program delivery spans at least six cities — Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Tokyo, Lima, Dublin, and London — with the Abu Dhabi cohort serving as the flagship and largest by alumni count.
The core product is structured experiential learning in newsgathering, verification, storytelling, and increasingly AI-assisted journalism. A defining technical asset is the proprietary Brynania crisis-reporting simulation, which earned a bronze award at the 2024 Learning Technologies Awards and is deployed across multiple programs. The Academy also operates the CNN Academy Hub, a digital platform with 1,000+ registered users that extends reach beyond physical cohort capacity. Instruction is delivered by 50+ active CNN journalists, giving the program a distinctive credibility advantage grounded in the parent brand.
Revenue is generated through three mechanisms: (1) individual tuition for fee-based programs such as the Tokyo intensive (¥148k–¥298k) and the UCD MA (€11,790–€22,600 per year); (2) institutional sponsorships, most notably from the Abu Dhabi Creative Media Authority, which underwrites the tuition-free flagship program; and (3) foundation grants and co-branded academic partnerships, including a $200,000 Rockefeller Foundation grant for climate storytelling and Gates Foundation support for health storytelling. Customer segments span individual learners, government sponsors, universities, and global foundations, with the largest concentration exposure sitting with the Abu Dhabi government partner.
CNN Academy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CNN Academy
- Legal name
- CNN Academy
- Website
- https://academy.cnn.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- CNN Academy, the training arm of CNN under Warner Bros. Discovery, delivers journalism education globally through workshops, simulations, bootcamps, and a co-branded MA degree, serving individual learners, government sponsors, universities, and foundations across six cities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CNN Academy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Journalism Education
- NAICS
- Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multimedia Learning Production (Video, Animation, Interactive) (EDAGAKAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Educational & Instructional Nonfiction (MPADADAL), Higher Education Lecture Capture & Course Media (EDAGALAB)
Keywords
Where CNN Academy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Atlanta
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
CNN Academy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Program Fees: CNN Academy charges tuition fees for certain programs. The Tokyo program charges ¥148,000-¥298,000 depending on residency and early bird status. The MA in Journalism program charges €11,790-€22,600 depending on EU/Non-EU status.
- Institutional Partnerships and Sponsorships: Partnerships with organizations like Gates Foundation ($200k+ for Global South programs), Rockefeller Foundation, and Creative Media Authority provide funding and support for program delivery.
- University Co-branded Programs: Revenue from co-branded degree programs such as MA in Journalism and International Affairs with UCD Clinton Institute, and Master in Multiplatform Journalism with Loyola University.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tokyo Program - Japanese Residents Early Bird |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tokyo Program - Japanese Residents Full Price |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tokyo Program - International Early Bird |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tokyo Program - International Full Price |
| Subscription | Annual | MA in Journalism and International Affairs - Non-EU |
| Subscription | Annual | MA in Journalism and International Affairs - EU |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | CNN Academy Abu Dhabi |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels6 records
CNN Academy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CNN Academy is a global journalism training initiative that delivers multimedia journalism education through self-paced online courses, immersive newsroom simulations, masterclasses, workshops, and location-based programs. It operates the CNN Academy Hub e-learning platform and runs flagship programs in Abu Dhabi, Tokyo, Atlanta, Lima, Dublin, and London, in partnership with universities, foundations, and government bodies.
Product overview
CNN Academy is a global journalism training initiative offering a multi-product portfolio comprising the CNN Academy Hub (e-learning platform with self-paced courses), Simulations (immersive week-long newsroom experiences), Masterclasses (interactive sessions with CNN journalists), Workshops (hands-on training programs), and location-specific Courses (partner programs in Abu Dhabi, Tokyo, Atlanta, Peru, and others). The organization also delivers specialized programs including the MA in Journalism and International Affairs (with UCD), Global South Climate Storytelling Program (with Rockefeller Foundation), Global South Health Storytelling Program (with Gates Foundation), and Sports Journalism Bootcamp. All programs leverage the CNN Academy Hub for online learning and culminate in simulation experiences where participants apply skills in realistic newsroom scenarios.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Global South Climate Storytelling Program: A program in collaboration with the Rockefeller Foundation that united journalists from across the global south to shed light on the profound effects of the climate crisis.
- Global South Health Storytelling Program
Products and services
- CNN Academy Hub Interactive e-learning platform offering self-paced courses on journalism fundamentals, newsroom case studies, and best practices, with lifetime access for registered students and live-streamed masterclasses.
- MA in Journalism and International Affairs
Quantifiable outcome
- 165 young individuals trained from Abu Dhabi talent pool including 93 Emiratis by end of 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CNN Academy
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
CNN Academy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability7 records
Feature3 records
CNN Academy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and secondary.
- LumaTouchcoreLumaFusion professional mobile video editing app is the exclusive editing software taught across CNN Academy programs. LumaTouch provides free app access to all students and co-developed mobile storytelling course content.
- Titus LearningcoreTechnical and learning platform support partner using Moodle LMS for Brynania simulation. Won Bronze at Learning Technologies Awards 2024 for Best Use of Simulation.
- Creative Media Authority (Abu Dhabi)flagshipStrategic partner hosting CNN Academy Abu Dhabi at Yas Creative Hub. Provides funding, venue access, and coordinates with local talent. Supports the annual simulation week and provides academic assessment through partnerships with Higher Colleges of Technology.
- UCD Clinton Institute (University College Dublin)flagshipCo-branded MA in Journalism and International Affairs - the first English-language Masters program CNN co-designed with a university partner. Combines practical CNN training with academic expertise at UCD's Clinton Institute.
- Georgia TechcoreHost institution for CNN Academy Sports Journalism Bootcamp & Simulation at Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. Students from Georgia Tech participated as role-players in simulation scenarios.
- Sophia University (Tokyo)coreHost institution for CNN Academy Tokyo program focusing on digital storytelling in the age of AI.
- Universidad Privada del Norte (UPN)coreAnnual bootcamp partner since 2020. Hosts 25 students per cohort in Lima, Peru for CNN en Español journalism training.
- Hong Kong Baptist UniversitysecondaryAnnual workshop program at CNN's London bureau. 30+ students spend three days learning from CNN journalists.
- University of Nottingham MalaysiasecondaryAcademic partner for media and communications programs.
- Hong Kong Chu Hai CollegesecondaryAcademic partner for higher education collaboration.
- Universidad de las AmericassecondaryLatin American university partner for journalism training programs.
- University of FloridasecondaryPartner university for journalism and media studies collaboration.
- Georgia State UniversitysecondaryU.S. university partner for journalism training programs.
- Howard UniversitysecondaryHistorically Black university partner for newsroom training in Abu Dhabi.
- University of Southern CaliforniasecondaryU.S. university partner for open source journalism training.
- Clark Atlanta UniversitysecondaryHistorically Black university partner for journalism training.
- University of AlabamasecondaryU.S. university partner for journalism education.
- Loyola University (Seville)coreCo-branded Master in Multiplatform Journalism with CNN Academy for Spanish-speaking students.
- Ibero (Mexico)secondaryMexican university partner for journalism training programs.
- Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT)corePartnership announced in 2024 for academic assessment and course merits for CNN Academy Abu Dhabi students.
- McGill UniversitycoreProfessor Rex Brynen collaborated on simulation scenario design for CNN Academy's immersive training experiences.
Scale indicators17 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CNN Academy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Committee to Protect Journalists: International press freedom advocacy organization providing emergency training and resources for journalists. Comparable in mission of supporting journalists globally, but its core is advocacy and safety rather than skills training.
Direct peers
- Al Jazeera Media Institute: Qatar-based journalism training arm of Al Jazeera offering courses, workshops, and the AJ Fellowship. Most direct comparable as another global broadcaster-branded training operation targeting emerging journalists, particularly in the Global South.
- Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas: University of Texas-based program offering massive open online courses in journalism to global audiences. Comparable for online-first journalism training and Global South audience reach, but lacks the immersive simulation product.
- Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: University of Oxford-based research and training center focused on global journalism. Closest academic-credentialed peer delivering journalism training, research, and executive programs to working journalists worldwide.
- Poynter Institute: U.S.-based nonprofit journalism school running ICFJ-partnered training, including the well-known "News University" online platform. Comparable for journalism training delivery, online course catalog, and workshop-based model targeting professional journalists.
- Thomson Reuters Foundation: Charitable arm of Thomson Reuters running journalism training programs globally, including the flagship Reporting Resilience program. Highly comparable in mission, foundation-funding model, and global cohort structure serving journalists in developing markets.
- DW Akademie: Deutsche Welle's media development organization offering journalism training globally with strong focus on developing countries and freedom of expression. Comparable as a broadcaster-branded training arm operating foundation-funded programs in multiple regions.
Emerging players
- Storyful: Newsroom intelligence and OSINT training company (owned by News Corp). Comparable as a journalism-focused training and verification tools provider, though it serves professional newsrooms rather than aspiring journalists.
- News Literacy Project: U.S. nonprofit advancing news literacy education through curricula and training. Partial overlap as an education-focused journalism-adjacent organization, though its mission is consumer-side rather than practitioner training.
Broad incumbents
- BBC Academy: BBC's in-house training division offering journalism, production, and digital skills training. Direct comparable as a global broadcaster's branded training arm serving aspiring and current journalists, with similar course/workshop/masterclass structure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks2 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
CNN Academy social profiles
Digital presenceCNN Academy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CNN Academy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
CNN Academy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CNN Academy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CNN Academy
What does CNN Academy do?
CNN Academy is a global journalism training initiative that delivers multimedia journalism education through self-paced online courses, immersive newsroom simulations, masterclasses, workshops, and location-based programs. It operates the CNN Academy Hub e-learning platform and runs flagship programs in Abu Dhabi, Tokyo, Atlanta, Lima, Dublin, and London, in partnership with universities, foundations, and government bodies.
Is CNN Academy a public or private company?
CNN Academy is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was CNN Academy founded?
CNN Academy was founded in 2021. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is CNN Academy based?
CNN Academy is headquartered in Atlanta, United States, in the North America region.
How does CNN Academy make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are institutional Partnerships and Sponsorships and university Co-branded Programs.
Who are CNN Academy's main competitors?
Committee to Protect Journalists is listed as an others. Direct peers are Al Jazeera Media Institute, Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Poynter Institute, Thomson Reuters Foundation and DW Akademie. Emerging players are Storyful and News Literacy Project. BBC Academy is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does CNN Academy have an API?
No public API is recorded for CNN Academy.
What industry is CNN Academy in?
CNN Academy's product category is Journalism Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAKAG, Multimedia Learning Production (Video, Animation, Interactive), with a secondary code of MPADADAL, Educational & Instructional Nonfiction. Its NAICS code is 61143 and its SIC code is 8200.