A Warner Bros. Discovery-wide outage disrupted CNN and other channels, with CNN acknowledging the problem around 12:51 p.m. and confirming that the signal had been restored after a global technical issue.

The disruption affected multiple WBD networks beyond CNN, including Cartoon Network and TCM.

The outage occurred on August 24, 2026, and officials attributed it to a technical issue across Warner Bros. Discovery.

Impact varied by distribution platform, as some viewers reported different levels of signal loss or distortion depending on how they accessed the content.

Earlier reports described garbled images and screens going dark, with some viewers briefly seeing unrelated content during a YouTube TV rental break before CNN resumed transmission.

Downdetector recorded a spike in reports around 12:16 p.m. ET, with the majority of complaints centered on the live CNN channel and smaller shares about streaming and the CNN app.

Viewers across the affected networks experienced scrambled screens, pixelation, and on-air glitches during the outage.

News outlet Variety requested additional information from CNN regarding the outage to clarify the scope and cause.

The outage interrupted programming across multiple Warner Bros. Discovery properties, though the root cause and duration were not disclosed.

The disruption began shortly after noon Eastern Time, occurring as CNN aired an Inside Politics panel on President Trump’s trade war with Canada when the problems began.

The incident signaled a broader network-wide disruption with temporary signal loss across CNN and other WBD channels, rather than a localized fault.