CNN Integrates Kalshi Markets for Real-Time Forecasting
CNN has finalized an exclusive agreement with Kalshi to incorporate prediction market data into its news coverage. The deal is the first major partnership between the federally regulated exchange and a legacy news organization. Axios first reported the details of the arrangement.
Data-Driven Journalism on Air
The collaboration integrates market probabilities directly into CNN’s editorial workflow. The network will display Kalshi data across its linear television broadcasts, digital platforms, and social media channels.
A technical integration via API allows the network to pull pricing and probability figures instantly. This ensures that the numbers displayed on screen update in real-time as traders buy and sell contracts.
Viewers will see this data visualized through on-screen tickers during live segments. The network intends to use these figures to supplement discussions about future outcomes.
While politics remains a primary focus, the scope of the data extends to general news, cultural events, and weather forecasting.
Harry Enten, CNN’s senior data reporter, will spearhead the on-air application of this data.
Enten plans to use market-implied probabilities to analyze developing stories and fact-check assertions made by guests or public figures. His reports will appear on both the main cable channel and the network’s streaming services.
Strategic Intent and Deal Structure
Tarek Mansour, CEO of Kalshi, clarified the business terms of the agreement. CNN does not pay a licensing fee to access the data. However, the contract stipulates exclusivity, preventing the network from sourcing similar data from competitors like Polymarket.
The partnership aims to shift the editorial focus from retrospective reporting to forward-looking analysis. Traditional journalism explains what has already happened.
By using prediction markets, CNN attempts to offer audiences a probability-based view of what might happen next.
This approach relies on the “wisdom of the crowd” mechanism, where traders putting money on the line theoretically produce more accurate forecasts than pundits.
Competitive Landscape
This move aligns with a broader trend of financializing news content. Other media outlets have recently sought similar integrations.
Yahoo Finance currently features data from Polymarket, while Sports Illustrated and Time magazine utilize data from Galactic.
The CNN deal concludes a period of rapid expansion for Kalshi. In early December, the exchange raised $1 billion in a funding round led by Paradigm, achieving a valuation of $11 billion.
The influx of capital supports the company’s efforts to embed its markets into broader consumer culture. The exchange also reported record activity in November, with trading volume hitting approximately $5.8 billion, a 32% increase from the previous month.
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