Advertisement

Make a video with this sound

Put this sound on your own clip — text, speech bubbles and speed controls, all in the app.

Related keywords

✦ AI

About this sound

✦ AI

James Earl Jones delivers the iconic This is CNN voice line in this short clip, used for news parodies, breaking news jokes and dramatic intros.

This clip features James Earl Jones speaking the famous network identifier in his deep, resonant baritone. The delivery is slow, calm and authoritative, with each word given weight over a brief five second runtime. There is no music or extra noise, just the clean studio voice that instantly signals serious television news. Hearing it immediately sets an expectation of importance and credibility, which is why the contrast feels funny when it is placed over trivial or chaotic footage. The voice carries a sense of gravitas that makes even ordinary moments sound like a major broadcast event.

The line is the longtime station identification for CNN, the Cable News Network, recorded by actor James Earl Jones, whose voice also defined Darth Vader. His short announcement became one of the most recognisable network signatures on American television, played between programmes and news coverage for decades. Online, the clip was shared as an instant button and soundboard staple, allowing anyone to borrow that broadcast authority for a joke. It remains popular because viewers instantly associate the phrase and voice with breaking news, even without any visuals.

Pro Tip for Usage

✦ AI

Place the line right before your punchline or fake headline reveal, and let the full five seconds play without music underneath. The pause after CNN lands best over a hard cut to black or a zoom in, not under dialogue.

Use Cases

✦ AI
  • Intro for fake breaking news segments online
  • Punchline after someone shares dramatic group chat news
  • Opening sting for news parody and commentary videos
  • Reaction to overly serious announcements in livestreams

Frequently Asked Questions

✦ AI
What is the This is CNN sound?
It is a short voice clip of James Earl Jones saying This is CNN, recorded as the network identification for the Cable News Network. The deep, formal delivery is used online to imitate a serious news broadcast.
Who says This is CNN?
Actor James Earl Jones says the line. Known for his powerful baritone and for voicing Darth Vader in Star Wars, Jones became the signature voice of CNN, and his reading turned a simple channel name into an iconic identifier.
How do creators use this sound effect?
Creators drop it at the start of parody news reports, fake breaking news updates and dramatic reveals. It works best when the following content is mundane or silly, because the serious voice creates an instant comic contrast.

Upload your own sounds New

Got a funny clip? Upload your MP3 in the SoundInstants app. Once it's approved, everyone can play it.

Upload in the app
Advertisement

Most popular

See all
Advertisement