Conglomerated National Television

CNT was seen in the September 2022 GTA VI leaks on Interstate 97 in Vice City’s Stockyard. The sign reused the vintage television-style billboard design previously seen in Los Santos: its screen is made of breakable, transparent glass.

A wooden ramp stood in front of the Stockyard billboard, indicating that the site may have been arranged for a stunt jump. This was leak footage rather than released promotional material.

CNT also appeared to be listed in an electronic programme guide on a wall-mounted television at the Jack of Hearts strip club. The guide placed it alongside Weazel News and MeTV; the listing does not establish what CNT programming, if any, will be watchable in GTA VI.

In Grand Theft Auto V, CNT’s assumed headquarters stood at Clinton Avenue and Elgin Avenue in Vinewood Hills. Across Elgin Avenue was the original television-shaped CNT billboard, while another copy stood beside the La Puerta Freeway near Los Santos International Airport.

CNT was tradable through the BAWSAQ market in GTA V. In GTA IV, its former BAWSAQ symbol was CNTU. GTA Online used the network as a main sponsor on two vehicle liveries, for the Rhinehart and Sentinel XS.

The Los Santos building is presented as a version of the CNN Building in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Its connection to CNN also extends to CNT’s abbreviated name, which combines elements associated with CNN and TNT.

Grand Theft Auto IV gave CNT a studio on Burlesque in The Triangle, Algonquin. Its television schedule included programmes such as I’m Rich, The Serrated Edge, American Asshole, America’s Next Top Hooker, Boner, Funeral Factor, Patriot 500, Shitty Singer Competition and Z Games.

The Episodes from Liberty City additions expanded some of that output. A History of Liberty City was identified as Part 2 there, while Princess Robot Bubblegum, Gold Diggers of Liberty City, Pharmaceutical Bakeoff and Conjoined Twins season 2 were associated with The Ballad of Gay Tony.

CNT also carried advertising in this period, including spots for Pißwasser, Love-meet.net, Super Classy Touch Limo, the Karin Dilettante, Higgins Helitours, Cluckin’ Bell, Sully’s Auto Mart and LCPD recruitment.

GTA V and Online associated CNT with shows including Impotent Rage, Gordon Moorehead Rides Again, Underbelly of Paradise, Dude Eat Dog, Implant Outsource, Rehab Island and Accountant: Life In The Tax Lane. Princess Robot Bubblegum returned only in the enhanced version.

Its later commercial material included Race To Pluto, Bravado, Cunning Stunt Academy, Mount Zonah Medical Center, the San Andreas State Lottery, the San Andreas Tourism Board, the Los Santos Department of Water & Power and Phat Chips. Mystaspot was limited to the enhanced version.

Compared with its Liberty City output, the named Los Santos-era schedule shifted to a different set of programmes and advertisers, while retaining Princess Robot Bubblegum as a returning title in a version-specific form.

CNT’s initials also form an offensive-word joke, reinforced by the former CNTU stock symbol. Its logo resembles AMC’s, while the network and its programming draw on the style of scripted-content channels including TNT, The CW, TBS and HBO.

CNN and those named entertainment networks are linked through Warner Bros. Discovery. CNT can therefore be read as a broad parody of that media conglomerate rather than a stand-in for only one broadcaster.