CNN’s prime-time rankings drop 61% in March: Nielsen information

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by Ariel Zilber

March 30, 2023 | 1:13 p.m

CNN’s primetime rankings are down 61% this month — the most important drop in viewership among the many Huge Three information giants, based on the newest numbers from Nielsen.

The drop in rankings is a nasty omen for CNN, which has struggled to proper the ship since guardian firm Warner Bros. commissioned the present. Discovery’s Chris Licht has been on a mission to vary the information channel for over a yr.

Regardless of the unhealthy evaluations, Licht has the help of his boss, the CEO of Warner Bros. Footage. Discovery’s David Zaslav, who gave a pep discuss to community executives urging them to keep away from political and partisan commentary.

“The rankings are damned,” he mentioned. “Let’s deal with who we’re. That is our mission. That is our heritage. That is our journey collectively.”

A CNN spokesperson informed The Submit, “CNN is the highest 5 cable networks in complete per day, has the youngest viewers in cable information, reaches essentially the most viewers in cable information on demo, and is the No. 1 digital information platform on the earth.”

“CNN’s journalism impression and model attain can’t be measured with one metric,” the spokesperson informed The Submit.

A supply near the state of affairs famous that viewership for all cable networks has plummeted as a result of accelerating pattern of subscribers chopping the wire and choosing cheaper streaming providers like Netflix and Hulu.

CNN and different cable networks are additionally hampered by a comparatively sluggish information cycle, which explains why they’ve struggled to copy the identical viewers curiosity as a yr in the past, when Russia invaded Ukraine.

CNN has seen sturdy rankings underneath Licht’s predecessor, Jeff Zucker, and Zaslav mentioned he realized a extra partisan method might convey in additional viewers and cash, however “that’s not what I got here right here to do,” based on a transcript of Zaslav’s letter.

He mentioned he hopes the community can determine what works and what doesn’t. He urged managers to not fear about exterior noise.

Fox Information averaged 2.09 million prime-time viewers in March, MSNBC’s 1.14 million and CNN’s 473K, based on The Related Press quoted Nielsen figures.

Within the 25-54 demographic for advertisers, CNN is seeing a few of its lowest numbers in many years.

Poor rankings additionally plagued different elements of CNN’s broadcast schedule.

“CNN This Morning,” the morning program that options co-hosts Don Lemon, Caitlan Collins and Bobby Harlow, averaged simply 359,000 viewers final quarter, In accordance with figures quoted by Mediaite.

However that present’s viewers jumps to a complete of 438,000 viewers when the simulcast on CNN’s sister station HLN is counted.

It was the fortieth most watched program on satellite tv for pc information.

By comparability, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” averaged 846,000 viewers, whereas Fox Information’ “Fox & Buddies” broadcast got here out on high with a mean of 1.21 million viewers.

CNN This Morning made headlines as turmoil and tensions between the co-hosts surfaced.

Lemon was pressured to apologize and bear sensitivity coaching after he mentioned on air final month that Nikki Haley, the 51-year-old Republican presidential candidate, was “not in her prime.”

Weeks earlier, Lemon had reportedly chewed Collins in full view of his colleagues as a result of he was irritated that she was interrupting him throughout a broadcast.

The community’s complete each day viewership fell 27% in the latest quarter.

To make issues worse, CNN noticed a 40% drop in immediately’s viewership within the advertiser’s coveted 25-54 demographic.

Fox Information, which shares co-ownership with The Submit, remained the most-watched cable information channel within the nation final quarter.

The community noticed a extra average decline in complete viewers for the day in addition to viewers for the 25-54 demo.

MSNBC, the Comcast-owned cable group, dropped 1% in complete viewers for the day and 9% within the 25-54 demo.

Whereas MSNBC surpasses CNN in complete viewership, CNN leads its competitor within the demo 25-54.

CNN’s primetime exhibits additionally outperformed MSNBC’s exhibits in the important thing demographic.

Amongst viewers ages 25 to 54, Erin Burnett’s “Outfront” persistently beats Joe Reid of MSNBC’s “The ReidOut” at 7 p.m. EST.

At 8 p.m., Anderson Cooper of “AC360” commonly outpaced Chris Hayes within the demo 25-54.

However in March, MSNBC’s Hayes and Reid beat Cooper and Burnett within the demo 25-54.

In complete viewership, Hayes’ “All In” and ReidOut’s ReidOut commonly dominated CNN’s Cooper and Burnett.

MSNBC’s newest Sunday present, “Inside with Jen Psaki,” which debuted earlier this month, beat out each Fox Information and CNN in complete viewership final week.

Licht is claimed to be trying to shake up primetime with the addition of blockbuster names, together with CBS morning star Gayle King and basketball loudmouth Charles Barkley.

CNN can also be set to launch “CNN Information Central,” its noon information present designed to copy the texture of election evening.

The present kicks off Monday, with John Berman, Kate Baldwin, and Sarah Sydner internet hosting the primary three-hour blockbuster from the studios in New York Metropolis.

Brianna Keilar, Boris Sanchez and Jim Cioto will run the 1-4 p.m. from Washington, D.C.

The Submit requested remark from MSNBC and Fox Information.

with wire