New low? CNN’s ‘New Day’ draws only 76K viewers among demo coveted by advertisers

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Media top headlines July 14

Fauci getting criticized for saying 'no doubt' children 3 years and older should wear masks, a CNN anchor dismissing critical race theory as a creation of Republicans, and a Texas State Democrat getting mocked for calling himself a 'fugitive' after fleeing the state to block voting bills round out today's top media headlines

CNN’s "New Day" almost became "New Low" last week when the struggling morning show had its worst week since 2014 in the demographic coveted by advertisers. 

"New Day" managed only 76,000 viewers among the key demo of adults aged 25-54 for the week of July 5-11, its smallest audience in the crucial category since the week of June 23, 2014. Fox News, Investigation Discovery, Hallmark, MSNBC, USA, NICK at Nite, TNT and ESPN all averaged more viewers among the key demo than "New Day," which managed to tie Nickelodeon in the category. 

"New Day" averaged only 433,000 total viewers during the week for its lowest-rated week of 2021, while time-slot competition "FOX & Friends" delivered 1.1 million viewers. The recently revamped "New Day" has now failed to reach 500,000 average viewers for 11 straight weeks. 

Brianna Keilar has developed a reputation for fiery, partisan monologues and combative interviews with conservatives.

"It’s remarkably low viewership when putting these three numbers into context. CNN is in more than 90 million homes. It has been in existence for 41 years, almost more than any other cable network. And its morning show oftentimes can’t deliver more than 500,000 viewers," said Joe Concha, Fox News contributor and The Hill media columnist. 

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The turnout for "New Day" last week was down 11% in total viewers and 22% among the demo compared to the previous week of June 28 through July 4. 

Major headlines the last time "New Day" had a worse performance among the key demo include then-President Obama announcing "a new effort to fix as much of our immigration system as I can on my own, without Congress."

CNN president Jeff Zucker was known as a morning TV guru because of a successful run overseeing NBC’s "Today" show during the Matt Lauer era, but he’s been unable to work his magic at the liberal cable network's wake-up program. 

"The show has changed its host lineup four times in eight years. That’s no way to establish and hold an audience," Concha said. 

In April, outspoken liberal host Brianna Keilar replaced Alisyn Camerota to co-host the show alongside John Berman, but the shakeup hasn’t helped attract viewers as CNN struggles for an identity in the Biden era.

Last week, the tiny "New Day" audience witnessed a widely panned segment that mocked parents protesting critical race theory. It featured Keilar introducing reporter Elle Reeve by asking, "Do these vocal opponents of critical race theory actually understand fully what it is?"

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"Everything wrong w/ the modern media: Rather than interviewing subjects of a story & reporting their comments, the reporter starts w/ her own preconceived notion — these parents are idiots — cherrypicks a few for mocking, then shapes her report around advancing her own narrative," Grabien Media founder Tom Elliott observed. 

Keilar has developed a reputation for fiery, partisan monologues and combative interviews with conservatives while fawning over prominent Democrats such as former Rep. Katie Hill, D-Calif. 

In June, Keilar had a contentious exchange with Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., when he joined the show to speak about being shut out of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), fixating on his past support for former President Donald Trump and various voting rights bills she alleged would restrict minority votes.

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"As a Black man in America, I’m allowed to have my own thoughts on who I choose to support and who I choose not to support," Donalds responded, after criticizing Keilar for cutting him off mid-answer.

"The bar isn’t very high for those on CNN," Donalds' communications director Harrison Fields told Fox News after their exchange. 

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"New Day" has tinkered with its formula multiple times in an attempt to attract viewers.

Camerota, Kate Bolduan, Chris Cuomo, Michaela Pereira and current co-hosts Berman and Keilar have all taken a turn behind the "New Day" desk since it launched in 2013. "New Day" replaced "Starting Point," the short-lived morning program hosted by left-wing journalist Soledad O'Brien.

"FOX & Friends" averaged 203,000 demo viewers to more than double "New Day" in both categories last week. 

Fox News Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.