Elon Musk declares 'CNN is dying' in Don Lemon spat as network languishes in ratings

X owner Elon Musk declared "CNN is dying" this week during a social media spat with former host Don Lemon, fueling questions about whether the network's yearslong struggle to attract viewers means it's on life support.

CNN has been plagued by a series of leadership changes, scandals, layoffs and infighting that coincide with sagging viewership and numerous lineup adjustments. Musk's harsh diagnosis came after he dropped his X partnership with Lemon, whose approach to his forthcoming show Musk says is "CNN, but on social media," something he insists "doesn't work."

In 2023, CNN had its lowest-rated year of all time, going back more than three decades, across multiple categories. CNN averaged only 582,000 primetime viewers to finish No. 12 among cable networks, with a smaller audience than networks such as TLC, Hallmark and HGTV. 

It was the second straight year that CNN hit an all-time viewership low. Things were so bad for CNN in 2023 that the network’s in-house media reporter publicly questioned if the "lackluster" ratings could be turned around. 

CNN PROMOTES JIM ACOSTA TO WEEKDAYS, SHAKES UP STRUGGLING MORNING SHOW AS RATINGS ISSUES CONTINUE

Elon Musk declared "CNN is dying" this week during a social media spat with former host Don Lemon. (Getty)

CNN’s most-watched program last year was "Anderson Cooper 360," but even as the network's top show, it averaged only 737,000 total viewers. The show finished No. 29 across all cable news behind 14 Fox News programs and 14 MSNBC shows.

Viewers haven’t exactly flocked to CNN in 2024, either, despite it being an election year. 

In January, Fox News more than quadrupled CNN’s audience during special coverage of the Iowa GOP caucuses. 

Last month, Fox News Channel averaged 1.3 million total day viewers to top all of basic cable, compared to only 479,000 for CNN. During the primetime hours of 8-11 p.m., Fox News topped all of basic cable with 2.1 million viewers compared to a dismal 573,000 for struggling CNN. 

During special coverage of President Biden's State of the Union address last week, CNN, once known as the "most trusted name in news," trailed behind all leading networks, earning only 2.6 million total viewers, compared to Fox News' 5.8 million. 

NEW CNN BOSS MARK THOMPSON SUPPORTIVE OF CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR AS LEFT-WING ANCHOR LAUNCHES WEEKEND SHOW

Newly-implemented CNN boss Mark Thompson is hoping to revive the long-struggling news network. (Sanjit Das/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

While linear ratings are struggling, CNN has a presence on the Max streaming platform that the company considers extremely valuable. CNN CEO Mark Thompson has also laid out a plan to "recapture some of the swagger and innovation of the early CNN" with a focus on digital. 

Thompson replaced Chris Licht, who was fired last year after losing the faith of the network’s liberal employees, who longed for the previous regime’s more partisan strategy, insiders told Fox News Digital at the time.  

Journalist-turned-investor Porter Bibb authored the 1993 biography of CNN founder Ted Turner, "It Ain't As Easy As It Looks: Ted Turner's Amazing Story," which detailed the early, glory days of CNN. He noted that CNN "has endured several massive management changes" but feels Thompson is "rapidly developing an effective mobile digital format to attract younger readers." 

Bibb also felt that CNN also thrives when major news happens in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia, since it has so many journalists around the world, so the network is not exactly "dying," despite what Musk wrote. 

"The challenge CNN and its competitors face, however, is that TikTok, with 170 million daily visitors, has become the dominant source of news for people under 30. Mark Thompson hopes to change that by redesigning CNN as a 24-hour non-stop source of breaking news on mobile phones," Bibb told Fox News Digital. 

DON LEMON DROPPED BY X, CLAIMS ELON MUSK RETALIATED OVER THEIR INTERVIEW: HE'S 'MAD AT ME'

X owner Elon Musk was angry after he sat down for an interview with former CNN host Don Lemon.  (Screenshot/CNN/DonLemon)

DePauw University journalism professor Jeffrey McCall, a frequent critic of CNN, isn’t as optimistic as Bibb and believes "Musk might be on target." 

"The once proud cable news channel is struggling on several fronts. The ratings at CNN are quite low — historically low. But the problems go beyond that. Cord cutting is hurting many cable channels, of course, but a channel named Cable News Network certainly has a branding issue in the internet world," McCall told Fox News Digital. 

McCall noted that the short-lived streaming service CNN+ "was so flawed that it was canned after a short time" in 2022 and the network "has few recognizable anchors and reporters."

"CNN's main problem is that it pretends to be above the partisan fray and portrays itself as a centrist news outlet. But even casual viewers can easily sense its left-leaning approach," McCall said. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"Once a news outlet loses credibility and relevance, it is very hard to earn it back, particularly in the digital era when there are so many outlets striving for the audience's attention," he added. "Thus, CNN might not really disappear from the media landscape, but in terms of relevance, it probably is dying."

CNN declined to respond to Musk’s tweet.