Fact check: Jim Acosta’s CNN special didn’t reach ‘millions and millions’ of people despite on-air claim

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CNN guest incorrectly says Acosta special reaching 'millions' of people

Democratic attorney Marc Elias drastically overstated the audience for CNN anchor Jim Acosta's special on democracy.

A CNN guest peddled misinformation to viewers on Monday when he falsely claimed the liberal network was "broadcasting to millions and millions of people" during Jim Acosta’s special that didn’t even crack 600,000 viewers. 

The ratings-challenged network has experimented with different options at 9 p.m. since it was forced to terminate Chris Cuomo last year. This week, Acosta is occupying the time slot with a special, "Democracy in Peril," and the former White House reporter invited Democratic lawyer Marc Elias onto the program to discuss reforming the electoral count and other voting right legislation. Elias, an avid CNN watcher, flattered the network with misleading numbers during the segment.

CNN’s Jim Acosta didn’t correct a false claim by Democratic lawyer Marc Elias. (CNN screenshot )

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"I’m an optimist about this because I think that if everyone stands up in their town square, you know, you have a great town square," Elias told Acosta. "You’re broadcasting to millions and millions of people." 

However CNN, which recently dispatched its chief media critic to New York City schools to warn against the dangers of misinformation, has struggled to attract a primetime audience during the Biden era. 

Acosta’s special on Monday managed only 511,000 viewers, a far cry from the "millions and millions" that Elias claimed were tuning in. The previous week, when Brianna Keilar filled in at 9 p.m. and hosted a special also titled, "Democracy in Peril," CNN averaged only 555,000 average viewers. The network went extended periods of 2021 failing to reach even one million average viewers and settled for an average audience of only 783,000 last year. 

Acosta, who declared Monday he still had "marks on my back" from his time covering former-President trump, was unable to correct Elias' misinformation, as he didn't know the size of his audience in real time.

Jim Acosta’s CNN special on Monday managed only 511,000 viewers. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

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During the same time period that Acosta managed only 511,00 viewers on Monday, Fox News Channel's "Hannity" drew nearly three million and MSNBC’s "The Rachel Maddow Show" attracted 2.4 million. 

Monday’s edition of "Democracy in Peril" on CNN had a smaller audience than repeats of "Friends," "The Andy Griffith Show," "Everybody Loves Raymond," and other programs such as History’s "Ancient Aliens," Investigation Discovery’s Web of Lies," Bravo’s "Summer House" and ESPN’s "SportsCenter AM." 

Elias has represented Democratic organizations in several cases in which they challenged election laws in several states ahead of 2020's election. Elias also drew notoriety for his involvement with the Democratic Nationla Committee and Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign and his role in hiring research firm Fusion GPS, who in turn hired former British spy Christopher Steele to conduct opposition research that produced the now-discredited dossier on alleged Trump collusion with Russia. 

Attorney Marc Elias before the hearing for his lawsuit against Arizona over voting rights. Elias was the general counsel for the Hillary Clinton campaign. (Photo by David Jolkovski for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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Elias has given grand jury testimony in the John Durham investigation into the origins of the sprawling Russia investigation. Acosta, whose network devoted thousands of hours to the probe that directly concerned democracy and the 2016 election, didn't ask Elias about his testimony.

Fox News’ Ronn Blitzer contributed to this report.