Fox News dominates as CNN hits weekly viewership lows not seen in nearly a decade
CNN’s lineup has failed to resonate with Americans
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News Channel dominated basic cable last week while CNN had its worst performance in critical categories in nearly a decade.
Fox News averaged 1.4 million total day viewers to top all of basic cable during the week of March 6, topping MSNBC and CNN combined. Fox News also topped all networks during the primetime hours of 8-11 p.m., averaging 2.2 million, compared to 1.1 million for MSNBC and a dismal 442,000 for CNN.
While Fox News topped MSNBC and CNN combined across the board, the latter had a historically rough week.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News averaged 1.4 million total day viewers to top all of basic cable during the week of March 6, topping MSNBC and CNN combined. (Fox News)
CNN had its smallest weekday total day audience among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54 since June 2014 for nearly a 10-year low. The network only managed 81,000 average demo viewers as CNN programming fails to resonate with Americans.
CNN continued to flounder on weekdays during primetime, averaging only 95,000 demo viewers for its smallest audience in the key category since May 2014. CNN’s dreaded 9 p.m. ET hour, which has been vacant since Chris Cuomo was shown the door in late 2021, had its tiniest audience since May 2014 and the fourth lowest-rated week in 23 years.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNN'S JILL BIDEN PRIMETIME SPECIAL FLOPS, SHEDS NEARLY HALF OF NETWORK'S TIME SLOT AVERAGE
CNN had its smallest weekday total audience among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54 since June 2014. (Screenshot/CNN/CNNThisMorning)
CNN finished No. 33 among basic cable options in the primetime demo, with smaller audiences than an assortment of networks including Lifetime, E!, Big Ten Network, Adult Swim, Reelz, TV Land, BET, MTV, Comedy Central, A&E and ESPN2.
CNN’s heavily promoted 9 p.m. ET special with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Thursday managed only 364,000 total viewers and 89,000 among the demo to finish as the network’s lowest-rated town hall in the time slot since at least 1997.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNN’S DON LEMON-CENTERED MORNING SHOW SUFFERS STEADY VIEWERSHIP DECLINE THROUGH THREE MONTHS
CNN’s "Jill Biden Abroad," featured an interview CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz. (Screenshot/CNN)
On Monday at 9 p.m., the CNN special, branded "Jill Biden Abroad," featured the first lady sitting down with CNN White House correspondent Arlette Saenz that shed a staggering 43% of viewers of CNN’s average 2023 9 p.m. ET viewership.
After the dismal weekly turnout, CNN is on pace to have its lowest-rated quarter among the primetime demo in over 30 years since 1991.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}All data courtesy of Nielsen Media Research.