CNN, with as many as six town halls and debates, continued to see a campaign 2016 ratings boost in the just-completed second quarter. The network was up a whopping +71 percent in prime time viewers and up +46 percent in total day viewers, vs. Q2 2015. CNN grew its demo by +60 percent in prime time and +36 in total day.
CNN, the No. 2 cable news network ahead of MSNBC, trailed dominant Fox News by just 12 percent in the A25-54 demo in total day, the smallest quarterly deficit since 2008. In prime time, the gap was even closer as CNN finished 9 percent behind Fox News.
Below are the network’s average live+ same day impressions for Q2 2016 (Nielsen data):
- Prime time (Mon-Sun): 960,000 total viewers / 312,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 628,000 total viewers / 188,000 A25-54
Anderson Cooper 360 and CNN Tonight with Don Lemon both finished in the Top 10 of most-watched cable news programs in the A25-54 demo for Q2. Cooper (No. 8 overall) was up +50 percent in total viewers and up +37 percent in the A25-54 demo, while Lemon (No. 10 overall) was up +44 percent in viewers and up +27 percent in the demo.
CNN’s dayside programming (9am-4pm) all ranked No. 2 for the quarter and was up +33 percent in viewers and up +24 percent in the demo vs. Q1 2016. The Lead with Jake Tapper (at 4pm) grew +47 percent in total viewers and was up +35 percent in the A25-54 demo. Erin Burnett Outfront (at 7pm) was up +41 percent in viewers and up +27 percent in the demo.
Here’s more in CNN’s release:
CNN STRONG #2 in Q2, CONTINUES TO CLOSE GAP WITH FOX
Posts Double-Digit Growth in Each Key Daypart, Every Weekday Program
Dominates MSNBC in Total Day, Prime and Dayside
#1 on Weekends
CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin, The Lead with Jake Tapper, State of the Union with Jake Tapper and Fareed Zakaria GPS All Rank #1 in June
CNN was the number-two rated cable news network for the second quarter of 2016, which ended Sunday. CNN finished a strong number two among total viewers and adults 25-54 in both total day and prime time. It was the ninth consecutive quarter that CNN has finished in second place in total day among both demos and in prime time among adults 25-54, once again far ahead of third place MSNBC.
CNN continues to narrow the gap with Fox News. Among adults 25-54 in prime time in the second quarter, CNN finished just 9% behind Fox News (324k vs 358k). That is the fourth smallest quarterly deficit on record. And among adults 25-54 in total day, CNN finished 12% behind Fox News (190k vs 217k), the smallest quarterly deficit since 2008.
This quarter, CNN had double-digit growth across every key daypart and every weekday program compared to last year. Among the Top 40 cable networks vs. a year ago in total day, CNN is posting the second largest growth in both adults 25-54 and total viewers.
CNN’s dayside programming (9am-4pm) had a significant advantage over MSNBC this quarter: +35% more total viewers and a +61% advantage among adults 25-54 — also growing double-digits compared to a year ago.
CNN beat Fox News and MSNBC to rank #1 in cable news on weekends in both total day and prime among adults 25-54 during the second quarter 2016. Most CNN Original Series ranked either #1 or #2 in cable news this quarter in their respective time periods.
CNN SECOND QUARTER PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:
Mornings, Afternoons:
• CNN’S New Day (6-9am) grew this quarter compared to last year, increasing +36% in total viewers and +23% among adults 25-54. The program ranked #2 at 8am, topping MSNBC’s Morning Joe (144k vs. 142k). New Day, which launched in late 2Q-13, is averaging its second best quarterly total viewer delivery on record (after 1Q-16) and second highest network time period delivery since 2Q-09.
• CNN dayside programming (9am-4pm) all ranked #2 this quarter, with CNN posting a 35% advantage in the daypart over MSNBC in total viewers (646k vs. MSNBC’s 480k) and +61% more among adults 25-54 (161k vs. 100k). CNN dayside grew vs. last quarter, increasing +33%/+24% respectively.
• The Lead with Jake Tapper (4pm) ranked #2 in cable news this quarter, topping MSNBC in both total viewers (780k vs. MSNBC’s 542k) and the demo 25-54 (193k vs. 106k). The Lead grew +47% in total viewers and + 35% among adults 25-54 compared to the second quarter last year.
• The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (5-7pm) also had a very strong quarter, easily topping MSNBC in both total viewers (795k vs. MSNBC’s 621k) and the demo (212k vs. MSNBC’s 124k). The Blitzer-led program was also up +47% in total viewers and up +23% in the demo 25-54 vs. a year ago.Prime time:
• CNN outperformed MSNBC across the M-F 7pm, 8pm and 10pm hours among adults 25-54 for the eighth consecutive quarter.
• Erin Burnett Outfront (7pm): For the eighth straight quarter, Outfront beat MSNBC’s Hardball in the demo (237k vs. 195k). EBOF also grew among total viewers, (+41%) and the demo 25-54 (+27%) from 2Q 2015. This was CNN’s third highest demo delivery since 1Q-09 in the 7p hour.
• Anderson Cooper 360 (8pm) ranked #2 in cable news, easily topping MSNBC’s All in with Chris Hayes in the demo (281k vs. 221k). CNN has now topped MSNBC for the ninth straight quarter. AC 360 was up +50% in total viewers and +37% among adults 25-54 vs. second quarter a year ago.
• CNN programming at 9pm had its highest quarterly adults 25-54 delivery since 3Q 2009. Also this quarter, CNN at 9pm was up +56% in total viewers and +40% among adults 25-54 since a year ago.
• CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (10pm) ranked #2 in cable news at 10pm among adults 25-54, with CNN now posting its ninth consecutive quarterly win over MSNBC among adults 25-54 (262k vs. MSNBC’s 242k). The Lemon-led show was also up +44% among total viewers and +27% in the demo 25-54.Saturdays:
• New Day Saturday ranked #2 each hour in total viewers and at 6am and 8am among adults 25-54; growing double-digits each hour vs. last year. MSNBC ranked either 3rd or 4th.
• Smerconish ranked #2 on Saturday mornings at 9am, increasing +28% in total viewers (679k) and +20% among adults 25-54 (175k) compared to last year. Smerconish at 6pm ranked #1 in the demo 25-54 (157k) and was up +49%/+43% respectively.
• CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield ranked #1 in cable news from noon-3pm this quarter among adults 25-54, growing each hour compared to a year ago. MSNBC ranked #4 among adults 25-54.
• CNN Newsroom with Poppy Harlow ranked #1 during the 3-6pm hours in the demo 25-54; also growing each hour vs. a year ago.Sundays:
• Inside Politics with John King ranked #2 on Sundays at 8:30am easily topping MSNBC in total viewers (675k vs. MSNBC’s 372k) and adults 25-54 (190k vs. 94k). The program was also up in the high double digits (+45%/+46%) versus second quarter a year ago.
• State of the Union with Jake Tapper ranked #2 on Sundays at 9am, increasing +62% in total viewers (738k) and +72% among adults 25-54 (211k) vs. 2Q-15. SOTU ranked #1 at noon in the key demo 25-54, averaging 257k, up a whopping +86% vs. last year. The Tapper-led program ranked #2 in total viewers (927k) at noon, increasing +74% compared to last year.
• Fareed Zakaria GPS (10am) ranked #2 in total viewers (830k, up +52%) and among the demo adults 25-54 (208k, up +48%). At 1pm, GPS was #1 in the demo, averaging 178k, up +47% from last year. The program was #2 in total viewers (734k), growing +46% from last year.
• Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter (11am) ranked #2 — increasing +54% among total viewers (738k) and growing the most in cable news during this time period, +51% among adults 25-54 (199k).CNN SECOND QUARTER ORIGINAL SERIES HIGHLIGHTS:
United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell’s first season was a #1 hit across cable news in both total viewers and demo (25-54) in its time period. Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown ranked #1 in its time period among adults 25-54, outperforming the combined delivery of Fox News and MSNBC. Race for the White House had some of the most-watched CNN Original Series telecasts ever in total viewers, adults 25-54 and 18-34, ranking #1 in its time period in each demo and outperforming the combined delivery of Fox News and MSNBC. The Eighties ranked #1 among adults 25-54 in its time period, tracking above The Sixties and Seventies in both total viewers and the demo. The Wonder List with Bill Weir also ranked #1 across cable news in its time period in the demo, outpacing its Season 1 average among total viewers. Recently returning series The Hunt with John Walsh and CNN’s newest Original Series Declassified: Untold Stories of American Spies ranked #2 in both total viewers and adults 25-54 in their respective time periods so far this quarter. Most CNN Original Series attract the youngest audience in cable news throughout their time periods.END OF MONTH, JUNE 2016:
• CNN is the #2 network in total day, growing +49% in total viewers and +44% among adults 25-54 in June.
• CNN ranked #2 in M-Su prime time (up +40%) and M-F prime (up +55%) among adults 25-54.
• Tops MSNBC for the 24th straight month in total day among total viewers and 25-54, and in M-Su prime (25-54)
• Tops MSNBC at 7pm, 8pm and 10pm for the 24th straight month among adults 25-54
• Tops MSNBC dayside by wide margins, growing +45%/+31% versus year-ago.
• Among Top 40 cable nets posts the second largest total day growth among both 25-54 and total viewers.
• Network grows double-digits across all key dayparts and weekday shows.
• Cut monthly gap with Fox News in total day demo to its fourth narrowest on record (-7%) and fourth smallest since 2009 in M-Su prime (-17%)
• CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin (2-4pm) and The Lead with Jake Tapper (4pm) rank #1, beating Fox News among adults 25-54, weekdays.
• Smerconish (6pm) is #1 among adults 25-54 on Saturdays.
• State of the Union with Jake Tapper (noon) and Fareed Zakaria GPS (1pm) rank #1 among adults 25-54, Sundays.
• Ranks #1 in weekends in total day and prime time among adults 25-54.