For April 2014, CNN rose to number two in total day viewers, and placed second in the total day and primetime demo category for the second consecutive month. The network remained in third place in primetime total viewers behind MSNBC.
The ratings for April 2014 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):
- Primetime (Mon-Sun): 532,000 Total Viewers / 191,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 420,000 Total Viewers / (134,000 A25-54
Compared to the same month last year, CNN is down double digits across the board:-34% in viewers and -41% in the demo for total day and -42% in both primetime measurements. All of the big three cable news networks are down compared to the same time period last year, when the networks covered the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing.
In primetime, “Anderson Cooper 360″ was down -46% in total viewers and -49% in the A25-54 demographic compared to April 2013. “Outfront with Erin Burnett” was down -47% in total viewers and -49% in demo viewers. Both programs ranked #2 in the primetime demo.
CNN’s morning show, “New Day” ranked as the #2 morning show in both total and demo viewers.
CNN’s press release after the jump.
This month, CNN is the #2 cable news network topping MSNBC in total day and M-Su/M-F primetime among P25-54 and has now pulled ahead of MSNBC for the year in total day among total viewers. As CNN moved past MSNBC for its second consecutive month, MSNBC posted its lowest total day delivery since May 2007 in the demo. In addition, CNN’s New Day topped MSNBC’s Morning Joe in the demo for five out of the last six weeks. In April, CNN was #1 in weekend primetime (demo) while FOX News ranked #4. All the cable news networks are down in April vs. a year ago due to the Boston Marathon bombings and manhunt.
CNN’s Original Series posted strong ratings performances this month, with Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown ranking #1 in its time period while Morgan Spurlock Inside Man grew double-digits from last season’s average. CNN’s Chicagoland series average was up vs. prior programming and ranked #2 in its time period ahead of MSNBC.
In total day (M-Su 6a-6a), CNN ranked #2 among adults 25-54 and total viewers with a +20% lead over MSNBC in the demo (134k vs. MSNBC’s 112k) and a +18% advantage among total viewers (421k vs. MSNBC’s 358k). April represents MSNBC’s lowest total day demo delivery since May 2007 (106k). CNN also ranked #2 in weekday primetime (M-F 8-11p) in the key demo 25-54 – averaging 196k – a +11% lead over MSNBC’s 176k. In M-Su primetime, CNN also placed second for the second straight month with 199k vs. MSNBC’s 176k in the demo rating.
CNN Program Highlights for April, 2014
CNN’s New Day (6-9a) bested MSNBC’s Morning Joe this month in both total viewers (364k vs. MSNBC’s 337k) and in the key demo (119k vs. 105k). New Day posted its longest weekly winning streak over Morning Joe, outperforming the MSNBC program for five of the last six weeks. MSNBC’s demo performance this month (105k) is the program’s lowest since January 2010 (100k).
Erin Burnett Outfront ranked #2 in the key demo, topping MSNBC’s Hardball for the second consecutive month (186k vs. 171k).
AC 360 at 8p ranked #2 in the demo 25-54, topping MSNBC’s All In with Chis Hayes by +37% in the demo 25-54 (220k vs. MSNBC’s 161k). AC 360 is the highest-rated weekday show on CNN this month.
CNN’s weekday Washington-based programming saw rating highlights as well — with The Lead with Jake Tapper placing second in both the demo (116k) and total viewers (478k) and The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer at 5pm topping MSNBC’s The Ed Show in the key demo adults 25-54 (144k vs. 135k).
CNN Newsroom (9am-4pm) easily topped MSNBC again this month – with a +66% lead over MSNBC in the demo (118k vs. MSNBC’s 71k) and a +71% advantage among total viewers (461k vs. MSNBC’s 270k).
CNN’s weekend programming has seen ratings success this month with the network ranking #1 in weekend primetime (S/S 8-11p) in the key demo (205k), with MSNBC following with 173k and Fox News trailing with 136k. In addition, CNN now ranks #1 all Sunday afternoon and into the evening (4-11p) in the key demo 25-54.
On Saturday morning, CNN’s new program Smerconish ranked #2 in the ratings in both total viewers (546k) and the demo (132k), topping MSNBC’s Up with Steve Kornacki by +44% in total viewers (378k) and +42% in the demo (93k). On Sunday mornings, Inside Politics, State of the Union with Candy Crowley (SOTU), Fareed Zakaria GPS and Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter all topped MSNBC ranking #2 in their time periods in total viewers. Fareed Zakaria GPS, Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter and SOTU (noon) also ranked #2 in the key demo 25-54 rating.
CNN’s Original Series Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown is #1 in his time period (9p Sundays season three average-to-date) registering 377k in the demo rating, MSNBC followed with 152k and Fox News has 119k. Morgan Spurlock Inside Man (10p Sundays season two average-to-date) grew double digits from last season’s average (229k vs. 197k), up +16%. CNN’s multi-part series Chicagoland ended in April averaging 238k in the key demo (launch-to-date 3/6-4/24), increasing 111% vs. the four weeks prior to the series (113k). The series average also ranked #2 in its time period.
CNN Digital shows powerful performance across all platforms
April marked the second month in a row of record page views for CNN Mobile, with 1.1 B global page views, making March (1.6 B) and April the two highest months of all time.
CNN Digital also did well across all of its global platforms in page views with 2.8 B, 6% higher than the average for the past year and in the top 5 of all time.
April was also in the top 5 for video starts of all time with 194 mm globally.
(Sources: Adobe Reports & Analytics and Bango Analytics; April 1-April 27, 2014; mobile includes web browsers and applications).
CNN is the number one news organization on social media, with 43 Twitter million followers and 26 million Facebook fans. CNN’s Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown Season 3 premiere was the most tweeted about show in cable news on 4/13/2014 with 5k tweets.