CNN was the No. 2 cable news network in total day viewers and the key A25-54 demo. While Fox News remains out of reach, CNN has now beaten MSNBC for 10 consecutive months in total day among both categories, in addition to the prime time demo. CNN has now topped MSNBC in the demo weeknights from 7pm-11pmET for nine straight months.
The ratings for April 2015:
- Primetime (Mon-Sun): 489,000 Total Viewers / 176,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 399,000 Total Viewers / 130,000K A25-54
CNN is down -5% in total day viewers and down -3 percent in the demo vs. April 2014 when the network continued to give heavy coverage of the missing Malaysia Airlines plane. CNN was also down in prime time: down -8 percent in viewers and down -10% in the demo. CNN dayside is up +3% in the demo compared to last year.
The last time CNN had a longer streak of beating MSNBC in both viewers and the demo was in 2008. While
CNN is beating MSNBC in most categories, prime time total viewers is the one exception. CNN ranks below MSNBC, and lower-tier channels such as OWN and VH1, in primetime viewers.
See CNN’s full release below:
CNN RANKS #2 IN RATINGS FOR 10TH STRAIGHT MONTH,
#1 DURING WEEKEND TOTAL DAY AND PRIME
Tops MSNBC at 7p, 8p, 9p and 10p Hours in Demo for 9th Consecutive Month
New Day Tops Morning Joe for 10th Consecutive Month
CNN Original Series Momentum Continues
CNN ranked #2 in cable news in April, easily topping MSNBC in Total Day among both total viewers and adults 25-54, and M-Su and M-F primetime in the demo 25-54. The network has now beaten MSNBC for 10 straight months in Total Day among both total viewers and the demo, and in M-Su/M-F prime (demo), which is the longest streak across these dayparts and demos in over seven years (since February 2008). CNN also topped MSNBC across the M-F 7p, 8p, 9p and 10p hours in the demo 25-54 for the 9th consecutive month. This month, CNN dayside (9a-4p) grew vs. a year ago – increasing +3% in the demo, while MSNBC lost -39% of its daytime audience. The network’s D.C.-based and Sunday morning programming all ranked #2 in April; while CNN ranked #1 in both weekend Total Day and weekend Prime among the demo 25-54. CNN Original Series continued its ratings momentum this month.
CNN tops MSNBC:
- Total Day among total viewers (400k vs. MSNBC’s 312k) and in the demo 25-54 (130k vs. MSNBC’s 82k).
- M-Su Primetime in the demo 25-54 (178k vs. MSNBC’s 124k).
- M-F Primetime in the key demo rating (171k vs. MSNBC’s 117k).
- Dayside (9a-4p) in both total viewers (466k vs. MSNBC’s 230k) and the demo 25-54 rating (122k vs. MSNBC’s 43k).
- CNN ranked #1 in both Weekend Total Day (138k vs. MSNBC’s 114k and Fox News’ 136k) and Weekend Primetime (195k vs. MSNBC’s 144k and Fox’s 150k) in the demo and topped MSNBC in total viewers (Weekend Total Day – 424k vs. MSNBC’s 281k; Weekend Prime – 545k vs. MSNBC’s 344k).
- CNN Original Series premieres ranked #1 on Sundays and #2 weekdays among 25-54.
CNN Program Highlights:
- CNN’s New Day (6-9am) beat Morning Joe for the 10th straight month among 25-54 (107k vs. MSNBC’s 78k), the longest streak since its debut in June 2013. Fox News’ Fox and Friends averaged its lowest weekday morning’s performance in over 13 years (since August 2001) among the demo 25-54 rating.
- The Lead with Jake Tapper (4pm) ranked #2 in cable news at 4pm, easily topping MSNBC in both total viewers (484k vs. MSNBC’s 305k) and the demo 25-54 (132k vs. 46k). The Lead was also up 14% this month, while MSNBC’s Now with Alex Wagner lost -47% of its audience in the demo.
- The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (5-7pm) ranked #2 in cable news in the demo (157k) ahead of MSNBC by +134% (67k) and up +9% vs. year ago, while MSNBC was down by -54%.
- Erin Burnett Outfront (7pm) easily beat MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews in the demo (165k vs. 120k). Hardball was down the most in cable news at 7pm, decreasing -30% in the demo.
- Anderson Cooper 360 (8pm) ranked #2 in cable news, topping MSNBC’s All in with Chris Hayes in both the demo (179k vs. 102k) and total viewers (554k vs. 552k). All In, which debuted in April 2013, is registering its lowest month demo 25-54 delivery on record and MSNBC’s lowest 8pm hour since July 2004.
- CNN programming at 9pm ranked #2 in the demo rating (180k) this month, with MSNBC’s flagship primetime program The Rachel Maddow Show ranking #3 (136k). This month represents Maddow’s lowest monthly demo 25-54 delivery on record. While CNN was up 1% in the demo this month, Maddow lost -40% of her audience from a year ago.
- CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (10pm) topped MSNBC in the demo this month (163k vs. MSNBC’s 115k). MSNBC had the largest cable news audience decline at 10p from a year ago, down -26%.
- Smerconish ranked #2 in total viewers (461k) and the demo (126k) at 9am on Saturday mornings.
- CNN Newsroom with Poppy Harlow ranked #1 on Saturdays during the 3-6pm hours in the demo 25-54.
- Fareed Zakaria GPS ranked #2 in both total viewers and the demo 25-54 at 10am and 1pm. GPS grew among the demo, in both hours vs. a year ago.
- Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter ranked #2 this month in both total viewers (466k) and among 25-54 (137k) at 11am. RS increased +16% in total viewers and +1% in the demo vs. last year.
- The premiere of Weed 3: The Marijuana Revolution reported by Dr. Sanjay Gupta ranked #1 in the demo (310k) across cable news in its time period, outperforming the combined delivery of Fox News (206k) and MSNBC (98k). It was up from Live to Live+3 viewing by +8% in the demo (310k vs. 288k).
CNN Original Series Highlights:
- Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown Season 5 premiere (Korea; Sun 4/26/15, 9p-10p) delivered 301k among adults 25-54 and 572k in total viewers among Live+SD.
o Korea was the 2nd highest-rated Parts Unknown season premiere episode to-date among 25-54 (after the Punjab Season 3 premiere).
o Across cable news in its time period, ranked #1 in 25-54 and #2 in total viewers.
o Ahead of both MSNBC (+66%; 181k) and Fox News (+77%; 170k) by double-digit percentages among 25-54. Beat MSNBC (384k) by +49% in total viewers.
- Mike Rowe’s Somebody’s Gotta Do It has averaged 288k among 25-54 and 651k in total viewers over its three Thursday 9-10p premieres to-date (4/9-4/23/15) in Season 2.
o Across cable news in its time period, ranks #2 in 25-54.
o Beats MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show by +77% among 25-54 (163k).
o Up from Live to Most Current viewing by +49% among the demo (288k vs. 193k) and +41% in total viewers (651k vs. 462k).
o Above the prior-to-launch four Thursday time period average by +64% in 25-54 (176k) and +31% in total viewers (497k), the largest growth among cable news in the hour in both demos.
- High Profits has averaged 252k among 25-54, 527k in total viewers, and 118k 18-34 over its two Sunday 10-11p premieres to-date (4/19-4/26/15) in Season 1.
o Of the 19 CNN Original Series season premieres to-date*, the High Profits series premiere was the 2nd highest-rated in P18-34 (132k) among Live+SD (after the Somebody’s Gotta Do It Season 1 premiere).
o Across cable news in its time period, ranks #1 in both 25-54 and 18-34, and #2 in total viewers.
o Outperforms the combined 18-34 delivery of Fox News (11k) and MSNBC (60k), delivering nearly 11 times FXN’s audience (+973%) and almost twice MSNBC’s audience (+97%).
o Up from Live to Most Current viewing by +22% among demo (252k vs. 206k) and +20% in total viewers (527k vs. 441k).
(*Excludes the 11/14/13 airing of The Sixties: The Assassination of President Kennedy.)
- Finding Jesus: Faith, Fact, Forgery averaged 358k among 25-54 and 1,066m in total viewers over its six Sunday 9p-10p premieres (3/1-4/5/15) in Season 1.
o Ranked #1 across cable news in its time period among both the demo 25-54 and total viewers, outperforming the combined delivery of Fox News and MSNBC in both demos.
o Every premiere episode of Finding Jesus also ranked #1 across cable news in its time period among both demo and total viewers.
o Up from Live to Live+7 viewing by +37% among 25-54 (358k vs. 262k) and +31% in total viewers (1,066k vs. 813k).
- The Wonder List with Bill Weir averaged 222k among 25-54 and 589k in total viewers over its eight Sunday premieres (3/1-4/12/15) in Season 1.
o Ranked #1 in the demo 25-54 across cable news in its time period, and finished #2 in total viewers.
o Up from Live to Live+7 viewing by +22% among 25-54 (222k vs. 182k) and +21% among total viewers (589k vs. 485k).
Data is a blend of Nielsen Live+SD and the more inclusive Live+3 and final Live+7 data when ava
ilable.