Within the last week, we’ve received press releases from both CNN and MSNBC touting their great ’08s. But while 2008 is winding down, it’s not yet over.
December 28 is the final day of the December ratings month, so we’ll be writing end-of-year ratings posts somewhere around December 30. But for now, after the jump you can see CNN’s release about their “transformational year” in which they “outperformed all broadcast and cable networks on Election Night” and MSNBC’s release about “the fastest growing television network in all of television.” All great successes to be sure, in messages meant to be heard loud and clear before the holidays.
As for FNC — no early release from them, but the network is expected to win total day and prime time in both Total Viewers and the A25-54 demo for the 7th consecutive year.
Click continued to see the CNN and MSNBC releases…
Within the last week, we’ve received press releases from both CNN and MSNBC touting their great ’08s. But while 2008 is winding down, it’s not yet over.
December 28 is the final day of the December ratings month, so we’ll be writing end-of-year ratings posts somewhere around December 30. But for now, after the jump you can see CNN’s release about their “transformational year” in which they “outperformed all broadcast and cable networks on Election Night” and MSNBC’s release about “the fastest growing television network in all of television.” All great successes to be sure, in messages meant to be heard loud and clear before the holidays.
As for FNC — no early release from them, but the network is expected to win total day and prime time in both Total Viewers and the A25-54 demo for the 7th consecutive year.
Click continued to see the CNN and MSNBC releases…
CNN had a transformational year in 2008. The network outperformed all broadcast and cable networks on Election Night, outseated Fox News at 10pm with AC360 winning the time slot among adults 25-54, and achieved the network’s highest primetime ratings in history in both total viewers and the key demo despite growing competition.
In addition, the three new CNN programs launched this year, Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull, Fareed Zakaria GPS and D.L. Hughley Breaks the News, have seen dramatic increases compared to a year ago, and CNN signature programs have set new records with millions of viewers tuning in to Scream Bloody Murder, CNN Heroes, Black in America and Eyewitness to Murder.
Anderson Cooper 360 is the #1 show at 10p Among 25-54
Anderson Cooper 360 is the #1 show at 10p among adults 25-54 year-to-date, as well as in the younger demos 18-49 and 18-34. So far this year, Anderson Cooper 360 has averaged 482,000 among adults 25-54, an increase of 69% compared to a year ago — outranking FNC On the Record’s 444,000 and MSNBC Countdown’s (replay) 290,000. Among younger viewers (18-49), Anderson Cooper 360 tops the competition with 420,000 viewers, FNC/On the Record’s follows with 339,000 and MSNBC trails with 243,000. Among 18-34, Anderson Cooper 360 is also #1 with 141,000 viewers compared to FNC/On the Record’s 94,000 and MSNBC’s 105,000.
CNN Delivers Best M-Su Prime Ever
CNN will make history in 2008 with the network’s highest total viewer and 25-54 demo primetime deliveries in its 28 years. In a landmark year, with strong competition from both broadcast and cable networks, CNN was the #1 destination for election programming and award-winning documentaries.
New Programs
Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull has seen strong gains since the program’s launch (March 2008), increasing total viewership by 62% compared to a year ago and growing 68% among adults 25-54.
Fareed Zakaria GPS has increased its total viewership by 71% compared to a year ago and increased 77% among adults 25-54 since its launch (May 2008).
D.L Hughley Breaks The News has increased its total viewership by 91% since its launch in October 2008 and increased among adults 25-54 by 117% compared to a year ago.
Documentary Programming
Since the election, CNN has aired several major signature programs, including Escape from Jonestown, which won its premiere telecast on Nov 15th among 25-54 viewers, CNN Heroes, an initiative that recognizes those heroes among us reaching nearly 8 million total viewers in its premiere and repeat telecasts. Christiane Amanpour’s two hour documentary on genocide, Scream Bloody Murder reached an impressive cumulative audience of more than 7 million total viewers and the network continued its commitment to long-form, world-wide reporting with Planet in Peril.
Earlier this year, Eyewitness to Murder — The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. was the #1 telecast in its timeslot in total viewers and the demo among cable news networks, while Black in America won its timeslot on July 24th and 25th in both total viewers and the demo.
Election 2008
This year, CNN won more primary debates, primary nights, convention nights, presidential commission debates than any other news network — culminating in a transformational election night win (8-12:30 pm) on Nov 4th, topping all the broadcast (ABC, NBC, CBS) and cable news networks to rank as the most-watched network on television during that time period.
Election Night
CNN was the most-watched network on television from 8-12:30a, topping every other network in total viewers and among 25-54
Election Night ranked as CNN’s highest primetime audience among P2+ and P25-54 in history.
Presidential Commission Debates
CNN was the #1 cable network among 25-54, 18-49 and 18-34 for all three Presidential commission debates
CNN was the most watched network during the commission’s Vice Presidential debate among adults 25-54 and younger viewers, 18-34. CNN had the highest 18-34 telecast on television that day.
Conventions
CNN delivered the #1 program in all of television on the night of Obama’s acceptance speech at the DNC. CNN won every night of the Democratic National Convention among the cable networks.
Primary Nights
CNN was #1 in primetime among total viewers and 25-54 on all major primary nights including Super Tuesday, where CNN outperformed CBS at 10p in total viewers and among all the key demos adults 25-54, P18-49 and P18-34. Also on Super Tuesday, CNN topped ABC and CBS in all of prime time coverage among P18-34 and beat ABC at 10p among P18-49. On June 3, the night of the final primaries, CNN outperformed ABC among total viewers (NBC and CBS did not air coverage).
Primary Debates
CNN aired seven of the top ten Democratic/Republican primary debates in cable history.
CNN’s California Democratic Debate on January 31, 2008 ranked as the #1 cable news primary debate of all time.
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CNN had a transformational year in 2008. The network outperformed all broadcast and cable networks on Election Night, outseated Fox News at 10pm with AC360 winning the time slot among adults 25-54, and achieved the network’s highest primetime ratings in history in both total viewers and the key demo despite growing competition.
In addition, the three new CNN programs launched this year, Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull, Fareed Zakaria GPS and D.L. Hughley Breaks the News, have seen dramatic increases compared to a year ago, and CNN signature programs have set new records with millions of viewers tuning in to Scream Bloody Murder, CNN Heroes, Black in America and Eyewitness to Murder.
Anderson Cooper 360 is the #1 show at 10p Among 25-54
Anderson Cooper 360 is the #1 show at 10p among adults 25-54 year-to-date, as well as in the younger demos 18-49 and 18-34. So far this year, Anderson Cooper 360 has averaged 482,000 among adults 25-54, an increase of 69% compared to a year ago — outranking FNC On the Record’s 444,000 and MSNBC Countdown’s (replay) 290,000. Among younger viewers (18-49), Anderson Cooper 360 tops the competition with 420,000 viewers, FNC/On the Record’s follows with 339,000 and MSNBC trails with 243,000. Among 18-34, Anderson Cooper 360 is also #1 with 141,000 viewers compared to FNC/On the Record’s 94,000 and MSNBC’s 105,000.
CNN Delivers Best M-Su Prime Ever
CNN will make history in 2008 with the network’s highest total viewer and 25-54 demo primetime deliveries in its 28 years. In a landmark year, with strong competition from both broadcast and cable networks, CNN was the #1 destination for election programming and award-winning documentaries.
New Programs
Campbell Brown: No Bias. No Bull has seen strong gains since the program’s launch (March 2008), increasing total viewership by 62% compared to a year ago and growing 68% among adults 25-54.
Fareed Zakaria GPS has increased its total viewership by 71% compared to a year ago and increased 77% among adults 25-54 since its launch (May 2008).
D.L Hughley Breaks The News has increased its total viewership by 91% since its launch in October 2008 and increased among adults 25-54 by 117% compared to a year ago.
Documentary Programming
Since the election, CNN has aired several major signature programs, including Escape from Jonestown, which won its premiere telecast on Nov 15th among 25-54 viewers, CNN Heroes, an initiative that recognizes those heroes among us reaching nearly 8 million total viewers in its premiere and repeat telecasts. Christiane Amanpour’s two hour documentary on genocide, Scream Bloody Murder reached an impressive cumulative audience of more than 7 million total viewers and the network continued its commitment to long-form, world-wide reporting with Planet in Peril.
Earlier this year, Eyewitness to Murder — The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. was the #1 telecast in its timeslot in total viewers and the demo among cable news networks, while Black in America won its timeslot on July 24th and 25th in both total viewers and the demo.
Election 2008
This year, CNN won more primary debates, primary nights, convention nights, presidential commission debates than any other news network — culminating in a transformational election night win (8-12:30 pm) on Nov 4th, topping all the broadcast (ABC, NBC, CBS) and cable news networks to rank as the most-watched network on television during that time period.
Election Night
CNN was the most-watched network on television from 8-12:30a, topping every other network in total viewers and among 25-54
Election Night ranked as CNN’s highest primetime audience among P2+ and P25-54 in history.
Presidential Commission Debates
CNN was the #1 cable network among 25-54, 18-49 and 18-34 for all three Presidential commission debates
CNN was the most watched network during the commission’s Vice Presidential debate among adults 25-54 and younger viewers, 18-34. CNN had the highest 18-34 telecast on television that day.
Conventions
CNN delivered the #1 program in all of television on the night of Obama’s acceptance speech at the DNC. CNN won every night of the Democratic National Convention among the cable networks.
Primary Nights
CNN was #1 in primetime among total viewers and 25-54 on all major primary nights including Super Tuesday, where CNN outperformed CBS at 10p in total viewers and among all the key demos adults 25-54, P18-49 and P18-34. Also on Super Tuesday, CNN topped ABC and CBS in all of prime time coverage among P18-34 and beat ABC at 10p among P18-49. On June 3, the night of the final primaries, CNN outperformed ABC among total viewers (NBC and CBS did not air coverage).
Primary Debates
CNN aired seven of the top ten Democratic/Republican primary debates in cable history.
CNN’s California Democratic Debate on January 31, 2008 ranked as the #1 cable news primary debate of all time.
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MSNBC had its best year ever in 2008 and was the fastest growing television network in all of television, according to Nielsen Media Research data through 12/15/08. “Countdown with Keith
Olbermann” finished 2008 with a huge advantage over CNN at 8 p.m., and was up 85 percent over last year. “The Rachel Maddow Show,” which launched Sept. 8, finishes the year as one of the biggest hits in cable, beating CNN’s “Larry King Live” among A25-54 at 9 p.m. Following are MSNBC ratings highlights for 2008:
MSNBC is the fastest growing network on television in 2008 among
total viewers in total day (up 52 percent), M-Su primetime (up 84 percent)and M-F primetime (up 100 percent).
MSNBC finished 2008 with its best delivery ever in total day among
total viewers (470,000) and A25-54 (189,000) and also in weekday primetime (1,095,000 total viewers; 418,000 A25-54).
“Countdown with Keith Olbermann” maintained its ratings dominance
over CNN in 2008, finishing the year with a huge 39 percent advantage among A25-54 (471,000 vs. 340,000) and a 32 percent lead in total viewers (1,317,000 vs. 995,000). “Countdown” also had its best year ever in 2008, and was up a tremendous 85 percent over 2007 in A25-54 and 80 percent in total viewers.
“The Rachel Maddow Show” proved to be the smash hit of 2008,
finishing the year by beating CNN’s “Larry King Live” at 9 p.m. among A25-54 premiere to date (9/8/08-12/15/08, 620,000 vs. 581,000). “Rachel Maddow” wrapped up 2008 trailing the long-running “Larry King” by only 33,000 total viewers (1,720,000 vs. 1,753,000).
“Hardball with Chris Matthews” also saw its best numbers ever at
both 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in 2008. At 7 p.m., “Hardball” was up a huge 88 percent over 2007 in A25-54 (271,000 vs. 144,000) and up 89 percent in total viewers (804,000 vs. 425,000).
“Morning Joe” hit its stride in 2008, delivering the best numbers
ever for the 6-9 a.m. morning slot on MSNBC in total viewers (385,000) and up 27 percent from 2007. Among A25-54, “Morning Joe” was up 25 percent from 2007 and delivered MSNBC’s best numbers since 2000 (137,000).
MSNBC’s 6 p.m. “Race for the White House/1600 Pennsylvania Avenue”
saw tremendous gains from 2007, up 122 percent in A25-54 (199,000 vs.
90,000) and up 153 percent in total viewers (638,000 vs. 252,000), and delivered MSNBC’s best numbers ever at 6 p.m.
MSNBC’s weekend primetime, featuring the “Doc Block,” averaged
237,000 A25-54, up 37 percent from 2007 and 497,000 total viewers, up 26 percent from last year.
MSNBC Daytime (M-F 9a-5p) is averaging 140,000 A25-54, up 56 percent
over 2007 and its strongest delivery for the daypart since 2001. MSNBC is averaging 387,000 total viewers in the time period, up 56 percent over 2007 and the best delivery for the daypart ever.