By the end of the week CNN’s “New Day” will have had interviews with the Duke of Cambridge, the King of Social Media and the President of the United States. Still, the new morning show is struggling to draw viewers interested in what it’s offering.
“New Day” set viewership lows Monday, with 61,000 demo viewers and 216,000 total viewers. On Tuesday, the show dropped further in the demo, to 59,000 but ticked up in total viewers with an average of 257,000. By Wednesday, the show drew 102,000 younger viewers and 314,000 total viewers. Up, but still off -12% and -10%, respectively, from their quarter-to-date average.
Monday’s show included Prince William’s first in-depth interview about being a new father. On Wednesday, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was the big get talking about Internet.org. On Friday, Chris Cuomo sits down with Pres. Obama.
August can be the cruelest month in TV as viewers simply aren’t tuned in. The hope is, when the kids go back to school and Summer vacations are over, viewers will return. In fact, the four cable news morning shows, “Fox & Friends,” MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” “New Day” and “Morning Express” on HLN, all slid Wednesday from their averages.
As for CNN, it’s still early. The show is only two months old. It’s a non-national election year. It’s been a quiet hurricane season. The broadcast shows are growing, (or at least not losing as much as they had been). Mobile is eating TV’s lunch breakfast. There are many places to point the finger. It’s not for lack of trying on CNN’s part. The effort is there. Viewers just need to see it. Right now, they’re not.