CNN was second in total day and third in primetime for the third quarter of 2013, topping MSNBC in total day for the second straight quarter. From “New Day” through primetime, all of CNN’s weekday programs are up compared to the year-ago quarter.
The ratings for Q3 2013 (Nielsen Live + Same Day data):
- Primetime (Mon-Sun): 542,000 Total Viewers / 179,000 A25-54
- Total Day (Mon-Sun): 422,000 Total Viewers / 136,000 A25-54
Compared to the year-ago quarter, CNN is up in total day and down in primetime: the network grew +9% in total viewers and +14% in the demo in total day and declined -12% and -5%, respectively, in primetime. It should be noted that the year-ago quarter was a busy news cycle, with the September 11 attack in Benghazi and the run-up to the 2012 election.
“New Day” ranked third for the quarter but was the only cable news morning show to grow compared to Q3 2012, up +29% in total viewers and +15% in the A25-54 demographic.
CNN’s dayside programing (9am-5pm) was up +18% in total viewers and up +29% in A25-54 viewers compared to the year-ago quarter. In the early evening, both “The Lead with Jake Tapper” and “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” ranked second in their respective timeslots. Both Tapper’s program and Blitzer’s program were up double digits in the A25-54 demo, +23% and +22%, respectively. “Erin Burnett OutFront” also grew year-over-year, up +5% in total viewers and +15% in the demo.
CNN’s primetime programs are also up across the board. “AC 360” ranked second in the 8pmET timeslot, growing +16% in total viewers and +22% in the A25-54 demo. “Piers Morgan Live” was up +1% and +7%, respectively.
More from CNN below.
CNN TOPS MSNBC FOR SECOND STRAIGHT QUARTER IN TOTAL DAY IN BOTH VIEWERS AND ADULTS 25-54 DEMO RATING; FIRST TIME IN 2 YEARS
“New Day” is Up Double Digits; “Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown” is #1 in its Time Period
EVERY CNN WEEKDAY PROGRAM IS UP VS. A YEAR AGO; FXNC AND MSNBC ARE DOWN DOUBLE-DIGITS
CNN Digital up across the board on all metrics and platforms in Q3
THIRD QUARTER 2013
CNN topped MSNBC for the second straight quarter in total day in both total viewers and adults 25-54 demo rating for the first time in two years (since Q2 and Q3 2011). CNN also grew this quarter among both total viewers and adults 25-54 rating in total day (M-Su 6a-6a) vs. a year ago, while FXNC and MSNBC posted double-digit-declines in both measures. From New Day through every hour in primetime, all of CNN’s weekday shows are up this quarter compared to a year ago, while MSNBC and FXNC continued to shed viewers.
Total Day (6a-6a):
- CNN: 422k total viewers (up +9% from a year ago) / 136k A25-54 (up +15% from a year ago)
- MSNBC: 377k total viewers (down -27%) / 131k A25-54 (down -26%)
- FXNC: 1.025 total viewers (down -11%) / 209k A25-54 (down -22%)
Dayside (9a-5p):
- CNN: 522k total viewers (up +18% from a year ago) / 148k A25-54 (up +29% from a year ago)
- MSNBC: 341k total viewers (down -28%) / 96k A25-54 (down -26%)
- FXNC: 1.104m (down -12%) / 203k A25-54 (down -23%)
M-F, M-Su Primetime (8-11p):
- All of CNN’s primetime programs are up this quarter vs. 3Q 2012, while all MSNBC and FXNC weekday shows are down. Overall primetime averages (8-11p) are down across all three networks due to special election coverage a year ago (DNC and RNC conventions), although CNN is down the least.
MSNBC got a significant boost this quarter by the strong performance of the network’s doc series “MSNBC Investigates” (Lock Up) and “MSNBC Specials (Caught on Camera). Without those, MSNBC drops to #4 in total day in the key demo – from 131k to 113k.
CNN programs showed substantial gains this quarter – highlights include:
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin (5-6a) ranked #2 in the time period, while growing double digits from a year ago in both total viewers (+28%) and in the demo rating (+31%). MSNBC’s First Look/Way Too Early is down -17% and Fox & Friends First is off -16% in the 25-54 demo.
New Day (6-9a) continued to see substantial gains compared to CNN programming a year ago and is the only cable news program in the time period to post year-over-year growth in both demos – growing +29% in total viewers (303k vs. 235k) and +15% in the demo rating (107k vs. 93k) this quarter. MSNBC’s Morning Joe lost -14% of its audience (397k vs. 463k) and is off -20% in the demo rating (132k vs. 166k). FXNC’s Fox and Friends also lost viewers this quarter, decreasing -3% in total viewers and -22% in the demo.
CNN Newsroom (9a-4p) CNN easily topped MSNBC this quarter, placing second among total viewers (520k vs. 436k) and in the demo (148k vs. 115k). CNN also had double-digit growth in total viewers and A25-54 (+19%/+29%) this quarter vs. a year ago – growing each hour — while MSNBC (-28%/-27%) and FXNC (-13%/-23%) were down.
The Lead with Jake Tapper was #2 in the time period among cable news this quarter, topping MSNBC in both total viewers (535k vs. 497k) and in the demo rating (147k vs. 120k). Tapper’s show increased +8% in total viewers and +23% in the demo compared to a year ago; MSNBC and FXNC both lost viewers this quarter at 4p.
Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer at 5p also was the #2 show on cable news in the time period among A25-54, topping MSNBC (149k vs. 130k). The show increased +22% in the demo compared to a year ago; MSNBC and FXNC both lost viewers this quarter at 5p.
With just several weeks on the air, CNN Crossfire launch to date (September 9-27) was down far less than the competition -13% (127k vs. 146k) vs. a year ago which was a tremendously busy news cycle that included the run-up to the Presidential election. MSNBC lost almost half its audience during the 6:30-7p time period, decreasing -48% (141k vs. 269k) and FXNC lost -28% (320k vs. 443k) among adults 25-54 rating.
Erin Burnett Outfront at 7p also grew this quarter vs. a year ago – increasing +5% in total viewers (450k vs. 430k) and +15% in the demo (147k vs. 125k), while MSNBC’s Hardball was down -29% in total viewers and -30% among 25-54. FXNC was off -22% and -32%, respectively.
AC 360 at 8p was the #2 show on cable news in the time period, topping MSNBC’s All in with Chris Hayes in both total viewers (603k vs. 586k) and in the demo rating (185k vs. 164k). AC 360 grew this quarter compared to a year ago, increasing +16% in total viewers (603k vs. 518k) and +22% in the demo (185k vs. 152k); while MSNBC lost a notable amount of viewership during this time period. Hayes was down -41% in total viewers (586k vs. 991k) and lost more than one-third of the audience in the demo (down -35%, 164k vs. 252k) vs. last year. On FXNC, O’Reilly was down -10%/-26%, respectively. Anderson Cooper was the top-rated CNN weekday program among total viewers this quarter.
Piers Morgan Live at 9p also saw increases vs. a year ago – growing +1% in total viewers (562k vs. 554k) and +7% in the demo rating (165k vs. 154k). Both MSNBC and FXNC shed a substantial amount of viewers at 9p with The Rachel Maddow Show declining -37% in total viewers (759k vs. 1.196m) and -40% in the demo (220k vs. 365k) and Hannity was off -29% in total viewers and -35% among 25-54.
AC 360 Later at 10p launch to date (September 9-27) is up +6% vs. prior four weeks in total viewers (489k vs. 460k) and up +11% among 25-54 (168k vs. 151k). The program registered the largest A25-54 increase vs. prior four of the competition. CNN’s 10p hour with Anderson Cooper was the highest rated on the network among adults 25-54 this quarter (188k).
Season two of Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown premiered this quarter (9-15-13) and ranked #1 in cable news at 9p among adults 25-54 – including the first episode (Jerusalem 274k on 9/15/13), second episode (Spain, 231k on 9/22/13) and the third (New Mexico 244k on 9/29/13).
CNN Sunday shows also saw substantial gains this quarter compared to a year ago, especially among the key 25-54 demo rating — State of the Union with Candy Crowley ranked #2 at 9a and increased +36%; Fareed Zakaria: GPS at 10a also ranked second and up +54% and Reliable Sources grew +18%.
SEPTEMBER, 2013
Due to the heightened cable news cycle last September that included the RNC and DNC Presidential Conventions and the 9/11 attack in Benghazi, Libya, weekday programs on all three cable news networks (FXNC, MSNBC and CNN) were mostly down in September, with MSNBC losing the most viewers. There were some exceptions with New Day, CNN Newsroom, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer and Erin Burnett Outfront all showing growth in A25-54 vs. a year ago.
CNN DIGITAL
Up double digits over the same period last year, Q3 of 2013 resulted in growth for CNN.com across all key metrics:
• 1.4 billion average monthly page views, up 13% from Q3 2012
• 97 mm average monthly uniques, up 7% from Q3 2012
• 95 mm average monthly video starts, up 16% from Q3 2012
CNN’s US mobile website had 1 billion page views in Q3, up 59% from Q3 2012, and 22 million video starts, nearly 16 times higher than Q3 2012.
The quarter’s top story “Plane crash-lands in San Francisco” earned 21 million page views and the top video (a CNN Exclusive) was “Video shows plane’s moment of impact” and had more than 3 million starts.
Source: Adobe Reports & Analytics for CNN.com through 9/29. Bango Analytics for Mobile Web 7/1 – 7/31, Adobe Reports & Analytics for Mobile Web 8/1 – 9/29. Note: In-article video play was implemented on mobile web on February 7th, 2013, resulting in an increase in video plays.
CNNPolitics.com recorded its highest day of the year for page views (nearly 8 million) on Sept. 30, which was more than two times Inauguration Day 2013.
Source: Adobe Reports & Analytics through 9/30.
Social referrals for Q3 2013 have doubled since Q3 2012.
Source: Adobe Reports & Analytics, July 2013-September 2013 vs. July 2012-September 2012.
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