CNN IS NO. 1 IN CABLE NEWS DURING SOTU AND PRIMETIME LAST NIGHT IN DEMO

FOX NEWS HAS LOWEST SOTU PERFORMANCE SINCE 2000; MSNBC WORST IN 8 YEARS 

CNN is the Only Cable News Network to Grow from Last Year’s SOTU; Up +40% 

Fox News is Down -29% in the Demo and -25% in Total Viewers vs. 2014; MSNBC is Down Significantly in the Demo

According to Nielsen Fast National Data, CNN/U.S. was No. #1 in cable news during the State of the Union Address and primetime last night in the all-important key demo 25-54.

During the State of the Union Address, CNN averaged 1.068 million in the key demo, Fox News followed with 856k and MSNBC trailed with 482k.  (In total viewers CNN had 2.64 million, Fox posted 3.52m and MSNBC had 2.01m.)

This represents Fox News’ lowest SOTU performance in the key demo 25-54 since 2000 (56k) and worst in total viewers since 2001 (2.27m). This is MSNBC’s worst SOTU in eight years in the demo (since 2006) (311k) and lowest among total viewers since 2008 (1.18m).

Compared to last year’s State of the Union (2014), CNN was the only cable network to grow, increasing an impressive +40% in the demo (1.068m vs. 762k) and+27% in total viewers (2.64 million vs. 2.08m).  Fox News was down -29% in the demo (856k vs. 1.198m) and off -25% in total viewers (3.52m vs. 4.72m).  MSNBC declined significantly in the key demo down by -36% (482k vs. 753k) and was off -12% in total viewers (2.01m vs. 2.30m).

In primetime (8-11pm), CNN was also top-rated last night among 25-54 with 789k, Fox News followed with 762k and MSNBC was behind with 404k.

CNN/U.S. coverage was simulcast around the world last night, reaching millions more viewers via CNN International.

Nielsen continues to be on a delayed schedule, National Data for last night will be released by tomorrow.

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