CNN BEATS MSNBC IN TOTAL DAY, DAYSIDE
GROWS DOUBLE DIGITS OVER LAST YEAR
ALL WEEKDAY PRIME TIME SHOWS ARE UP
AC 360 +24%, CNN at 9pm +18%, CNN Tonight +36%
New Day Overtakes MSNBC’s Morning Joe (Again)
CNN Ranks Top 10 in ALL of Cable for Third Straight Month; Longest Streak in 15 Years
April was a strong month for CNN, with the network growing double digits from last year’s busy election year. This month, CNN was up in Total Day and dayside and all weekday prime time shows grew vs. a year ago. CNN also posted the 5th largest growth in ALL of cable in Total Day (25-54).
CNN once again dominated MSNBC in Total Day (M-Su 6a-6a) — now for 34 straight months among adults 25-54 (253k vs. 188k) — the longest monthly streak since January 2010. CNN also beat MSNBC by wide margins throughout daytime programming, averaging a +71% advantage in the key demo (236k vs. 138k) and +7% more in total viewers (804k vs. 750k). CNN has now topped MSNBC during the daytime for 38 straight months among 25-54 and for 54 consecutive months in total viewers.
CNN’s New Day overtook MSNBC’s Morning Joe (227k vs. 212k) for the fourth time in a row (and fifth time in the last six months) among 25-54. April is New Day’s fourth highest demo delivery on record.
Among ALL cable networks, CNN was #9 in total day among total viewers this month. This marks the third straight month that CNN ranked as a Top 10 cable network in total day among total viewers, the longest streak in 15 years.
(Of note, for context when comparing prime time daypart to last year, the network had 5 CNN-specific Debates and Town Halls (including the Brooklyn Democratic candidates’ debate) that drew record high viewership. However, all of CNN weekday prime time programs are up vs. last year.)
Year-to-date, CNN attracts an audience that is five years younger than Fox News and MSNBC in total day, and seven years younger than Fox News and five years younger than MSNBC in prime time.
Year-to-date, CNN is on track to have its second-best year on record in Total Day among both 25-54 and total viewers.
April Program Highlights and Growth:
Morning/Dayside
- Early Start with Christine Romans and Dave Briggs (4-6am) ranked #1 across cable news in the demo and grew +54% among adults 25-54 and 28% in total viewers vs. a year ago.
- New Day with Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota (6-9am) beat MSNBC’s Morning Joe (227k vs. 212k) for the fourth straight month, and five of the past six. This is New Day’s fourth highest monthly performance on record among adults 25-54 (227k) and fifth highest on record among total viewers (624k). New Day grew an impressive +68% in the demo and +42% in total viewers vs. last year.
- CNN dayside (9a-4p) programs all ranked #2 among adults 25-54 in cable news in April with CNN posting a +71% lead in the demo (236k vs. 138k) and a +7% advantage over MSNBC in total viewers (804k vs. 750k). MSNBC ranked #3. CNN dayside programming also grew double digits from last year, up +47% in the adults 25-54 demo and +28% among total viewers. CNN has now topped MSNBC for 38 straight months in adults 25-54 and for 54 consecutive months in total viewers.
Late Afternoons
- The Lead with Jake Tapper (4pm) The program ranked #2 in cable news, easily topping MSNBC in both adults 25-54 (276k vs. 143k) and total viewers (969k vs. 766k). The Tapper-led show grew an impressive +42% in the key demo 25-54 and +28% among total viewers compared to last year’s election year. MSNBC ranked a distant third in both demos.
- The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (5-7pm) ranked #2 in cable news besting MSNBC in both 25-54 (324k vs. 181k) and total viewers (1.026m vs 944k). The Situation Room increased +50% in the demo and +31% in total viewers compared to April 2016. During the 6pm hour, The Situation Room easily topped For the Record with Greta Van Susteren in both the demo (348k vs. 178k) and total viewers (1.025m vs. 880k).
Evening/Prime Time
- CNN beat MSNBC during the M-F evening/prime time hours at 7pm, 8pm in the key demo 25-54 for the 34th straight month. All CNN shows have significant growth in prime time compared to last year.
- Erin Burnett Outfront (7pm) beat MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews (360k vs. 313k) by +15%. The Burnett-led program has now topped Matthews for the 34th straight month, the longest streak on record for the 7pm hour. EBOF also grew double digits from last year’s political season, increasing +43% in the demo 25-54 and +23% in total viewers.
- Anderson Cooper 360 (8pm) ranked #2 in cable news in the demo (386k), beating MSNBC’s Chris Hayes (366k). AC 360 was the highest-rated show on CNN in prime time, averaging 1.123 million total viewers. The Cooper-led program grew +24% in the key demo 25-54 and +12% in total viewers compared to last year. CNN has now topped MSNBC in the demo for the 34th consecutive month at 8pm, the longest streak since January 2006.
- CNN programming at 9p delivered 397k among adults 25-54 and 1.078m in total viewers. CNN’s 9pm programming was up +18% among adults 25-54 and +15% in total viewers vs. election year last year.
- CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (10pm) averaged 387k among 25-54, increasing +36% — the most in CNN prime time. The Lemon-led posted 1.008 million total viewers, up +20% from a year ago. At 11pm, CNN Tonight easily beat The 11th Hour with Brian Williams in the key demo (357k vs. 330k); growing +33% vs. last year in the demo and +17% in total viewers.
Saturdays
- New Day Saturday (6-9a) ranked #2 in cable news among adults 25-54 and total viewers. The show also grew double digits each hour in both the demo and total viewers vs. a year ago. MSNBC was either 3rd or 4th.
- Smerconish (9am) ranked #2 in the demo 25-54 (291k vs. MSNBC’s 144k) and among total viewers (890k vs. MSNBC’s 698k). The program was up +56% in the key demo and +31% among total viewers vs. a year ago. At 6pm, Smerconish also ranked #1 in the demo (229k), increasing an impressive +68% from last year. MSNBC ranked third.
- CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield (11am-3:00pm) ranked either #1 or #2 each hour in the demo, growing double digits vs. a year ago. MSNBC was 3rd.
- CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera (3-6pm) either ranked #1 or #2 in cable news each hour among adults 25-54, growing double digits compared to April 2016.
Sundays
- Inside Politics with John King (8am) ranked #2 in both adults 25-54 (256k) and total viewers (831k). MSNBC ranked 4rd/3th respectively. The King-led program grew +41% among adults 25-54 and +34% in total viewers from last year.
- State of the Union with Jake Tapper (9am) ranked #2 in cable news in both adults 25-54 (300k) and total viewers (914k). The program grew +46% in the demo 25-54 and +32% in total viewers compared to the busy election year last year. The Tapper-led program was also #2 in both demos at noon, growing +29%/+19% respectively. MSNBC was a distant third at both 9am and noon.
- Fareed Zakaria GPS beat MSNBC at 10am in the key demo 25-54 (293k vs. 180k) and in total viewers (1.067m vs. 723k), ranking #2 in cable news. The Zakaria-led show was up +51% in the demo and +32% in total viewers compared to April 2016. At 1pm, GPS was also #2 in both demos, increasing +34%/+22% respectively. MSNBC trailed by wide margins at both 10am and 1pm.
- Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter (11am) averaged 282k in adults 25-54 and 937k among total viewers, ranking #2 and easily topping MSNBC in both demos. Compared to last year, the Stelter-led media program was up +36% in the demo and +25% in total viewers.
- CNN Newsroom on Sunday afternoons ranked either #1 or #2 in the demo, growing double digits vs. last year.
Original Series and CNN Films Highlights:
- Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown (season nine) premiered at #1 in cable news at 9pm with 368k among 25-54 and ranked #2 in total viewers, topping MSNBC by +201%.
- United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell (season two) debuted as #1 in cable news at 10pm, with 345k among adults 25-54 and #2 in total viewers, beating MSNBC by +183%.
- Finding Jesus: Faith, Fact, Forgery averaged 320k among 25-54 and 973k in total viewers over its six Sunday 9p premiere episodes in Season 2 (3/5-4/9/17). The series ranked #1 in cable news across its time period in the demo and #2 in total viewers. It also more than doubled MSNBC in the hour in total viewers (+167%; 364k).
- Believer with Reza Aslan averaged 324k among 25-54 and 869k in total viewers over its six Sunday 10p premiere episodes in Season 1 (3/5-4/9/17). Believer was also #1 in cable news in its time period (25-54) and ranked #2 in total viewers.
- Soundtracks: Songs That Defined History has averaged 288k among 25-54 and 873k in total viewers, Season 1 to-date (4/20-4/27/17).
- The premiere of CNN Films: Unseen Enemy (Fri 4/7/17, 10p-11:43p) delivered 286k 25-54 and 754k total viewers.
Last Year’s April CNN-specific Debates and Town Halls:
- CNN Wisconsin GOP Town Hall (Tue 3/29/16, 8p-11p)
- New York Kasich Town Hall (Mon 4/11/16, 9p-10p)
- New York Trump Town Hall (Tue 4/12/16, 9p-10:05p)
- New York Cruz Town Hall (Wed 4/13/16, 9p-10:11p)
- CNN Brooklyn, New York Democratic Candidates Primary Debate (Thu 4/14/16, 9p-11:09p)
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