CNN Press Room

CNN TOPS MSNBC IN TOTAL DAY, DAYSIDE IN MAY

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CNN WEEKDAY PRIME TIME WAY UP, +48% VS. LAST YEAR

Anderson Cooper 360 Beats MSNBC; Grows +92%

CNN Tonight with Don Lemon Grows +90%

Erin Burnett Outfront #1 

The Lead with Jake Tapper #1 

Early Start #1 

State of the Union with Jake Tapper #1  

Fareed Zakaria GPS #1 

Smerconish #1 

New Day Grows the Most in Cable News in the Morning, Up +101%

CNN Ranks Top 10 in ALL of Cable for Fourth Straight Month; Longest Streak in over 21 Years 

CNN once again dominated MSNBC in Total Day and daytime, and several key programs ranked #1, topping both Fox News and MSNBC this month.  CNN outperformed MSNBC in Total Day for 35 straight months in the key demographic 25-54 (275k vs. 222k), the longest monthly streak since January 2010.  CNN also beat MSNBC by wide margins throughout daytime programming, averaging a +54% advantage in the key demo (254k vs. 165k).  The network also beat MSNBC during the day among total viewers (881k vs. 853k). CNN has now topped MSNBC during the daytime for 39 straight months among 25-54 and for 55 consecutive months in total viewers.

CNN showed tremendous growth this month throughout all dayparts and programs vs. last year. During weekday prime time, CNN grew +48% among adults 25-54 (456k vs. 308k) and +32% in total viewers (1.273 million vs. 963k).  In M-F prime, CNN is posting the second largest growth in ALL of cable among adults 25-54.  All of CNN prime time programs were way up this month, with Anderson Cooper 360 increasing +92%, CNN programming at 9pm (Cooper) up +63% and CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (10pm) growing +90% among adults 25-54.  This month, AC 360 beat MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes and Erin Burnett Outfront ranked #1 beating both Fox News and MSNBC’s Hardball in the demo.

CNN narrowed the gap with Fox News to its third smallest since October 2008 in Total Day and second smallest since January 2009 in prime time among adults 25-54.  Fox News’ new programming lineup struggled this month, losing total viewers compared to last year.   The Fox News Specialists (5pm) is down -9%; Tucker Carlson Tonight (8pm) decreased -7% and The Five (9pm) is off -2% vs. a year ago.  Both CNN and MSNBC grew in the high double digits or increased triple digits during these time periods.

Among ALL cable networks, CNN was #6 in total day and #10 in prime time among total viewers this month.  This marks the fourth straight month that CNN ranked as a Top 10 cable network in total day among total viewers, the longest streak in over 21 years.

Of note, both MSNBC and Fox News’ audience skews much older than CNN’s as shown by the number of total viewers they attract vs. the key demographic adults 25-54.  Year-to-date, CNN’s median age in Total Day is 60 years, Fox News and MSNBC are both 65.   In prime time, CNN is 59 years, MSNBC is 64 years and Fox News has the oldest skewing audience at 66 years.   CNN is tracking at its youngest yearly median age since 2008 in Total Day, while MSNBC is at its oldest on record.

May Program Highlights and Growth:

Morning/Dayside

Late Afternoons

Evening/Prime Time

Saturdays

 Sundays

Original Series Highlights:

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