CNN Beats MSNBC for 49th Straight Month in July
CNN Has Third-Best July Weekday Prime Time in 23 Years
Cuomo Prime Time is CNN’s Highest-Rated News Program in July;
Cuomo Delivers the Network’s Second-Highest 9pm July Viewership in 21 Years Among 25-54
Erin Burnett Outfront and Anderson Cooper 360 Post Higher Audiences than MSNBC among Adults 25-54
CNN Tonight with Don Lemon Only 10pm Cable News Program to Grow in the Demo
CNN Ranks as a Top 10 Network in All of Cable for Seventh Straight Month
CNN once again surpassed MSNBC in total day, daytime and on weekends this month among adults 25-54. The network also had its third-best weekday prime time in 23 years.
In total day, CNN has now topped MSNBC for 49 straight months in the key demographic 25-54 (193k vs. 178k), the longest monthly streak since January 2010. During dayside, CNN dominated MSNBC for a record breaking 53 straight months in the coveted demographic adults 25-54 in July (189k vs. MSNBC’s 156k). All of CNN’s daytime programs (9am-4pm) posted higher 25-54 audiences than MSNBC.
July is CNN’s third-best weekday prime time in 23 years (since 1995, only behind 2016, 2009) among adults 25-54 (332k) and in 24 years (since 1994, also following 2016, 2009) among total viewers (1 million). CNN prime time is also up +4% vs. last year (332k vs. 318k), while MSNBC prime time is down -20% (393k vs. 492k) among 25-54.
Cuomo Prime Time, which premiered just last month, was the #1 news program on CNN and is up + 17% among adults 25-54 and +16% in total viewers vs. a year ago. Cuomo delivered the network’s second-highest 9pm July ratings in 21 years (since 1997, after 2009) among adults 25-54. In total viewers, the program attracted 1.147 million viewers, the network’s highest 9pm July ratings in nine years (since 2009).
CNN also beat MSNBC on weekends in total day among adults 25-54 (170k vs. 108k) and total viewers (566k vs. 527k). And in weekend prime time, CNN outperformed MSNBC in the key demo 25-54 (224k vs. 114k) and total viewers (652k vs. 599k). CNN topped MSNBC for 22 out of 24 hours on Saturday and all 24 hours on Sunday.
Other key July news program highlights:
- New Day with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman (6-9am) had its third-highest July among both 25-54 and total viewers (following 2017 and 2016).
- The Lead with Jake Tapper (4pm) ranked #2 in cable news with 216k, topping MSNBC among adults 25-54 (213k). This is The Lead’s third highest July (after 2017 and 2016) in both 25-54 (216k) and total viewers (834k).
- The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer ranked #2 in cable news this month, easily topping MSNBC at both 5pm (238k vs. MSNBC’s 207k) and at 6pm (245k vs. MSNBC’s 234k) among adults 25-54. This is the third-highest July on record for the Sit Room at 6pm among adults 25-54.
- Erin Burnett Outfront (7pm) ranked #2 in cable news among adults 25-54 outperforming MSNBC’s Hardball (286k vs. 263k) for the second straight month. The Burnett-led program has now beat Hardball for eight of the past 12 months. This is EBOF’s third-highest July on record among both the demo 25-54 (286k) and total viewers (861k) and the overall network’s third-highest 7pm July performance since 1995 in both demos.
- Anderson Cooper 360 (8pm) beat MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes for the first time since October 2017 in the key demo adults 25-54 (324k vs. MSNBC’s 302k) this month. This is AC 360’s third-highest July on record among both the demo 25-54 and total viewers, and the network’s third highest July (8pm) performance in 23 years (since 1995) among 25-54 and 24 years among total viewers (since 1994).
- Cuomo Prime Time (9pm) which launched just last month in June, was CNN’s #1 news program in both adults 25-54 (380k) and total viewers (1.147 million) this month. The Cuomo-led program was up vs. last July, increasing +17% in the key demo and growing +16% in total viewers; while MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show was down -21%/-6% respectively. Cuomo delivered CNN’s second-highest 9pm July viewership in 21 years (since 1997) among 25-54 and highest in total viewers in nine years (since 2009).
- CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (10pm) was the only cable news program to grow in the 10pm time period among 25-54 (+5%, MSNBC is down -26%, Fox News -2%). The Lemon-led program had its highest July on record among total viewers (1.078 million) and second highest July among the demo 25-54 (356k). This was also the overall network’s second highest 10pm July performance on record among total viewers (behind only 2009).
Other CNN programs such as CNN Newsroom with Poppy Harlow (9-11am), At This Hour with Kate Bolduan (11am), Inside Politics with John King (noon), Wolf (1pm), CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin (2-4pm), Smerconish (Sat. 9am/6pm), New Day (Sat/Sun) CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield (Sat/Sun), The Van Jones Show/The Axe Files with David Axelrod (Sat. 7pm) all easily surpassed MSNBC this month, posting higher demo 25-54 audiences. CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera (Sat/Sun, 3p-6p) ranked #1 in cable news this month among the 25-54 demo (168k), easily topping Fox News (160k) and MSNBC (102k).
On Sunday mornings, Inside Politics with John King (8am) State of the Union with Jake Tapper (9am), Fareed Zakaria GPS (10am) and Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter (11am) all ranked #2 in cable news in their respective time periods, ahead of MSNBC by double-digits among adults 25-54. The 12pm noon edition of State of the Union ranked #1 in cable news among adults 25-54 with 240k, Fox News followed with 220k and MSNBC had 128k.
CNN Original Series continued to post strong ratings during the month of July:
- The 2000s averaged 355k among 25-54 and 861k in total viewers across the four Sunday premiere episodes this season (7/8-7/29/18). The series ranks #1 among 25-54 and #2 in total viewers in cable news, easily outperforming MSNBC in the time period by triple digits among 25-54 (+213%; 113k), and Fox New by double digits (+82%; 195k). The 2000s is ahead of MSNBC by double digits among total viewers (+73%; 498k). The CNN Original Series is #1 among 25-54 and 18-34 in cable news within its time period across every episode so far this season. So far in 2018, CNN’s The 2000s is ranking among the top 10 historical non-fiction series in All of Cable among 25-54.
- History of Comedy (Season 2) delivered 318k adults 25-54 and 876k total viewers across the three Sunday premiere episodes this season (7/15-7/29/18). Across cable news in its time period, HOC ranks #1 among 25-54 and #2 in total viewers. The series outperforms MSNBC in the time period by triple digits among 25-54 (+156%; 124k), and double digits among total viewers (+56%; 561k). The show ranks #1 among 25-54 and 18-34 in cable news within its time period across every episode so far this season. Among the top 20 programs in all of cable, History of Comedy ranks #19 in its time period among total viewers.
- United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell (Season 3) which concluded its eight-episode run this month, averaged 346k in the key demo 25-54 and 866k in total viewers across the full season (Sunday premieres: 4/29-7/1/18). Across cable news in its time period, United Shades ranked #1 among 25-54 and #2 in total viewers. The Kamau Bell-led Original Series topped MSNBC in the hour by triple digits among 25-54 (+195%; 117k), and by double digits among total viewers (+53%; 565k). Versus the prior four Sun 10p-11p time period average, the program posted double-digit growth in 25-54 (+32%) and 18-34 (+40%).
All of Cable:
Among ALL cable networks, CNN ranked #9 in total viewers during Monday-Friday prime time and #10 in total day in July.
Median Age:
Year-to-date, CNN attracts an audience that is five years younger than Fox News and MSNBC in total day. In prime time, CNN is six years younger than Fox News and MSNBC. MSNBC is tracking at its oldest yearly median age on record in total day (tied with 2017).
Out-of-Home Viewing:
2018-to-date in total day, CNN averaged a +5% lift with Out-of-Home 25-54 viewers. Among ALL reportable Out-of-Home cable networks, CNN ranked #3 with 25-54 viewers gained (+11k), behind only ESPN (+23k) and TNT (+15k).
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