CNN STRONG #2 IN MAY, UP DOUBLE-DIGITS ACROSS THE BOARD

CNN Beats MSNBC in Total Day and Prime Time, Again

Ranks #1 in Cable News on Weekends

Newest CNN Original Series United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell is #1 Hit

CNN’s 2016 momentum continued again in May, with yet another solid month for the network. CNN finished a strong #2 in every cable news daypart in May: total day viewership and demos and prime time total viewers and demos. CNN’s viewership was up more than +30% in total day and more than +50% in prime time compared to a year ago. Among the Top 40 cable networks, compared to a year ago, CNN is posting the second largest growth in prime in both total viewers and the 25-54 demo.

For the month, CNN again beat MSNBC in total day and prime time by huge margins. In the key demo of adults 25-54, CNN beat MSNBC by 39% in total day and 40% in prime time.

CNN has now beaten MSNBC for 23 consecutive months in total viewers and adults 25-54 in total day. In prime time, CNN has now outperformed MSNBC for six straight months in total viewers and for 23 consecutive months among adults 25-54.

For the year among adults 25-54, CNN has narrowed the gap with Fox News to its smallest margin since 2008 in total day, and is enjoying its biggest advantage over MSNBC in 11 years (since 2005) in M-Su prime.

CNN’s dayside programming (9am-4pm) had a significant advantage over MSNBC in May, also growing double-digits vs. last year.

CNN beat Fox News and MSNBC to rank #1 in cable news on weekends in both total day and prime among adults 25-54 in May.

CNN May 2016 Program Highlights:

• New Day (6-9am) grew vs. a year ago, increasing +24% in total viewers and +6% among adults 25-54.
• CNN dayside weekday programs (9a-4p) all ranked #2, topping MSNBC each hour. In total viewers, CNN had a +34% advantage over MSNBC (593k vs. MSNBC’s 441k) and a +58% lead among adults 25-54 (144k vs. MSNBC’s 91k). CNN also increased +21%/+10% respectively from a year ago during dayside programming.
• The Lead with Jake Tapper (4pm) ranked #2 in cable news, easily topping MSNBC in both total viewers (721k vs. MSNBC’s 489k) and the demo (173k vs. MSNBC’s 97k).  The Lead grew +33% in total viewers and +15% among 25-54 vs. a year ago.
• The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (5-7pm) ranked #2 in cable news besting MSNBC in both total viewers (751k vs. MSNBC’s 576k) and in the demo (205k vs. 118k). Compared to last year, The Situation Room was up in total viewers (+11%) and up among adults 25-54 (+29%).

Prime time:

• CNN beat MSNBC during weekday prime hours at 7pm, 8pm and 10pm in the key demo 25-54 for the 23^rd straight month.  This is the longest streak on record across these three hours in the demo.
• Erin Burnett Outfront (7pm) ranked #2 in the demo (217k), topping MSNBC’s Hardball (179k) by +21%.  EBOF also grew compared to a year ago, increasing +15% in total viewers and +4% in the demo 25-54.
• Anderson Cooper 360 (8pm) topped MSNBC’s Chris Hayes again this month in both total viewers (853k vs. MSNBC’s 845k) and the demo (250k vs. MSNBC’s 202k).  CNN has now topped MSNBC in total viewers for the 8^th straight month and among adults 25-54 for the 23^rd straight month.  The Cooper-led program was also up compared to last year, increasing +26% in total viewers and +6% in among adults 25-54.  AC360 was also the highest-rated CNN primetime news program.
• CNN programming at 9pm was up +36% in total viewers and +16% among adults 25-54 vs. last year.
• CNN Tonight with Don Lemon (10pm) ranked #2 in the demo (232k), topping MSNBC’s 222k.  CNN has now topped MSNBC at 10pm for 23 consecutive months in the important key demo 25-54.  CNN Tonight was up +10% in total viewers vs. last year.

 Saturdays:

• New Day Saturday (6-9am) ranked #2 in cable news each hour in total viewers.  MSNBC was 4^th.
• Smerconish (9am) ranked #2 in total viewers (675k vs. MSNBC’s 381k) and among 25-54 (165k vs. MSNBC’s 93k), growing +32%/+9% vs. year-ago respectively.  Smerconish at 6pm was #1 in cable news in the demo 25-54 (161k), Fox News followed with 148k and MSNBC trailed with 55k.  The program was also up +56% in total viewers and +61% in the demo.
• CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield ranked #1 at 12noon, 1pm and 2pm among 25-54.  The show was up double-digits every hour vs. a year ago.

Sundays:

• Inside Politics with John King (8am) ranked #2 in cable news vs. MSNBC’s Politics Nation in both total viewers (636k vs. MSNBC’s 364k) and the demo (171k vs. MSNBC’s 100k).  The program grew +39% in total viewers and +27% in the demo from last year.
• State of the Union with Jake Tapper ranked #2 on Sundays at 9am and was #1 at noon in the key demo 25-54.  At 9am SOTU averaged 694k in total viewers and 194k among adults 25-54, growing +55% /+64% respectively.  At noon, SOTU was #1 in the demo with 198k, Fox News followed with 175k and MSNBC had 85k.  The Tapper-led show also grew +51% in total viewers and +46% in the demo vs. last year at noon.
• Fareed Zakaria GPS (10am) ranked #2 in total viewers (810k, up +46%) and in the demo 25-54 (213k, up +43%).  At 1pm, GPS ranked #1 in the demo 25-54 with 172k, Fox News followed with 156k and MSNBC posted 92k.  GPS also grew at 1pm, increasing +43% in total viewers and +47% among adults 25-54.
• Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter (11am) ranked #2 in cable news in total viewers (716k, up +47%) and in the key demo 25-54 (194k, up +44%), more than doubling MSNBC’s delivery among P25-54 (82k). CNN posted the largest year-over-year growth of any cable news program in the 11am hour

CNN Original Series May 2016 Highlights:

• CNN’s newest Original Series United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell is a #1 hit.  Season 1 to-date (4/24-5/29/16, Sundays 10pm) the program is top-rated among adults 25-54, outperforming the combined delivery of Fox News and MSNBC (345k vs. 186k vs. 105k).  In total viewers, United Shades averaged 776k, more than doubling MSNBC’s 301k.  Compared to the prior to launch four Sundays, the program is up a whopping +89% in the demo and +25% among total viewers, and is the only show at that hour to grow in both demos in cable news.  United Shades has also attracted the youngest audience across cable news in its time period.
• The Eighties Season 1 to-date (3/31-5/26/16): Ranks #1 among 25-54 across cable news in its time period.  The program also attracted the youngest audience across cable news in its time period.  Tracking above the season performance of The Seventies and The Sixties among both total viewers and 25-54.
• Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown Season 7 to-date (4/24-5/29/16): Every premiere episode has ranked #1 across cable news in its time period among 25-54, outperforming the combined delivery of Fox News and MSNBC.  Parts Unknown attracts the youngest audience across cable news in its time period.

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