CNN Press Room

CNN Beats MSNBC in Prime Time During 3Q 2019 in Demo 25-54

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CNN ALSO OUTPERFORMS MSNBC IN TOTAL DAY, DAYSIDE AND WEEKENDS

 Ranks as a Top 10 Network in All of Cable for 13th Straight Quarter

In September, CNN Surpasses MSNBC in Total Day, Dayside and Weekends in Key Demo 25-54

 

CNN surpassed MSNBC across all day parts including prime time, total day, dayside and on weekends, in the key demo adults 25-54 during the 3Q that ended on Sunday. During prime time (weekday M-F, 8-11pm), CNN beat MSNBC (317k vs. 294k) as well as during M-Su prime time with 278k vs. 235k among adults 25-54.  This is the first time that CNN has topped MSNBC in prime time (both M-F/M-Su) during a quarter since the inauguration (1Q 2017). This is CNN’s third most-watched 3Q M-Su prime time since 2008 among total viewers (behind 2016 and 2017), and third-highest since 2005 during M-F prime time.

 

In total day, CNN also easily outperformed MSNBC in the key demo adults 25-54 (150k vs. MSNBC’s 129k) this quarter. CNN has now topped MSNBC for 21 of 22 quarters, the longest quarterly streak since 2Q 2010. During dayside (9am-4pm), CNN dominated MSNBC for the 28th straight quarter in the coveted demographic adults 25-54 (138k vs. MSNBC’s 111k).

 

CNN also topped MSNBC on weekends in total day and prime time among both total viewers and adults 25-54 this quarter.  In weekend total day, CNN averaged 536k vs. MSNBC’s 519k in total viewers and 127k vs. MSNBC’s 80k among adults 25-54.  In weekend prime time, CNN posted 669k vs. MSNBC’s 650k among total viewers and 182k vs. MSNBC’s 89k in 25-54.

 

Among ALL cable networks, CNN ranked #7 in total viewers in total day this quarter.  This marks the 13th straight quarter and longest quarterly streak in over 22 years (since 4Q 1995) that CNN is a Top 10 cable network among total viewers in total day. In M-F prime time, CNN ranked #6 in total viewers.  All three cable news networks are down this quarter vs. a year ago.

 

Third Quarter News Programming Highlights:

 

Every CNN dayside (9am-4pm) program easily surpassed MSNBC during the third quarter, posting higher demo 25-54 audiences including:  CNN Newsroom with Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto (9-11am), At This Hour with Kate Bolduan (11am), Inside Politics with John King (weekday noon), CNN Right Now with Brianna Keilar (1pm) and CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin (2-4pm). On weekday mornings, Early Start with Christine Romans and Dave Briggs (4-6am) also topped MSNBC this quarter.

On Saturdays, CNN bested MNSBC for 22 out of 24 hours including key programs:  New Day Sat (6-9am), Smerconish (9am), CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield (noon-3pm), CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera (3-6pm), S.E. Cupp Unfiltered (6pm) and The Axe Files with David Axelrod (7pm). The Van Jones Show (7pm) was #1 in cable news in the demo 25-54 with 123k, Fox followed with 109k and MSNBC averaged 77k.

On Sundays, New Day Sun (7am), Inside Politics with John King (8am), State of the Union with Jake Tapper (9am and noon), Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter (11am), Fareed Zakaria GPS (10am and 1pm), CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield (2pm and 4pm), and CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera (5-8pm), all ranked #2 in cable news in their respective time periods, ahead of MSNBC among adults 25-54 this quarter.  CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield was #1 in cable news at 3pm, as was CNN Original Series programming from 9pm-midnight.  CNN also topped MSNBC for 24 out of 24 hours on Sundays in the demo adults 25-54.

 

Third Quarter Original Series and CNN Films Highlights:

Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Weed 5: The CBD Craze (9/29/19, Sun 8-9pm) ranked #1 in cable news in the key demo 25-54 (185k) and among younger viewers 18-34 (22k). The Gupta-led special outperformed both MSNBC and Fox by triple-digits in the demo 25-54 (+281% & +116% respectively), in its time period. Versus the prior four Sundays, Weed 5 posted double-digit growth among 25-54 (+56%) and total viewers (+20%).

 

On Sunday (9/29/19), the Season 3 premiere episode of CNN’s Original Series Declassified: Untold Stories of American Spies (Tracking Terror: The 9/11 Subway Plot, 9-10pm), ranked #2 in the key demo 25-54 (130k) and among total viewers (573k). Declassified surpassed MSNBC in its time period among both 25-54 (+29%) and total viewers (+5%).

 

The Season 6 premiere of This is Life with Lisa Ling (Porn Ed, 9/29/19, Sun 10-11pm) delivered 150k among adults 25-54 and 581k among total viewers, ranking #2 in cable news among both demos, ahead of MSNBC. Versus the prior four Sunday time period average, the premiere episode of CNN’s Original Series This is Life was up in the demo 25-54 by +21%, up in total viewers by +36% and up in younger viewers 18-34 by +11%.

 

CNN’s Original Series The Movies (7/7/19-8/18/19, Sun 9-11pm) averaged 364k viewers among adults 25-54, 1.095 million in total viewers and 67k in younger viewers (18-34) across its six premiere episodes this season this quarter. CNN’s Original Series ranked #1 in cable news in the key demo adults 25-54 and 18-34 and #2 in total viewers in its time period, topping MSNBC.  The Movies was up versus the prior four Sunday’s time period average, posting the largest growth in cable news across all three demos: 25-54 (+92%), total viewers (+55%), and 18-34 (+116%). CNN’s The Movies ranked #3 among the Top 10 non-fiction Historical series in all of cable among adults 25-54 year-to-date.

 

CNN Films: Halston (8/25/19, Sun 9p-11p) delivered 151k among adults 25-54 and 677k in total viewers, outperforming Fox by +11% in the demo 25-54 and MSNBC by double digits among both 25-54 (+99%) and total viewers (+33%).

 

September Monthly Highlights:

 

Among all cable networks, CNN ranked #6 this month in total day among total viewers in September, marking the 20th consecutive month that CNN is a Top 10 cable network. In weekday prime time (M-F 8-11pm), CNN ranked #6 in all of cable in total viewers.  All cable news nets were down vs. a year ago September, which included SCOTUS nominee Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford testifying to Congress, Sen. John McCain’s funeral and Hurricane Florence.

Median Age:  For the third quarter and month of September, CNN attracted an audience that is two years younger than Fox News and three years younger than MSNBC in total day. In prime, CNN was three years younger than Fox and four years younger than MSNBC. MSNBC is tracking at its oldest yearly median age on record in both dayparts.

Cable News TV Reach:  CNN continues to reach the largest cumulative TV audience (among both total viewers and adults 25-54) of any cable news network 2019-to-date making this the 18th consecutive year on record for the network.

Multiplatform Reach**:  2019-to-date, CNN reaches more people than any other cable news brand across TV and digital and reaches more people ages 25-54 than any other news brand across TV and digital.

Out of Home Lift:  CNN is averaging a +14% lift (or +20k) in Total Day among P25-54 with OOH viewers, CNN’s highest monthly percent lift so far and the largest net lift since September 2017. The network ranks #2 for OOH viewers gained (+20k) among all reportable OOH networks.

Digital Lift: CNN Digital viewing added a 2.3% lift to CNN’s Total Day average audience in 3Q-19 and September 2019, among total viewers.

 

 

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