Michael Calderone over at Politico has the scoop on CNN's fall from grace these days with cable news viewers. Reporting that "since Obama took office, CNN's prime-time audience had dropped sharply," Calderone gives us the grim details of CNN's struggle to keep it's audience.
The upshot of the story seems to be that CNN is being out liberaled by MSNBC. The hard-left programing of MSNBC seems to be drawing viewers away from CNN with CNN finding itself lately in the unfamiliar role of being considered the "centrist" network. This only shows how far left MSNBC truly is.
CNN is also alarmed that its top anchors, Anderson Cooper and Campbell Brown, are floundering in the ratings.
It's Cooper’s ratings that are the most troubling, say staffers, given the resources and heavy promotion for his show, and persona. For years, Klein has talked up Cooper, once famously dubbing him “the anti-anchor” and, in the aftermath of Katrina, as “a reporter [who’s] got that magical something.
But that magic may be wearing off.
Cooper dropped from 1.4 million viewers in January to 1.06 million in April, according to Nielsen. And that trend will continue in May: Cooper has yet to crack 1 million viewers this month, and even fell as low as a half-million one evening. Also while "360" is ahead of “Countdown,” the Olbermann repeat wins the 25-54 demo about half the time.
Calderone also notes that Campbell Brown's show "No Bias, No Bull" has also seen a steady drop that doesn't seem to be slowing. This makes two of CNN's heaviest hitters, Cooper and Brown, seeing an alarming drop in stats.
In fact, Brown is facing falling numbers even as Fox News' "O'Reilly Factor" and MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" are still gaining viewers.
Sadly, MSNBC's extremely liberal programing has been gaining on CNN.
But in March, MSNBC overtook CNN for the first time in both total prime-time viewers and the 25-54 demographic. CNN narrowly edged MSNBC in total viewers in April, but again lost the demo.
Naturally, Fox News is still ahead of them both in several categories.
Still, CNN does well on special political nights, like election night last year.
Or take election night, when CNN brought in nearly 12.3 million total viewers on, which not only easily beat MSNBC and Fox — with 5.88 and 5.13 million, respectively — combined, but also topped both NBC and CBS.
Calderone has a lot more interesting points in his Politico piece. Do go on over and read it all: CNN fades in prime-time picture.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
QVC has a bigger share
May 31, 2009 - 08:35 ET by obageegeeWhen will these morons learn that liberal netoworks=no audience!
QVCNN
May 31, 2009 - 10:40 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsHey, there's an idea. CNN could sell geegaws and trinkets to boost their ratings! Terrific!
D
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
Anderson Cooper selling his
May 31, 2009 - 12:29 ET by Chris NormanAnderson Cooper selling his line of gourmet tea bags? Campell Brown hawking her "No Bias. No Bull" brand steer manure? Jack Cafferty Whiskey?
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Until Cooper made public his
May 31, 2009 - 18:52 ET by nadadhimmiUntil Cooper made public his intimate knowledge of gay behavior and slang, I had no idea he was queer. I have even less reason to watch the biased asshat now than ever. This will depress his ratings even faster than before. The question is: how long will CNN stand the loss in the name of political correctness? Forever? or just until CNN can rip off child charities as did liberal Air America radio?
You won't watch a news
May 31, 2009 - 18:55 ET by balboaYou won't watch a news personality because they're gay?
(And I thought it was rumored he's gay, not fact.)
→ Ellen Degeneress
May 31, 2009 - 19:09 ET by Cool ArrowI can watch Ellen. She didn't try to imply I was a homosexual because I attended a Tea Party.
Centrist !!
May 31, 2009 - 08:39 ET by pilsenerI am continually rankled by the portrayal of CNN as centrist.
With the exception of Lou Dobbs, CNN is consistently a left-leaning, Democrat promoting, conservative-bashing, politically correct news network.
If they actually wanted to improve their ratings, CNN would get some reporters and anchors to present counter arguments to conventional Washington media spin. The fact that Fox news often outdraws MSNBC & CNN combined seems totally lost on all of the "smart" news people at CNN.
Good Point, but
May 31, 2009 - 12:00 ET by ironchefofmunchiesYou are 100% correct, IF they wanted to improve their ratings they would challenge the spin coming from Washington.
But they don't! That's the whole point.
And unless they put on a skirt and pom-poms like Chris Wallace did, they are going to sink into 3rd place for good.
CNN/FoxNews
May 31, 2009 - 08:41 ET by Texndoc"Klein, who last year trumpeted CNN’s quarterly win over Fox News in prime-time viewers in the 25-54 demographic preferred by advertisers"
What kind of nonsense is that? Who gives a hoot who "advertisers prefer" and ignore maybe hundreds of thousands or more viewers NOT in the "25-54 demographic". I've always read that seniors were THE most reliable voters election after election - imagine deciding an election but tossing their votes out.
And Anderson is bombing because there's a difference between a photo of their dream anchor looking all gray and serious, and then tuning in and actually seeing he's a giggling idiot who looks like he'd rather be covering "Kate and Eight" for that woman's network than news from the Middle East.
The 25-54 demographic
May 31, 2009 - 17:44 ET by StogieGuyThe 25-54 demographic is the primary measuring stick for the sales of spots to advertizers. As you can't make money without them, it is a very important measuring stick within the business. This is why CBS was a runaway ratings leader a couple years back, yet made less money than 2 of the other 3 networks. Their general entertainment programming viewership was relatively old. It still is, but not as heavily skewed. So, it actually is a fairly important statistic.
Thing is....
Fox News manhandles CNN and MSNBC in the 25-54 demo too! Last I heard, FNC had more 25-54 viewers than the other two combined.
So much for the liberal stereotype of FNC being popular in retirement homes and nowhere else. Absolutely false. If anything, that's where Katic Couric shines!
→ Cooper
May 31, 2009 - 08:46 ET by Cool ArrowYou would think the Liberals would be flocking to Anderson Cooper in support of his admission that "It's hard to talk when you're teabagging". (not that there's anything wrong with it)
Could it be the Liberals talk a good talk but think maybe there is something wrong with it?
Looks like your little joke backfired on ya' Anderson. You'll always be that guy who gave us a little "Too much information"
Are you saying Anderson
May 31, 2009 - 09:08 ET by nolotrippenAre you saying Anderson Cooper has been tea bagged?
HAAhahahaHhaAHhaahHahah....(wipes tear)
May 31, 2009 - 09:49 ET by supercon"
And while being “nonpartisan” is something most journalists strive
for — and staffers there stressed that ratings aren’t as important as
remaining committed to quality journalism — there’s also a perception
of being stuck, in one's words, in “the murky middle.”
“We don’t wake up in the morning with an ideological focus the way the
other two clearly do,” the CNN staffer said, in praising the network’s approach.
OMFG...they can't be serious.I thought they were going to break out champagne on election night because they were so damn excited.Oh yeah...."quality journalism". The thing is that their definition of "quality" means toeing the White House line and acting as Obama's PR team. Don't even get me started on the absolute acidic vitriol that they save for their favorite conservative targets. When they were covering the Tea party protests I heard so many hisses I thought I was watching Snakes on a Plane.
Fox has a tilt too obviously but the difference is is that they don't sneer at Democrat politicians on the air like CNN will do for Republicans.
The thing is with CNN is that they start from the premise that conservatives are wrong about everything so that when they need to assess their own performance they are a bunch of liberals asking another bunch of liberals if they are fair and impartial.
It's like a group of pidgeons asking each other if they think they crap on statues too much. "No...I don't think so. What do you think?"
Hey Janet Napolitano...I'm proud to be a Right-winger.
We do need balance
May 31, 2009 - 09:58 ET by slickwillie2001There is a place for a balanced hard news program, that's why I can't miss Brett Baer's World Report at 6pm EST. In these comparisons you have to compare hard news programs to other hard news programs. I know BOR and Hannity are not balanced hard news, they aren't supposed to be. It's more like talk radio televised.
Re Lou Dobbs, I often watch him at 7pm or the rerun at midnight on HLN. He is as close as CNN comes to fair and balanced hard news. He still likes the Bamster, but he doesn't worship the ground he walks on like the homoerotic-style Cooper and the rest of the CNN and old media crew.
Anyone that thinks CNN is centrist or balanced or any word like that needs to answer for their blackout of Tea Party coverage. 650,000 Americans protested in our cities in April, and got less coverage than a dozen of Sheehan's loons on a country road in Texas did.
What About Fox?
May 31, 2009 - 11:05 ET by allanfCABLE NEWS RACE
THU., MARCH 26, 2009
March 26 2009
FOXNEWS O'REILLY 3,420,000
FOXNEWS HANNITY 2,987,000
FOXNEWS BECK 2,374,000
FOXNEWS GRETA 2,160,000
FOXNEWS BAIER 1,940,000
FOXNEWS SHEP 1,888,000
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,322,000
CNNHN GRACE 1,300,000
MSNBC MADDOW 1,208,000
CNN KING 1,144,000
CNN COOPER 1,118,000
and these figures don't cover the rebroadcasts of O'Reilly, Hannity and Greta for the West Coast.
So who can tell me when the
May 31, 2009 - 12:02 ET by ironchefofmunchiesSo who can tell me when the last time a FOX show WASN'T on top of the ratings?
I'll bet it must have been years ago
MSNBC OLBERMANN 1,322,000
May 31, 2009 - 13:06 ET by Conservative VoiceHalf of those are bloggers getting the new Olbermann material.
And let's not forget a very
May 31, 2009 - 11:48 ET by flyingmonkeyAnd let's not forget a very important fact here. CNN is included in the basic package of virtually all satellite and cable companies while other cable news stations are in the upper tiers requiring subscribers to spend more to receive cable news stations such as Fox News Channel. In smaller towns, FNC isn't offered at all. This means that CNN is getting thumped in the ratings even though they have much greater exposure.
This also explains why they do well on special political nights like election night. For most households, which otherwise don't pay attention to politics, CNN is their only options for a cable news network.
As for Anderson Cooper, I knew that teabagging remark would come back to haunt him.
Plus, CNN is
May 31, 2009 - 12:35 ET by Chris NormanPlus, CNN is used torture all conservatives in airports and lobbies throughout the country.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Torture is right. Give me
May 31, 2009 - 13:10 ET by ThisnThatTorture is right. Give me waterboarding any time, instead of CNN.
___________________________________
Liberals constantly demand that we accept a glaring falsehood as truth; Obama's elimination of the word "terror" will make terrorist acts less terrifying
Fox now on Dish basic
May 31, 2009 - 21:07 ET by Spock"And let's not forget a very important fact here. CNN is included in the basic package of virtually all satellite and cable companies while other cable news stations are in the upper tiers requiring subscribers to spend more to receive cable news stations such as Fox News Channel. In smaller towns, FNC isn't offered at all. This means that CNN is getting thumped in the ratings even though they have much greater exposure."
I don't know why, but I now recieve Fox News as part of my basic Dish 500 service. Have been for a few months now. Does anyone else notice this? I know I called and complained about it often enough so I don't know if this is just me or nationally?
Hey Spock.... That's good
May 31, 2009 - 21:17 ET by bigtimerHey Spock....
That's good news to know...we quit Dish out here because the refused Fox years ago, in fact if memory serves me they used to be EchoStar, which the late, great Paul Weyrich recommended on his NET network years and years back...we had a huge dish then, before the satellite dishes...anyway, we are moving in a few months and I want to belong to a great package that belongs to an all in one package that would be great here cost wise, but I wouldn't do it either until they included Fox...I complained for years, went to DirectTV in the meantime of course.
Thanks so much for the update...I will be making inquiries myself again...soon.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
I pay by the year Bigtimer
May 31, 2009 - 21:35 ET by SpockI pay by the year Bigtimer and get it dirt cheap (because I am cheap). Last time I called I told them I was going to switch because of it. But since I pay by the year, it wasn't time yet.
I subscribe to the "Dish Family" package for $19.95 per month. (pay by the year and its $14.95) I just checked their web site and sure enough, Fox News is listed as part of that package.
We don't watch much T.V. in this house so an expensive package is not needed here.
Spock...and once again I
May 31, 2009 - 21:53 ET by bigtimerSpock...and once again I thank you for this info too.
I want to get a locked in price with the deal in my area for all I want within two months...so this info is valuable to me, as I don't know that I would have had the time or inclication with all going on in my life to delve deeper into this, we have a million irons in the fire to get done before the next snow flies regarding moving, it is on our own property, but making new lines to pump, a new drain field, power company, etc etc, plus permits, rules, regulations.. blah blah blah...know what I mean?
Anyway...much obliged.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
Some might expect CNN to move more to the center
May 31, 2009 - 12:34 ET by c5thento try and steal back some of the viewers of FoxNews. What I expect is that CNN will soon follow MSNBC and become more radically left leaning to try and steal back some of the MSNBC viewers.
The overall plan is to move the country progressively further and further to the left (pardon the pun). They (the executives) will not even think about a move to the right.
Hey, I got the wrong "CHANGE"!
www.loyaltoliberty.com
A lesson here for the GOP
May 31, 2009 - 13:04 ET by Conservative VoiceThe more "centrist" CNN got, the less popular.
Its sad that CNN and RINOs are considered centrist, but there you go.
Oh this just breaks my
May 31, 2009 - 13:17 ET by bigtimerOh this just breaks my heart ....
You would think these networks, along with print would get a clue on how to increase their viewership/ratings by now....heck, anymore I give up.
Talk about Clueless in La-La-Land....
Btw...Turner fits that bill too.
Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart
winning the right to table scraps?
May 31, 2009 - 13:19 ET by katainkentwoohoo?
___________________________________________
Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past - George Orwell - 1984
CNN has second rate talent,
May 31, 2009 - 15:38 ET by d1carterCNN has second rate talent, doing second rate stories on a second rate network. Whaddayaexpect?
Explanation for that
May 31, 2009 - 15:50 ET by ironchefofmunchiesTo be fair, alot of CNN's "talent" went to work for the Obama administration right after he got elected.
But at least the CNN guys and gals paid their taxes!
Re Explanation
May 31, 2009 - 16:20 ET by slickwillie2001It would be interesting to know how many CNN resumes are still on file in the White House personnel office. Of course, if I were the Bamster, I would send them updates for years saying their resume was still under consideration.
"CNN no longer top dog?"
May 31, 2009 - 16:39 ET by Kat Outta the BagIt's hard to be the top dog and a lap dog at the same time...
If CNN had a brain...
May 31, 2009 - 16:43 ET by jdripperI would take CNN hard right. FOX for the stereotyping done by the liberals is actually fairly mousey when it comes to coverage of the messiah. Take CNN hard right and I do belive they would clobber the other two big time.
Jack
"If at age 20 you are a conservative then you have no heart. If at age 30 you are a liberal then you have no brains." Sir Winston Churchill
No Star Power at CNN
May 31, 2009 - 18:01 ET by BW222When CNN's stars are Larry (Weekend at Bernies) King, Campbell Brown, Roland Martin, Anderson Cooper, "Joke" Cafferty and Rick Sanchez, you know they're in trouble.
Campbell Brown is attractive but has a voice that could curdle milk. If the Gitmo detainees had to listen to her for an hour, it would be torture. Cafferty and Sanchez make better drunks than journalists.
Speaking of Fox, I wish they would replace the neocon "All Stars" with real conservatives and trade Shep Smith and Whor-aldo for Lou Dobbs. Dobbs could triple his viewers on FNC.
BW222
Hope they lose those high
May 31, 2009 - 21:23 ET by RR GOPHope they lose those high paying jobs.
Especially with so many honest people losing theirs, trying to hold on to their homes and raise families.
Screw these Libtards.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
I thought CNN was losing
May 31, 2009 - 22:14 ET by Radical1979I thought CNN was losing veiwers to Fox, not MSNBC.
At any rate, I'd like to a network not go "right" or "left", but simply report the news. I don't need a network to tell me how to interpret what has happened, I think I'm smarter than a lot of those talking heads.
Years ago Charles Beirbauer of CNN angered Phil Donohue by refusing to tell him which presidential candidate he supported. Beirbauer said even socially he wouldn't discuss it because he didn't feel it was appropriate for a journalist. I miss that type of journalism.