CNN PLUMMETS – Right-Wing Network SURGES In Prime-Time Ratings

CNN Drops to Fourth Place in Prime-Time Viewership, Newsmax Surges

In a surprising turn of events, CNN fell to fourth place in prime-time viewership ratings, lagging behind Newsmax. This decline followed a temporary boost from Donald Trump’s town hall appearance, which attracted over 3.1 million viewers and provided a much-needed boost for the struggling network.

CNN is easily accessible to a wide audience through various platforms. It is included in most T.V. cable packages and streaming services like Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, YouTube TV, and more. This broad availability ensures that almost anyone can tune into the network. In the United States, CNN had 80 million subscribers as television households as of February 2023. Newsmax, on the other hand, launched its cable TV channel in 2014, reaching 35 million satellite subscribers through DirecTV and Dish Network. By May 2019, Newsmax was available in about 75 million cable homes and had a strong presence on digital media players, such as computers and mobile devices. However, in 2021, Newsmax faced legal action from Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic due to false claims about election fraud. Consequently, DirecTV dropped Newsmax from its lineup in January 2023, resulting in over two months of unavailability on the platform.

Newsmax has experienced an increase in ratings since the departure of Tucker Carlson from Fox News, whose show, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” was previously the network’s most successful nightly broadcast. Many of these displaced viewers have turned to Newsmax, with a significant portion tuning in to watch Eric Bolling, a former Fox News host, who now holds the 8 p.m. primetime slot on Newsmax.

According to Forbes, CNN garnered an average total audience of 335,000 viewers, trailing slightly behind Newsmax’s 357,000 viewers. However, Fox News maintained its leading position with 1.44 million viewers, despite Tucker Carlson’s absence, followed by MSNBC with 1.084 million viewers.

CNN’s Position Among Key Demographics and Hourly Program Comparison

Forbes also reports that among viewers aged 25-54, CNN climbed to third place with an average audience of 87,000 viewers. Fox News led this demographic with 109,000 viewers, followed by MSNBC with 98,000 viewers. Newsmax ranked fourth with 45,000 viewers.

During prime time, each of CNN’s shows lagged behind Newsmax. Anderson Cooper 360 at 8 p.m. ET had 447,000 viewers, placing fourth behind Fox News Tonight, All In with Chris Hayes on MSNBC, and Eric Bolling on Newsmax. At 9 p.m. ET, Hannity on Fox News was first, followed by Alex Wagner Tonight, Chris Plante, and The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper on CNN.

Trump’s Town Hall Impact on CNN’s Ratings

After Trump’s town hall on CNN, the network experienced a significant ratings surge. In the 8 p.m. slot, the town hall attracted ratings about five times higher than CNN’s average, with over 3.1 million total viewers and 703,000 viewers in the key 25-54 age demographic. However, in the days following the CNN town hall event featuring former President Donald Trump, their rating slowly fell back down to their typical point.

Alexander J. Williams III