If you read the Huffington Post, you'd think that CNN had a turned its recent ratings doldrums around during the oil leak/Euro-stock market meltdown/Times Square bombs/British election/flood jam packed news bonanza that was last week.
A funny thing happened on cable news last week: CNN — yes, the beleaguered, ratings-starved, down the middle cable news network that just can't find an audience — scored major ratings victories over Fox News and MSNBC.
Really? Major ratings victories?
- "Anderson Cooper 360" regularly beat the 10PM repeat of MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann"
- "Campbell Brown" even topped the original "Countdown" run on Tuesday
- "John King USA" saw its best numbers since it launched, and beat MSNBC's "Hardball" rerun three days in a row.
When topping repeats with live shows are "major ratings victories" the sound of scraping the bottom of the PR barrel is loud and clear. There are more "major victories" to read about at HuffPo.
While CNN, as usual, increased its ratings during the big news week, its week's position in total day (#2 to Fox News) and prime time (#3 to Fox News and MSNBC, and not far ahead of HLN) were where they've been for several months.
As I've pointed out many times, not too long ago during big news weeks, CNN would move to the top of the cable news rankings. Last week they didn't even move up to second in primetime.
Here are the weekday averages from last week:
Total Day (24 hour) averages (5/3-5/7)
| Network | P2+ (000) | A 25-54 (000) |
| FOXN | 1,195 | 316 |
| CNN | 504 | 180 |
| MSNBC | 419 | 118 |
| HLN | 319 | 144 |
| CNBC | 239 | 72 |
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Primetime (8-11pm) averages (5/3-5/7)
| Network | P2+ (000) | A 25-54 (000) |
| FOXN | 2,184 | 555 |
| MSNBC | 844 | 214 |
| CNN | 687 | 198 |
| HLN | 574 | 191 |
| CNBC | 199 | 91 |
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Update: Here's the full list of CNN show vs. show ratings victories for Monday-Thursday I received from CNN.
Monday, May 3
- 12 noon CNN Newsroom #1 topping FNC (197k v 165)
- 1 p – CNN Newsroom #1 topping FNC (204k v 180)
- 5p – Sit Room topped MSNBC’s Hardball (246k v 155)
- 6p – Sit Room topped MSNBC’s Ed Show (235k v 191)
- 10 pm – Anderson Cooper topped MSNBC’s Countdown (226k v 206)
Tuesday, May 4
- Morning: American Morning topped MSNBC’s Morning Joe (228k v 126)
- 9a – CNN NewsRoom (Kyra Phillips) was #1 topping FNC (271k v 258)
- 2p – CNNNewsRoom (Ali Velshi) was #1 topping FNC (244k v 204)
- 3p – CNN’s Rick’s List was #1 topping FNC Shep Smith (224k v 206)
- 5p – Sit Room topped MSNBC’s Hardball (301k v 146)
- 6p – Sit Room topped MSNBC’s Ed Show (356k v 149)
- 7p – John King topped MSNBC’s Hardball (279 v 132 – tripled MSNBC -- and best delivery since launch)
- Primetime: CNN vs MSNBC (265k v 210)
- 8 pm- Campbell Brown topped MSNBC’s Olbermann (208k v 182)
- 9 pm – Larry King topped MSNBC’s Maddow (263k v 230)
- 10pm – Anderson Cooper topped MSNBC’s Olbermann (324k v 217)
Wednesday, May 5
- Morning: American Morning topped MSNBC’s Morning Joe (192k v 139)
- 11p-4p – CNN Newsroom #1 in cable news each hour topping FNC in demo
- 11 am CNN Newsroom #1 vs FNC (208k v 117)
- Noon – CNN Newsroom #1 vs FNC (234 v 111)
- 1 pm – CNN Newsroom #1 vs FNC (187k v 130
- 2pm – CNN Newsroom #1 vs FNC (167k v 150)
- 3p – CNN’s Rick List was #1 topping FNC’s Shep Smith (202k v 158)
- 5p – Sit Room topped MSNBC’s Hardball (168 v 86)
- 7p – John King topped MSNBC’s Hardball – (138 v 130)
- 10 pm – Anderson Cooper topped MSNBC’s Olbermann (253 v 218)
Thursday, May 6
- Morning: American Morning topped MSNBC’s Morning Joe (161k v 107)
- 2p – CNN Newsroom #1 topping FNC (167k v 157)
- 6p – Sit Room topped MSNBC’s Ed Show (153k v 150)
- 7p – John King topped MSNBC’s Hardball (153 v 143)
- 10p – It was very tight tonight – Anderson did the show live from Nashville, Tenn – 271k v MSNBC’s 219
Would it be rude form to fall down on the floor and maniacally laugh so hard that I need to get an oxygen mask and tank to revive myself over this ridiculously fantasized publicity gusher?
I am beginning to think we need a Special Edition Bingo Excuse Card for the publicity releases the news organizations put out sometimes.
As usual, you guys completely downplay CNN's good news (which is very typical of this blog). The article spent a significant portion talking about how multiple DAYTIME hours beat Fox News in the demo. Why is it that you chose NOT to highlight those victories in a blue box?
In other words, when there is a direct NEWS to NEWS competition (i.e. no opinion programming), CNN comes out on top during a heavy news cycle.
So please, don't ever again try to tell us that you guys don't have a “bias” towards Fox News….this little piece proves that is most definitely the case.
The Huffington Post is clearly trying to create some excitement for CNN from out of nothing significant. Ironically, that enthusiasm pretty much betrays their allegation that CNN is a “down the middle cable news network”.
I read and watch trash.
Primarily because I didn't want to excerpt the entire article, but presumably the news you think I left out was:
- CNN beat Fox in the 9am hour, the 2pm hour and the 3pm hour on a single day
- CNN beat Fox for the afternoon daypart 11am-4pm, on a single day
There, that's it, all actual ratings head to head “news” from that HuffPo post has been duplicated.
Those are some pretty “major ratings victories”, aren't they?
As a news source, I see no differnce between CNN and HLN. If i'm clicking down on my remote control and nothing else has caught my eye, I stop and HLN. If I'm clicking up and nothing else catches my eye, I stop at CNN.
I agree, this web site seems to favor Fox News way to much! I never seen any network stay on top this long in the history of television. If mainstream television networks go up and down all the time depending on their programming, who is it that Fox News with no original news stories, seems to always double the ratings on every single cable news network.
I would be interested to see what the ratings truly are on Neilson Media Research!
Christopher
I agree Anon. This blog is great for general television related news and ratings, but when it comes to cable news it is just another right wing shill blog – and frames ratings headlines on a daily basis to appeal to the clear Fox News bias (which is why I generally skip over all those materials.)
Sometimes I can't tell the difference between TVBTN and The Drudge report…
I don't know if you're acting dense on purpose, but it was not “a single day”
Please learn how to read:
“Perhaps the most startling statistics come during the day, where anchors like Kyra Phillips, Ali Velshi, and Rick Sanchez led CNN to victories over Fox News throughout the week. On Wednesday, for instance“
Their daytime victories were over MULTIPLE days – and they only provided a few examples.
My point still stands strong – you guys are horrible at hiding your love for Fox News.
I think you're missing the point. Not speaking as a Fox fan (I'm not) but CNN winning on a big news week is not unusual. The trick is, week after week after week, CNN's advertising revenue is way below the revenues of Fox, MSNBC.. or hell, ESPN (way below). As far as value to advertisers, CNN is very low. The network hasn't found a marketable identity that they can market to advertisers. Fox can sell people on the fact they skew right, and attract those viewers, who tend to be loyal to product advertised. Options like MSNBC, with more left-leaning hosts attract advertisers seeking that audience who is also loyal to products seen backing those they follow. CNN has no identity that can latch onto a viewing audience and actually sell.
One up “Week” in the middle of a news heavy week is the norm for CNN. CNN tends to rise when people want to just get the raw news ie, a crisis etc. But they slide back when it's the day-to-day news.
While the HuffPo article wrote “throughout the week”, the only examples they gave were the ones in my earlier comment (plus the ones in the post above).
I actually put the averages for the entire week in my post.
Who's being dense?
So basically you are saying because Huffpo did not do your homework for you and provide data for the “throughout the week claim” you can thus ignore it and not factor that into your snarky, pro Fox News commentary.
Not that I really care about CNN ratings, but we never see, “GLENN BECK RATINGS CRASH BACK TO REALITY” headlines on TVBTN, even though that is clearly the case…
Instead, we see almost daily stories about how MSNBC and CNN are on the path to doom (with generally jarring and sensational headlines.)
For instance, the title to this article could have just as easily been, “CNN finds victory in daytime, but only posts modest primetime gains.”
I'd just prefer if TVBTN would stop being so clearly in the Fox News tank and attempt to give objective information concerning the cable news landscape without the tunnel vision.
So I guess this answers the question as to who is being dense.
Bill, you are only the messenger. Some people do not like the message so attack the messenger. This site has been fair and balanced so if someone is looking for a fight go somewhere else and drink the kool-aid.
It would appear that far distant second and third place players, MSNBC and CNN, are far far more in need of “shilling” (thus the “Huffing” Post piece…) than Fox News…
Anyone that uses the Murdoch coined term, “Fair and Balanced” and a phrase Limbaugh mutters every ten minutes, probably can't speak to an objective view…
All I am saying is that clearly more even handed language could be used. Not to mention, with Fox being the largest mainstream media outlet in cable television, maybe Bill & Company could take a moment now and again to highlight for instance Beck's 30% ratings free fall since the highs of earlier this year.
Sure. I fully understand, “Bill is the messenger” and wants to stay “on message” *wink* *wink*
I'm just saying he doesn't have to be so obvious…
Post now updated with the full list of CNN show by show victories, as supplied by CNN.
No Friday, May 7, victories to report yet?? Fair and balanced reporting of numbers as you get them. No bias, no bull.
Regardless, CNN won a staggering 15.3%* of the (6AM-12AM) hours available throughout the week (Mon-Thu). Amazing job, CNN.
* Fox News won the other 84.7% hours (Mon-Thu); and 100% in primetime. Shame, shame, shame.AppleStinx (and I agree with your username) – it is not a contest to the end user. We should not be cheering one network or the other. In reality, the breakout of Fox News has killed valid reporting on all the cable networks. They've all become entertainment networks. CNN is the worst case as Fox News went hard right (and threw up lots of pretty gals and sexy news) MSNBC went hard left and CNN while actually somewhere between the two has resorted to E! News style reporting in daytime unless there is an “event.” CNN actually does the best “real news” reporting (be it Haiti, the recent oil issues in the Gulf or Tornadoes descending upon the Midwest.) When something happens in the world, people tune into CNN.
The problem is the other 95% of the time. They don't have the left or right so they have no one – which is why they are having serious ratings issues.
Thanks Bill for updating the numbers. It is appreciated.
It's a really hard pill to swallow, Arianna, just do it- dahling
Ali Velshi did not anchor at all last week. He had nothing to do with the ratings wins during those hours. Give credit where credit is due. Don Lemon and TJ Homes filled in for him. TJ on Monday and Tuesday. Don, Wednesday through Friday. I know cause I only watched at that hour because they were on. CNN you should be ashamed of yourself for not giving them their credit.