According to Fox News, CNN, despite the major changes that it has made, continues to struggle in the ratings.
In fact, in the month of February, CNN had some of its worst numbers ever in certain rating categories.
All-time low
Mediaite reports that CNN’s morning program, CNN This Morning, during the month of February, witnessed its lowest ratings since its commencement last fall.
According to the outlet, the average number of total viewers was 360,000 and the average number of viewers in the key 25 to 54 demographic was 73,000.
CNN This Morning, which features Don Lemon, Kaitlan Collins, and Poppy Harlow, recently found itself at the center of a controversy, courtesy of Lemon. Lemon experienced significant criticism after he claimed that 2024 Republican U.S. presidential candidate Nikki Haley was past her prime because she is over 50 years old.
Whether this had something to do with CNN This Morning’s rating collapse is unclear. But, it probably didn’t help.
There’s more
Besides CNN This Morning, CNN struggled to get viewers in general during the month of February, particularly in the key 25 to 54 demographic.
According to Mediaite, “CNN prime time demo average of 122,000 viewers.” Prime time would be the 8 to 11 p.m. time frame. On top of this, CNN only managed to bring in 89,000 in the demographic per day.
Fox News reports:
CNN’s troubles were most significant among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54. CNN had its lowest-rated month in the category since May 2012, and its third lowest-rated month since the beginning of 2001.
Fox goes on to report on the viewership struggles of CNN’s top programs. The outlet writes:
“Anderson Cooper 360” and “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer” had their lowest-rated months in the category since June 2014, while “The Lead with Jake Tapper” had its worst performance since July 2014. John King’s “Inside Politics” has its smallest demo audience since August 2005—the month Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.
“suffering MIGHTILY”
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on CNN and other outlets’ rating troubles in a message that he posted to his social media site, Truth Social, on Wednesday, Mar. 1.
Trump wrote:
Ratings are really looking BAD for Morning Joe and his sidekick, “Mike!” MSDNC & FAKE NEWS CNN are suffering MIGHTILY – All time lows. FoxNews is substantially down also – Just doesn’t love “TRUMP” enough. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Trump is not wrong here: it wasn’t just CNN that had troubles in February. Even Fox News, which has beaten its competitors for the past two years straight, saw a rating dropoff in February.
Trump, in subsequent posts, suggested that Fox’s coverage of the 2020 presidential election has played a role in its loss of viewers.
