September Numbers: CNN
CNN is noting its September and Q3 numbers…
CNN Shows Primetime Gains in September; Has Significant Growth from Last Quarter
HIGHLIGHTS:
CNN showed primetime gains in September vs. a year ago; Erin Burnett OutFront has best month ever; AC 360 (10pm) is highest rated show on the network in the key demo; Piers Morgan Tonight is highest rated show on the network in total viewers; September represents CNN’s 4th month of growth in both total viewers and demo in total day since May 2012 lows; CNN has significant growth this quarter vs. last quarter (Q3 2012 vs. Q2 2012); FNC is down the most in primetime in Q3 vs. a year ago.
September 2012 vs. a Year Ago:
Prime (M-F): up +37% in total viewers (1.058m vs. 773k)/up +35% (345k vs. 255k)
Total Day: up +5% in total viewers (473k vs. 449k)
September Show Highlights:
OutFront with Erin Burnett is up +6% in total viewers (528k vs. 498k). September represents Burnett’s best showing ever since her October launch a year ago among total viewers (528k). AC 360 at 8pm is posting its best delivery in total viewers (606k) since November 2011 and its best since February of this year in the key demo 25-54 (179k). Piers Morgan Tonight is up +3% in total viewers (651k vs. 629k). This month also represents Morgan’s best month in both total viewers (651k) and demo (186k) since February this year. State of the Union with Candy Crowley (9 am) is up +18% in total viewers (385k vs. 325k). Fareed Zakaria: GPS (10 am) is up +15% in total viewers (509k vs. 443k).
Piers Morgan Tonight remains the top program on CNN in total viewers during the month of September (651k) and AC 360 at 10 pm is the network’s top rated show in the key demo 25-54 (187k).
During the month of September, CNN reached a cumulative audience of 94.4million, FNC followed with 83.2m and MSNBC had 81.4m.
Third Quarter 2012 vs. Last Quarter:
All CNN programs are up Q3 vs. last quarter (Q2 2012) in both total viewers and key demo 25-54
CNN grew the most in primetime (3Q vs. 2Q 2012)
Prime (M-F): up +46% in total viewers (686k vs. 470k)/up +52% in demo (216k vs. 142k)
Total Day: up +22% in total viewers (388k vs. 319k)/up +23% in demo (118k vs. 96k)
Show Highlights:
Starting Point with Soledad O’Brien is up +16% in total viewers (263k vs. 227k)/up +15% in demo (99k vs. 86k) Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer (6 pm) is up +26% in total viewers (469k vs. 371k)/up +45% in demo (128k vs. 88k) OutFront with Erin Burnett is up +19% in total viewers (429k vs. 362k)/up +20% in demo (125k vs. 104k) Anderson Cooper 360 (8pm) is up +20% in total viewers (532k vs. 444k)/up +21% in demo (156k vs. 129k) Piers Morgan Tonight is up +11% in total viewers (553k vs. 496k)/up +12% in demo (154k vs. 138k) AC 360 (10pm) is up +5% in total viewers (495k vs. 473k)/up +6% in demo (167k vs. 158k)
Piers Morgan had the highest rated show on the network in total viewers during the third quarter (553k).
Anderson Cooper had the highest rated show on the network in the key demo 25-54 during the third quarter (167k).
Compared to a year ago, Fox News in primetime is down the most in the key demo 25-54 Q3 vs. a year ago (Q3 2011) – declining -10% (487k vs. 539k), CNN is off -7% (216k vs. 233k) and MSNBC is up +34% (341k vs. 254k).
During the third quarter of 2012, more Americans watched the presidential conventions on CNN than any other cable news channel. In primetime (8-11p), CNN reached a cumulative audience of 30.3 million total viewers and 11.9 million among the key demo A25-54 during the RNC/DNC 6- day rollup. Fox News followed with 30.2m total viewers and 10.6m in adults 25-54, while MSNBC garnered 21.1m total viewers and 8.3m in the key demo adults 25-54.
For the third quarter, CNN reached an average monthly cumulative audience of 86.6million, FNC had 76.8m and MSNBC (excluding Olympics programming) averaged 76.7m.
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This entry was posted on October 2, 2012 at 12:51 pm and is filed under CNN, Ratings Related . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
October 2, 2012 at 3:43 pm
I think CNN is just happy to issue a press release that shows something positive instead of having to hang their head in shame while everyone else writes how they have the worst ratings in 20 years. That being said, I can’t imagine they are happy with these ratings at all. Its easy to show growth when you were on the verge of scratch a few months ago. It is clear most of CNN’s audience defected to MSNBC. If last night’s ratings are any indication, there are no signs that CNN will regain any of those viewers soon. They need to do a lot more than just replace Walton.
October 2, 2012 at 4:31 pm
“It is clear most of CNN’s audience defected to MSNBC.”
^^ I’m not sure that’s true. The numbers here are all internal numbers that show an increase of one quarter or month over the next. I think this can be explained by this being an election season and as we get closer to the big day all cable net ratings will rise as more political viewers tune in.
Where past CNN viewers have gone is hard to say. Some to MSNBC or FNC but also some to the internet. The rest who knows.
October 2, 2012 at 5:14 pm
Fair point fritz3, but here is my case…
There is a limited amount of the population that will tune in to cable news on a regular basis – more likely that viewers shift to other stations instead of growing the overall pie (which the pie is NOT growing). According to Pew’s biennial media survey that analyzes the demographics and consumption habits of media consumers, 50% of CNN’s audience identifies themselves as democrat, with the remainder divided among independent and republican viewers. CNN’s audience leans left – just more evidence that CNN’s loss is in large part (but not entirely) MSNBC’s gain. Can’t imagine they are going to FNC.
http://www.people-press.org/2012/09/27/section-4-demographics-and-political-views-of-news-audiences/
All cable news viewership has gone up after conventions – as expected. MSNBC has seen an enormous jump. CNN, not so much. In fact, last night was pretty miserable for CNN. MSNBC is seeing 1million+ from early evening through primetime. CNN lost half their audience from the 2008 to the 2012 DNC – no one else experienced that level of loss. MSNBC saw significant gain. Where is MSNBC getting those viewers? Since people are shifting more towards the internet for news, I would say MSNBC is just eating up a larger marketshare.
I don’t mean to suggest CNN needs to become more like MSNBC. They don’t, at all. I just think they should try sucking less. Perhaps they should hire compelling, relatable anchors instead of their biggest personalities being the most annoying, condescending, uppity, smarmy, Upper-West-Side-Dwelling a$$h0les on TV. Just a thought. They have tremendous international news-gathering resources with some of the best field reporters in the business.
As for CNN’s claim on Internet news consumers, I would say they are very worried about the development of NBCNews.com and MSNBC.com. if they can translate their large TV audience to a loyal internet following then CNN is about to decline in the internet game as well.
I wish this wasn’t happening to CNN since they are only nonpartisan cable news game in town. But their decline is evident and mediocre management tweaking around the edges isn’t going to fix their problems. I feel sorry for the really talented people at CNN who are being led astray with crappy management and worthless news “stars” who lack any ability to lead.