CNN’s Viewership Drops to 374K as Fox News Outscores ABC, CBS, and NBC

CNN’s Low Ratings Spark Discussion

Recently, CNN has been critiqued as a platform promoting misinformation and violence, particularly against Jews, while facing surprisingly low ratings. During the week of May 26 to June 1, the network averaged only 374,000 viewers in primetime, which is notably lower—six times lower—than Fox News Channel’s average of 2.3 million viewers.

Fox News outperformed all broadcast networks in the same timeframe, attracting an average of 2.7 million viewers. NBC and CBS had, respectively, averages of 2.4 million and 2.3 million viewers during primetime. Overall, Fox averaged 1.5 million viewers throughout the day between May 26 and June 1, compared to CNN’s 308,000.

In the crucial 25-54 age demographic, which influences advertising rates, Fox attracted 175,000 viewers during the day and 240,000 in primetime, whereas CNN managed only 49,000 and 61,000, respectively.

In fact, Fox’s hit show, *5,*, garnered 409,000 viewers in the demo—more than CNN’s total average for primetime. It also had a total viewership of 3.7 million, surpassing many other primetime network shows.

Looking ahead, CNN’s current structure may not be sustainable. The shift from cable to streaming has led to losses, including significant declines in revenue from carriage fees. Should the Trump administration limit big pharmaceutical ads, that could deliver another blow to CNN.

By the decade’s end, CNN might find itself merely an auxiliary service to a streaming platform like HBO Max.

Examining the ratings for May reveals bleak numbers for both CNN and MSNBC. For prime time, Fox averaged 2.463 million viewers, a 24% increase from the previous year, while CNN reported 426,000, down 18%. In terms of daily averages, Fox had 1.557 million viewers, up 21%, compared to CNN’s 353,000, down 25%.

Despite recent attempts to refresh its primetime lineup, CNN appears to have maintained a similar unsuccessful approach. Meanwhile, Fox News continues to thrive, while CNN and MSNBC struggle.

This disparity may not only stem from political leanings. Some studies suggest that a growing number of Democrats and women are tuning into Fox News over CNN and MSNBC.

And there’s something to be said about the appeal factor. Fox News seems to attract a lineup that many viewers find relatable and engaging, while CNN and MSNBC lean towards different personalities that may not resonate as well.