Chris Cuomo’s Struggles in Primetime Television
Chris Cuomo’s return to primetime TV has not gone as planned.
Once a prominent name at CNN, Cuomo drew millions of viewers on a nightly basis. Now, his audience on News Nation is a fraction of that.
Recent Nielsen data reveals that Cuomo’s ratings have plummeted by nearly 90%, with a 95% drop in key advertising demographics compared to his time at CNN.
This quarter, his program on News Nation averages just 164,000 viewers and 15,000 in the demo. In stark contrast, “Cuomo Prime Time” on CNN brought in an average of 1.4 million viewers and 374,000 in that same demographic over its three-year tenure.
The decline is particularly drastic when looking at Cuomo’s final months at CNN in late 2021, a time marked by controversy and his eventual resignation. Even then, he managed to attract around 797,000 viewers and 165,000 in the demo.
Despite being positioned as the face of a new network, Cuomo’s show has struggled to gain any real momentum since its launch in October 2022.
The competition is tough; in the 8 PM time slot, Jesse Watters on Fox News averages 3.1 million viewers and 310,000 in the demographics. Meanwhile, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes pulls in 874,000 viewers and 85,000 in the demo. CNN’s Anderson Cooper averages 539,000 viewers and 92,000 in the demo.
Even Newsmax’s “Finnerty” surpasses Cuomo with 319,000 viewers and 25,000 in the demo, leaving Cuomo at the bottom of the pack.
These numbers illustrate how far CNN has fallen since early 2021 when it peaked at 2.4 million viewers and over 600,000 in the demographic during the pandemic.
Cuomo’s peak came even while he advised his brother, former Governor Andrew Cuomo, amid allegations of sexual harassment. Even then, he still significantly outperformed his current standing.
His challenges at News Nation highlight the uphill battle that emerging networks face in trying to compete with well-established giants like Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC.
Launched as WGN America’s brand in 2020, the channel aims for centrist reporting but has yet to carve out a clear identity or loyal following.
Despite substantial investments and notable figures like Elizabeth Vargas and Leland Vitter on board, the network remains in a precarious position.
No comments have been received from Cuomo or News Nation regarding these issues.
Fox News is part of Fox Corp, which is a sister company to News Corp, the parent company of this publication.
