CNN has been labeled as a far-left organization that disseminates misinformation and arguably fuels violence against Jewish communities, receiving surprisingly low viewership ratings during a recent week.
During the week of May 26 to June 1, CNN attracted an average of just 374,000 viewers in primetime, which is notably lower—about six times—than Fox News Channel’s average of 2.3 million.
Fox News outperformed all three major broadcast networks during the same week, with NBC and CBS averaging 2.4 million viewers, while CBS alone brought in 2.3 million. Fox News managed to draw in 2.7 million viewers.
In total daily viewership from May 26 to June 1, Fox News averaged 1.5 million, while CNN lagged significantly with only 308,000 viewers.
Looking at the key demographic of viewers aged 25 to 54, Fox News had an average of 175,000 daily and 240,000 during prime time. In contrast, CNN drew in only 49,000 and 61,000 respectively.
One of Fox News Channel’s most successful shows, 5, managed to attract 409,000 demo viewers, outpacing CNN’s entire average primetime viewership. The show raked in a total of 3.7 million viewers, surpassing many primetime broadcasts while likely being produced at a relatively low cost.
CNN seems to be struggling to sustain itself in its present form. As viewers increasingly shift from cable to streaming, CNN faces significant losses, particularly in revenue from what’s known as “carriage fees.” The decline in advertising revenue could worsen if regulatory measures impact pharmaceutical ads.
By the end of the decade, CNN might find itself merely a supplemental service on streaming platforms.
Reviewing the overall month of May provides a rather bleak picture for both CNN and MSNBC.
Here are the May viewership numbers, with percentages indicating changes compared to the same month last year:
Average Prime Time/Demo Viewer All in May
Fox: 2.463 million (+24%) / 262,000 (+32%)
MSNBC: 877,000 (-24%) / 73,000 (-34%)
CNN: 426,000 (-18%) / 76,000 (+21%)
Average Daily Viewers in May / Demo Viewers
Fox: 1.557 million (+21%) / 180,000 (+22%)
MSNBC: 545,000 (-33%) / 49,000 (-41%)
CNN: 353,000 (-25%) / 59,000 (-27%)
Recently, CNN attempted to refresh its primetime lineup, but many observers felt it lacked the innovation needed to turn the tide in their favor.
Meanwhile, Fox News appears to be thriving, while CNN and MSNBC face significant challenges.
What’s behind these shifts?
It seems the issue isn’t solely political. Some studies suggest that a surprising number of Democrats and women are tuning into Fox News more than they do CNN or MSNBC.
Perhaps this is tied to a perception of reliability…
There might also be factors related to aesthetics and presentation. Many perceive Fox News as having more engaging on-air personalities compared to those on CNN and MSNBC. It raises the question: why choose less appealing options when there are seemingly more relatable anchors available?
