Former CNN employees Chris Cillizza and Oliver Darcy have weighed in on the network’s current ratings, noting a rather bleak situation. In July, CNN managed to pull in an average of 498,000 viewers during prime time, with total daily viewership sitting at 361,000, according to AdWeek. Cillizza and Darcy both expressed concern, describing the ratings as “morally bad,” especially in comparison to what MSNBC and Fox News are achieving.
Cillizza remarked that the numbers were “miserably bad” on X, echoing Darcy’s sentiments about the network’s struggles. He pointed out that CNN only averaged 497,000 viewers for prime time despite a wave of significant news stories, while Fox News averaged around 2.41 million.
Darcy, who left CNN in August 2024 after seven years, criticized the network’s approach to reporting under President Donald Trump, suggesting that “softer” reporting in an attempt to boost subscriptions was detrimental to ratings. In a recent podcast, he indicated that toning down coverage might not be the best course of action during a time of considerable political turmoil. He expressed that the current administration is causing significant concern and that many institutions, including the FBI and healthcare agencies, are facing challenges that should be highlighted rather than downplayed.
Additionally, former CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota noted on the same podcast that since her exit in December 2024, the network hasn’t effectively sought to enhance its subscriber base or viewership. For the second quarter of 2025, CNN’s average was 538,000 prime-time viewers and 406,000 overall, marking a 13% decline compared to the same period in 2024.
In contrast, CNN’s competitors reported stronger figures, with Fox News averaging 2.63 million prime-time viewers and MSNBC at 1.08 million. In terms of total viewers, CNN appears to be struggling significantly, even reaching its lowest prime-time ratings since May 1991.
