The poor performance follows disappointing election night coverage, where CNN drew 5.1 million viewers—a massive 44 percent drop from its 2020 election coverage.
CNN reportedly wrapped up 2024 with the lowest audience numbers in its history. This is despite election years usually drawing more audience to news outlets in general.
From December 26, 2023, through December 15, 2024, CNN averaged just 93,000 viewers in the key 25-54 demographic and 488,000 total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research as reported by the Washington Examiner. This trailed Fox News, which dominated with 1.46 million total viewers.
The poor performance follows disappointing election night coverage, where CNN drew 5.1 million viewers—a massive 44 percent drop from its 2020 election coverage. In comparison, Fox News attracted 13.6 million viewers during the same event.
CNN wasn’t the only left-wing media outlet that had struggles this year. MSNBC averaged 86,000 viewers in the 25-54 demographic but outperformed CNN in total viewers with 806,000. Reports on Thursday revealed MSNBC requested pay cuts from anchors Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle to retain their roles, following a $5 million salary reduction for Rachel Maddow.
Meanwhile, NewsNation, a start-up network that launched just three years ago, saw a significant boost in 2024, increasing its primetime cable viewership by 25% and its 25-54 demographic audience by 45%.
As the year ended, Fox News remained the most-watched cable network for the ninth consecutive year, securing the top spot in viewership during the fourth quarter of 2024. Late-night show "Gutfeld!" also led the pack, averaging 2.1 million viewers overall and 295,000 in the 25-54 demographic, making it the highest-rated cable news program in its time slot.
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