Top 25 Rated Shows In Cable News: CNN A Non-Factor, MSNBC Misses Maddow
One of the most intriguing media stories coming into the year is what impact, or lack thereof, CNN would have on the 2024 presidential election.
CNN is the longest-running cable news network on television. For decades, "normies" reflexively turned to the channel as their go-to source for election coverage. But the network is not what it once was. Mark Thompson is now in charge, the company's third CEO in as many years. CNN has set several viewership lows during Biden's presidency.
The network also lacks a defined identity. Under Thompson, CNN is not as overtly left-leaning as it was under Jeff Zucker. Nor is the channel as focused on reporting the news without an obvious bias as it was under Chris Licht.
Where does that leave CNN less than five weeks before the election? According to Nielsen Media Research data, CNN is arguably a non-factor in the discussion.
Nielsen released the full list of cable news viewership for the third quarter of 2024 this week. Here are the top 25 rated shows from 07/01/24-09/27/24:
- The Five, Fox News: 3.46 million
- Jesse Watters Primetime, Fox News: 3.45 million
- Hannity, Fox News: 3.23 million
- Gutfeld, Fox News: 2.77 million
- The Ingraham Angle, Fox News: 2.69 million
- Special Report, Fox News: 2.50 million
- Outnumbered, Fox News: 1.89 million
- The Story, Fox News: 1.9 million
- America Reports, Fox News: 1.84 million
- Faulkner Focus, Fox News: 1.81 million
- Your World with Neil Cavuto, Fox News: 1.80 million
- America's Newsroom, Fox News: 1.78 million
- Deadline (5-6 pm), MSNBC: 1.63 million
- Reidout, MSNBC: 1.62 million
- The Beat, MSNBC: 1.60 million
- MSNBC 9 pm (Rachel Maddow/Alex Wagner average): 1.58 million
- Last Word, MSNBC: 1.58 million
- MSNBC 8 pm (Chris Hayes/Jen Psaki average): 1.56 million
- Fox News at Night, Fox News: 1.54 million
- Deadline (4-4 pm), MSNBC: 1.52 million
- Fox and Friends, Fox News: 1.21 million
- Morning Joe, MSNBC: 1.14 million
- 11th Hour, MSNBC: 974,00
- Anderson Cooper 360, CNN: 916,000
- Katy Tur Reports, MSNBC: 911,000
Just one CNN program, Anderson Cooper 360, ranked among the top 25 shows in cable news, compared to 24 for Fox News and 10 for MSNBC.
Further, CNN averaged only 557,000 total daily viewers for the quarter (behind Fox News at 1.57 million and MSNBC at 889,000) and 896,000 viewers in primetime (Fox News: 2.64 million; MSNBC: 1.43 million).
Consider that CNN's considerably low quarterly ratings included several high-profile news stories – including two assassination attempts against Donald Trump, Biden's dropping out of the race, Kamala Harris' emergence, the RNC, and the DNC.
If those satires can't elevate CNN above a million viewers, network honchos must seriously wonder if its current batch of talents can provide any realistic upside moving forward.
What's particularly concerning for CNN is that the three-letter brand is no longer a draw and the network lacks the star power to combat the fall of the brand's reputation.
No matter the promotion, Abby Phillip, Laura Coates, and Kaitlan Collins are not the answers. Re-signing Brian Stelter won't help, either.
Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery—which is already in mountains of debt—ought to consider selling CNN. As currently constructed, the brand has peaked. Perhaps a tech company with more financial resources could give the channel the overhaul it so evidently needs.
Other ratings observations:
– MSNBC has been unable to maintain its once formidable reach since Rachel Maddow moved to a weekly format in 2022. Maddow's show regularly ranked among the top five programs in cable news each quarter. Now, handing the baton to Alex Wagner Tuesday-Saturday, the 9 pm hour on MSNBC is good for only 16th. Say what you will about Maddow, particularly her coverage of RussiaGate, she's a draw.
– I am intrigued by the direction of NewsNation, an upstart Nexstar Media Group cable news network. The channel often presents both sides of the argument with frequent guests like Bill O'Reilly, Adam Carolla, and Stephen A. Smith. The network is also well-produced and looks like a true player. Granted, viewership remains miniscule. NewsNation's top-rated show, Chris Cuomo's 8 pm primetime program, averaged just 160,000 viewers in the quarter. Its other two primetime shows, Dan Abrams Live and Banfield (a true-crime hour that is well worth a watch), drew 96,000 and 88,000, respectively. By comparison, Newsmax's top-rated show, Rob Schmitt Tonight, averaged 465,000 viewers.
– Fox News is dominant in the cable news space. FNC accounted for the top 12 shows during the quarter, with its second-highest-rated third quarter in network history. All in all, Jesse Watters is now the most-viewed host in the industry by far. His two daily programs, The Five and Watters Primetime, are consistently the top shows in cable news.
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