CNN Finishes Strong Second In Cable News In October

OUT-RATES MSNBC FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE MONTHS; SIX OF THE PAST EIGHT 

New Day Tops Morning Joe Again; CNN at 9pm is the Only Cable News Network to Grow, Beats Maddow

MSNBC LOSES OVER HALF ITS PRIMETIME AUDIENCE; POSTS LOWEST DELIVERIES IN ALMOST A DECADE 

CNN Original Series Continue to Deliver Winning Ratings Performance

CNN finished a strong second in cable news in October, out-rating MSNBC for the fourth consecutive month (and for six of the last eight months) in both Total Day and Primetime demos 25-54 (M-F, M-Su).  The last time CNN topped MSNBC for four straight months in Total Day and Prime demos was six years ago (2008 elections).  New Day topped MSNBC’s Morning Joe among A25-54 again this month, marking the CNN program’s longest winning streak (four straight months; six of the past eight).  AC 360 easily outperformed MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes in both total viewers and the demo 25-54.  Erin Burnett Outfront trounced MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews in the key demo, growing +5% – the only increase among cable news in the hour – while Matthews lost -52% of his audience.  CNN Original Series This is Life with Lisa Ling and Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown ranked #1 in across cable news in their respective time periods in the key demo, topping MSNBC and Fox News combined.  Somebody’s Gotta Do It with Mike Rowe more than doubled MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show during the 9pm hour on Wednesdays among A25-54 in October. 

CNN tops MSNBC:

• Total Day among total viewers (419k vs. MSNBC’s 324k) and in demo 25-54 rating (134k vs. MSNBC’s 85k).
• M-Su Primetime in the demo 25-54 (188k vs. MSNBC’s 125k).
• M-F Primetime in key demo rating (192k vs. MSNBC’s 114k).
• Dayside (9a-4p) in both total viewers (528k vs. MSNBC’s 268k) and demo 25-54 rating (152k vs. MSNBC’s 56k).
• CNN ranked #1 in Weekend Primetime in demo rating (177k vs. MSNBC’s 153k and Fox’s 119k) and topped MSNBC in total viewers (409k vs. MSNBC’s 307k).
• CNN Original Series Sunday night premieres rank #1 in A25-54 across cable news in their respective time periods, more than doubling MSNBC.

MSNBC continues to spiral this month, losing over half of its M-F Primetime audience and registering the network’s lowest 25-54 delivery in almost a decade, since July 2005.  MSNBC also posted its lowest Total Day performance since July 2005 among A25-54 and second lowest since December, 2007 among total viewers.  MSNBC’s primetime flagship program The Rachel Maddow Show had its lowest monthly 25-54 delivery ever (134k) and the network’s lowest 9pm performance since July 2006.  Morning Joe ranked fourth in cable news among A25-54 this month, trailing both CNN and HLN; while shedding the most viewers during its time period — decreasing -46% among 25-54 and -35% in total viewers vs. a year ago.  In dayside, MSNBC had its third lowest monthly 25-54 delivery (56k; tied with August 2014) in over eight years (since June 2006 – 55k).

CNN program highlights include: 

• New Day out-rated MSNBC’s Morning Joe in both total viewers (346k vs. 342k) and the demo (108k vs. 86k).  New Day grew vs. a year ago in total viewers (+11%); while Joe declined -35% in total viewers and -46% in the demo.  This marks the fourth consecutive month (and six of the past eight months) that New Day beat Morning Joe in the demo.
• All of CNN’s Dayside programming (9a-4p) easily topped MSNBC this month, with MSNBC experiencing double-digit declines every hour, and ranking either third or fourth.
• The Lead with Jake Tapper ranked #2 in total viewers (567k) and in the demo (156k).  MSNBC dropped -55% at 4pm in the demo vs. a year ago.
• The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer also ranked #2 in total viewers (610k vs. MSNBC’s 521k) and in A25-54 (172k vs. 79k).  The Ed Show is down -55% in the demo compared to a year ago.
• Erin Burnett Outfront ranked #2 in the demo (196k) this month; increasing +5% – the only growth among cable news in the hour – while MSNBC’s Hardball ranked 3^rd  (124k) and decreased -52% vs. a year ago.
• AC 360 (8pm) easily topped MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes in both total viewers (565k vs. MSNBC’s 544k) and the demo (195k vs. MSNBC’s 106k).  All In, which debuted in April 2013, saw its lowest monthly A25-54 delivery ever (106k) and is down -52% compared to last year.
• CNN programming at 9pm easily beat MSNBC’s flagship hour The Rachel Maddow Show (208k vs. 134k) in the key demo, with CNN the only cable news network in the hour to grow vs. a year ago – increasing +12%, while Fox News was down -8% and MSNBC’s Maddow decreased a whopping -53% vs. a year ago.  Maddow’s demo performance this month is her worst ever.
• CNN programming at 10pm (mostly CNN Tonight) ranked #2 in the demo (168k vs. MSNBC’s 109k). MSNBC’s Last Word/Docs combo ranked 3^rd.
• Smerconish ranked #2 in total viewers and the demo at both 9am and 6pm.
• CNN programming block on Saturdays from 2-7pm ranked #1 in the demo for the month of October.

• State of the Union with Candy Crowley ranked #2 in both total viewers and the key demo at 9am and noon.

• Fareed Zakaria GPS ranked #2 in both total viewers and the key demo at 10am and 1pm, growing among total viewers from a year ago.
• Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter ranked #2 in total viewers (547k) and among 25-54 (139k). RS increased +9% in the demo 25-54 and +14% among total viewers vs. a year ago.  

CNN Original Series highlights include:  

This is Life with Lisa Ling – Season One to-date (9/28-10/26/14): 

• Over its five premieres to-date on Sundays at 10p, This is Life with Lisa Ling has averaged 286k P25-54 and 626k total viewers.
• It ranks #1 across cable news in its time period among both demos, outperforming the combined delivery of MSNBC and Fox News in P25-54.
  • More than doubles MSNBC (+101%; 142k) and more than triples Fox News (+214%; 91k) in P25-54.
  • Ahead of Fox News by +19% (525k) and more than doubles MSNBC (+112%; 295k) in total viewers.
• This is Life is above the prior-to-launch four Sunday time period average by +58% in P25-54 (181k) and +37% in total viewers (457k), the largest and only double-digit increases among cable news in the hour. 

Anthony Bourdain:  Parts Unknown – Season Four to-date (9/28-10/26/14): 

• Over its five Sunday 9p premieres to-date in Season 4, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown has averaged 312k P25-54 and 619k total viewers.
• It ranks #1 in P25-54 across cable news in its time period, outperforming the combined delivery of MSNBC and Fox News, and beats MSNBC in total viewers.
  • More than doubles MSNBC (+194%; 106k) and Fox News (+192%; 107k) among P25-54.
  • More than doubles MSNBC among total viewers (+175%; 225k).
• Parts Unknown is above the prior-to-launch four Sunday time period average by +51% in P25-54 (207k) and +10% in P2+ (561k), the only increases among cable news in the hour. 

Somebody’s Gotta Do It with Mike Rowe – Season One to-date (10/8-10/22/14): 

• Over its three premieres to-date on Wednesdays at 9p, Somebody’s Gotta Do It with Mike Rowe has averaged 435k P25-54 and 888k total viewers.
• It ranks #2 across cable news in its time period among both demos, more than doubling MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Show in P25-54 (+175%; 158k) and +6% ahead in total viewrers (835k).
• Somebody’s Gotta Do It more than doubles the prior-to-launch four Wednesday time period average in P25-54 (+115%; 202k) and is +66% above in total viewers (535k), the largest growth among cable news in the hour in both demos, and the only triple-digit increase in P25-54.

Data is a blend of Nielsen Live+SD and the more inclusive Live+3 and final Live+7 data when available. 

NOTE:  As of Tuesday, October 21, CNN and HLN are unavailable in DISH Network homes.  The projected impact on the national level: P25-54 viewing from DISH households has accounted for 12% of CNN’s Total Day audience and 13% in Prime.  Among total viewers, DISH households have represented 10% of CNN’s Total Day and Prime audiences.

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