CNN in Panic as its Ratings Collapse, Credibility Questioned
CNN’s second-quarter viewership average was 18 percent lower than in 2018
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Establishment news outlet CNN has seen its ratings plummet even further in 2019 as one of its recent decisions has also brought its credibility into question.
While Fox News averaged 1.3 million viewers in the second quarter ratings for cable shows, CNN saw well below half of that with 541,000 total viewers.
The gap in prime time was even more pronounced, with Fox News as number one and CNN in 15th place, averaging 761,000 viewers to Fox’s 2.4 million.
According to Forbes, CNN’s second-quarter viewership average was 18 percent lower than in 2018.
Its key 'ad-friendly' demographic also took a nose dive at 38 percent.
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Hill reporter, Joe Concha told Fox News:
“The numbers warrant concern, yes. Q2 was a particularly news-rich quarter highlighted by the release of the Mueller report and all the aftermath and controversy following it, plus the launch of several high-profile Democratic candidacies including Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg to propel 2020 coverage into high gear,” Concha told Fox.
“It may only get worse in Q3 given the numbers we’re already seeing.”
Adweek’s TV Newser reported: During the week of July 4, CNN “averaged only 165,000 A25-54 viewers in prime time, the network’s lowest average since 2015."
President Donald Trump didn't miss CNN's difficulties either:
“Wow, @CNN RATINGS HAVE CRASHED. LOST ALL CREDIBILITY!” Trump tweeted Friday.
Fox News quoted anonymous CNN employees saying that the numbers are a cause for grave concern, and have been reducing its workforce
“The people that are concerned — it’s certainly not the anchors who have lucrative contracts — it’s the people among the lower levels, such as producers and show bookers,” Fox quoted what it said was one unnamed CNN employee as saying.
Wow, @CNN RATINGS HAVE CRASHED. LOST ALL CREDIBILITY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2019
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“Losing nearly 40 percent of an already third-place audience must be a primary topic in internal meetings, with immediate remedies not readily apparent,” Concha said.
According to The Western Journal: CNN recently announced that anchor Don Lemon — who uses his show to promote his anti-Trump opinions — will be a moderator at the July Democratic presidential debate that the network is hosting.
Conservative strategist Chris Barron called that decision “a disservice to voters all across the political spectrum” because Lemon is so openly biased.
“They are more interested in the political version of a church revival than an actual debate,” Barron told Fox.
DePauw University professor and media critic Jeffrey McCall said CNN should stop pretending Lemon is an unbiased news anchor.
“He is a host of an opinion-driven show in which his opinions are front and center. Thus, he is a host rather than a news anchor,” McCall told Fox.
“His show does discuss news topics, but it is not designed as an objective news show.”
Media Research Center vice president Dan Gainor thinks Lemon’s selection was no accident.
“He says so many things that even liberals are embarrassed by him,” Gainor told Fox.
“But in reality, we know why he was chosen. He was picked so CNN can remind its audience of liberals that it is part of the resistance.”
In May, CNN laid off nearly all of its health care coverage division, despite the network attempting to dispel the “crazy rumor."
The news outlet released most staff from the division, which is based out of Atlanta.
