CNN Loses Half its Audience

[Elspeth]

March & Q1 2012: CNN Loses Half its Audience

CNN bore the brunt of the downward trend the news networks experienced this month and for much of the first quarter, when compared to the busy first few months of 2011. For the month of March, CNN was down -50% in total viewers and down -60% in A25-54 viewers (Total Day). The net was down -21% in Total Viewers and down -26% in A25-54 viewers (Primetime) compared to March 2011. Last March saw the earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well as the beginning of the allied campaign in Libya...

...Compared to Q1 2011, CNN was down -21% in total viewers and down -26% in A25-54 viewers for Total Day viewing and down -5% in both Total Viewers and A25-54 viewers in Primetime. CNN did see slight growth in Primetime (Mon-Fri) due to three GOP debates it carried, topping MSNBC in the demo (Mon-Fri and Mon-Sun)....

...Every CNN program from 6AM to Midnight is down double digits in both Total Viewers and A25-54 viewers. Quarter-to-quarter, “John King USA” is down -41% while “Piers Morgan Tonight” is -40% in the A25-54 demo. Morgan, however, is up +11% vs. Q4 ’11.

CNN’s new morning shows are severely under-performing with the time period having its worst quarter in more than 10 years, since Q2 2001. The 6-9amET hours, the final hour of “Early Start” and two hours of “Starting Point,” are down -32% in Total Viewers and down -39% in A25-54 viewers vs. Q1 2011....

[Novaheart]

March & Q1 2012: CNN Loses Half its Audience

CNN reached an average monthly cumulative audience of 91 million viewers during the first quarter 2012, FNC followed with 77 million and MSNBC had 74 million.

I'd say it's worse than that, guessing that across the board most of the viewers of these channels merely have the tube on for background noise and pseudo-companionship.

[Janice]

What took so long?