CNN’s struggle to maintain viewership hit a significant new low on Wednesday when its primetime ratings fell below 500,000 viewers.
The 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET slots, anchored by Kaitlan Collins and Abby Phillip, saw their numbers dip to troubling levels, signaling a larger issue for the network’s reach and influence.
According to AdWeek, Collins’ show, The Source with Kaitlan Collins, pulled in just 464,000 total viewers, while Phillip’s NewsNight with Abby Phillip followed with 459,000.
Even the later slots struggled, with Laura Coates Live at 11 p.m. ending the night with a mere 269,000 viewers. The only bright spot in CNN’s primetime lineup was Anderson Cooper 360, which managed to scrape together 535,000 viewers.
Perhaps most concerning for CNN was the inability to reach the critical 25-54 demographic, a key target group for advertisers. None of CNN’s primetime shows managed to break 100,000 viewers in this age range.
Cooper performed the best with 93,000, followed by Phillip with 90,000, Collins with 76,000, and Coates with just 46,000.
This drop marks yet another painful chapter in CNN’s ongoing battle for viewers. For years, the network has faced challenges in keeping its audience, but these latest numbers signal a deeper issue.
Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald pointed out the severity of the situation on social media, commenting, “CNN’s full-scale collapse continues rapidly. It reaches a remarkable new low led by Kaitlan Collins and Abby Phillip…fewer than 500,000 viewers total in prime-time!”
While CNN’s primetime shows struggle to keep up with audience demands, the competition remains fierce. MSNBC’s The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle at 11 p.m. brought in 799,000 total viewers and 99,000 in the 25-54 demographic.
Meanwhile, Fox News’ FOX News @ Night dominated the late-night slot with 1.5 million total viewers, significantly outpacing CNN.
CNN’s current woes can be traced back to a series of missteps. In November, the network saw its lowest-rated week since 2001, averaging just 268,000 viewers.
At the same time, Fox News drew in 1.4 million viewers, highlighting the stark contrast in audience engagement between the two networks. Adding fuel to the fire was the failure of CNN+, the network’s ill-fated attempt at a streaming service.
Despite a $300 million investment and bringing in high-profile talent like Chris Wallace, the platform collapsed shortly after its launch in 2022, underscoring the challenges CNN faces in adapting to the changing media landscape.
Despite these setbacks, CNN has not given up on its vision. But with declining ratings and the struggles of CNN+, the network faces tough questions about its future. For now, it seems the path to recovery is unclear, and the competition continues to leave CNN in its wake.
