CNN’s ratings are in free fall, and it’s not even a slow news week. Despite plenty of major stories to cover—Donald Trump’s cabinet announcements, the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, and chaos in Syria—the network’s primetime lineup tanked, averaging just 367,000 total viewers last week. For context, that’s fewer viewers than the Food Network and Hallmark Channel. Yes, more people were tuning in to watch chefs sauté onions and couples fall in love under twinkling Christmas lights than to watch CNN’s “hard-hitting journalism.”
Even more embarrassing, CNN ranked 17th among all cable networks during primetime. It couldn’t even outpace channels like Freeform, HGTV, or Nick at Nite. And in the coveted 25-54 age demographic? Forget about it—CNN drew just 67,000 viewers, putting it behind TV Land and Adult Swim. Fox News, meanwhile, crushed it with 2.5 million total primetime viewers and 280,000 in the same age demographic. If CNN is supposed to be a serious news outlet, it’s getting absolutely clobbered by SpongeBob reruns and reruns of Law & Order.
CNN and MSNBC ratings are in a freefall
CNN just lost to Food Network, finishing in 17th place among all cable stations last week in primetime. Rachel Maddow, MSNBC’s ‘darling’ for years, completely tanked compared to last year, she saw 43% drop.@elonmusk was right. It’s over pic.twitter.com/HnAMT2rA2T
— Chay Bowes (@BowesChay) December 11, 2024
This is the same CNN that once positioned itself as the “most trusted name in news.” But let’s face it: their credibility, like their viewership, is dwindling. The Trump era of 2016-2020 gave them a lifeline, turning their primetime hours into a nonstop anti-Trump therapy session for liberals. Now, with Trump set to take office again, you’d think they’d recapture some of that magic. Instead, their audience says, “No thanks,” and flips the channel.
CNN averaged only about 260,000 viewers per day, losing out to channels like Bravo and The Food Network. After CNN spent years relentlessly attacking Biden and Harris, while sane-washing Trump and his cult members, this ratings disaster is well-deserved. https://t.co/J0uOm1Wr9J
— Scott Dworkin (@funder) December 7, 2024
Conservatives like Charlie Kirk are calling this exactly what it is: the death knell for legacy media. As Kirk pointed out, viewers aren’t just rejecting CNN—they’re turning to alternative platforms like his own show, Dan Bongino’s podcast, Joe Rogan’s The Joe Rogan Experience, and even real-time updates on X (formerly Twitter). Legacy media simply can’t compete in a world where independent voices are unfiltered and accessible 24/7.
CNN just lost in the ratings to…Food Network!! The news outlet finished in 17th place among all cable stations last week in primetime.
It wasn’t like it was a slow news cycle either. There was the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the manhunt for the killer, the… pic.twitter.com/pPXiU2Xi7I
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) December 11, 2024
To make matters worse, this ratings nosedive isn’t just a bad week for CNN—it’s part of a year-over-year collapse. Since this time last year, CNN’s audience has dropped a staggering 40 percent, while MSNBC has lost 23 percent of its viewers. This isn’t just about bad programming; it’s about a total loss of trust. Americans are fed up with the corporate media’s blatant bias, selective coverage, and endless narratives.
Remember when CNN went all in on “walls don’t work” while broadcasting from a literal gated compound? Or their fixation on Trump’s tax returns, which turned out to be a nothingburger? These moments, coupled with their obsession over January 6 while ignoring skyrocketing crime and inflation, have turned off viewers across the political spectrum.
The bottom line is that CNN, much like its former golden era, is a relic of the past. The network’s inability to adapt to a changing media landscape—where authenticity trumps polished talking heads—is sealing its fate. Maybe they should pivot to Hallmark-style programming instead. A movie called Breaking News and Broken Ratings could really resonate with their dwindling audience.
