Cable News Ratings: CNN Surges in 2Q, Megyn Kelly Tops June Demo

CNN sees double-digit growth, while Fox star edges colleague Bill O’Reilly in 25-54 demo

CABLE NEWS LOGOS CNN Fox News MSNBC

CNN saw the most ratings growth in cable news for the second quarter, increasing double digits across the board compared to the same period in 2014.

The original cable news network attracted 431,000 viewers and 138,000 demo viewers during the day, up 26 percent and 31 percent, respectively. In primetime, the network drew 560,000 viewers and 195,000 viewers, up 22 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Some CNN highlights included “New Day” beating MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” in the demo for the fourth quarter in a row (MJ won total viewers for the fourth straight quarter); “The Lead” with Jake Tapper growing the most among all cable news shows in the demo (up 59 percent); and Erin Burnett marking four quarters in front of “Hardball” with Chris Matthews in the demo.

Sister network HLN beat MSNBC in the daytime demo for the 13th straight month in June. “Morning Express” with Robin Meade was also the number 2 cable news show in the demo during the second quarter.

Fox News was still far out in front as the No. 1 cable news network, attracting 974,000 total viewers and 186,000 demo viewers during the day, up four percent and down two percent, respectively. In primetime, the network saw significant growth in the demo, attracting 603,000 total viewers, which was up 14 percent year-over-year. Total viewers was flat with 1,603,000. As usual, Bill O’Reilly topped all of cable news in both total viewers and the 25-54.

But for the month of June, it was Megyn Kelly who reigned No. 1 in the demo, drawing 400,000 viewers, assisted by big interviews with the Duggars.

Megyn Kelly

For the quarter, Fox ranked third among all of primetime cable TV, trailing basketball-dominated TBS and TNT, which aired the NBA playoffs.

MSNBC’s slide continued in the second quarter, down across the board year-over. During the day, the network attracted 318,000 viewers  and 85,000 demo viewers, down 5 percent and 17 percent, respectively. One bright spot of daytime was “The Cycle.” The roundtable variety news-and-pop culture show was tops in total viewers and the demo from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., mixing both reporting, like Ari Melber reporting from the Supreme Court, and opinion through its day-to-day debates.

This is the formula MSNBC is trying to shift to under new Chairman Andrew Lack, and beginning in August, new breaking news anchor Brian Williams.

In primetime, MSNBC was down double digits, with 512,000 viewers and 130,000 demo viewers, down 10 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

In June, the network saw some positive signs: “Up” with Steve Kornacki saw its highest weekend ratings in over two years; Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O’Donnell grew double digits in total viewers, up 19 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Overall, cable news networks combined — Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and HLN — saw the lowest morning demo rating in 14 years, since August 2001.

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