CNN’s median audience age in primetime dropped by two years in 2014, making it the youngest cable news network.
According to Nielsen, the median age of the CNN viewer during primetime dropped from 60 in 2013 to 58 in 2014. That’s the lowest viewer age since 2008, which was the network’s lowest since 1992.
CNN’s chief competition — Fox News and MSNBC — were both older: Fox by a decade, at 68, and MSNBC at 61; up a year from 60 in 2013.
The two-year drop for CNN might not seem that significant to the naked eye, but it’s helpful for the network while shopping its programming to advertisers and sponsors. The drop in audience age is in large part attributable to the network’s investment in original series like “Anthony Boudain: Parts Unknown,” “The Hunt” with John Walsh, “This is Life” with Lisa Ling,” and “Somebody’s Gotta Do It” with Mike Rowe.
The advantage of these shows is two-fold: they offer speciality programming that serves a variety of audiences interested in travel, culinary and cultural programming while also being DVR-friendly.
Shows like this were part of the reason CNN landed on TheWrap’s top 5 media winners of 2014 list, along with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, The Blaze’s Glenn Beck, Lebron James, and ABC News.