CNN’s ‘The Seventies’ Debut Tops Fox News’ ‘The Kelly File’ in Key Demo

Premiere ranks slightly higher among viewers 25-54 than May 2014’s “The Sixties”

The Seventies

The opening episode of CNN Original Series “The Seventies” topped Fox News Channel’s “The Kelly File” in the key 25-54 demographic — as well as all of its other cable news competition at 9 p.m.

Episode 1 of the Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman production, “Television Gets Real,” also notched 7,000 more demo viewers than the May 2014 premiere of CNN’s “The Sixties,” 291,000 viewers versus 284,000 (up two percent).

Fox News had 278,000 demo viewers in the hour last night, while MSNBC had 94,000.

In total viewers, however, FNC still topped the hour, with 1.952 million. CNN was second with 887,000, while “Rachel Maddow” on MSNBC pulled 647,000 total viewers.

CNN was the only cable news network to increase in the demo during the 9 o’clock hour compared to a year ago, growing 29 percent (291,000 vs. 226,000).

MSNBC was down 34 percent (94,000 vs. 143,000) year-over-year, and Fox News fell 20 percent (278,000 vs. 347,000).

“The Seventies” examines the individuals and events that influenced and shaped a decade that had a profound impact on America.

The eight-part docuseries, airing Thursdays at 9, will also cover the impact of the Vietnam War, the evolving music scene, the Iran Hostage Crisis, violent crimes in America, the sexual revolution, and the rise in terrorism at home and abroad. Next week’s episode is “United States vs. Nixon” about the Watergate scandal.

“The Seventies” is produced by Playtone in association with HBO and Mark Herzog (Herzog & Company).

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