From December 26, 2023, to December 15, 2024, CNN only attracted 93,000 viewers in the key demographic of 25-54-year-olds. Across all demographics, the network garnered 488,000 total viewers, trailing Fox News, which reached 1.46 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research data.
This comes after CNN’s coverage of election night in 2024 garnered 5.1 million viewers, marking a 44% decrease from 2020. In contrast, Fox News drew 13.6 million viewers for its election night coverage.
Meanwhile, MSNBC lagged behind CNN in the 25-54 demographic with 86,000 viewers but attracted 806,000 total viewers. However, it was reported that MSNBC asked anchors Joy Reid and Stephanie Ruhle to take a pay cut to retain their positions, following a reported $5 million pay reduction for anchor Rachel Maddow.
While still gaining recognition, NewsNation saw significant growth, increasing its primetime cable viewership by 25% and viewership in the 25-54 demographic by 45%.
As 2024 comes to a close, Fox News maintains its top viewership position, leading all cable networks for the ninth consecutive year. The network’s late-night show Gutfeld! topped all cable news programs, averaging 2.1 million total viewers and 295,000 viewers in the 25-54 demographic.
