CNN and MSNBC battled it out in January’s ratings with CNN coming out on top in the key prime time adult demographic.
For the first time since August 2019, CNN overtook MSNBC in prime time in the key demographic adults 25-54. During weekday prime time (M-F, 8-11pm), CNN averaged 399k while MSNBC followed with 369k and in M-Su prime time (8-11pm), CNN attracted 327k to MSNBC’s 292k in the key demo adults 25-54.
In total day, CNN beat MSNBC once again in the key demo adults 25-54 (194k vs. MSNBC’s 158k) this month. CNN has now topped MSNBC for 65 of the past 67 months in total day in the 25-54 demo. In total viewers, the network averaged 756k – CNN’s third-highest January total day ratings since 2009 (following 2017 and 2019).
CNN also surpassed MSNBC during dayside (9am-4pm daypart, 196k vs. MSNBC’s 143k) now for the 71st straight month, the longest streak on record. On weekends, CNN topped MSNBC in total day in total viewers (609k vs. 581k), and among adults 25-54 (148k vs. 100k). And in weekend prime time, CNN easily surpassed MSNBC in total viewers (626k vs. 600k) and in the key demo (147k vs. 98k). CNN outperformed MSNBC for 22 out of 24 hours on Saturdays and Sundays in the demo 25-54. All of CNN’s Sunday morning public affairs programs topped MSNBC in the demo adults 25-54 in January.
Among ALL cable networks, CNN ranked #4 in total viewers in total day and weekday prime time in January. This marks the 24th consecutive month that CNN was a Top 10 cable network among total viewers in total day. In M-Su prime time, CNN ranked #7 in all of cable this month among total viewers. CNN also had the youngest audience in cable news in total day and prime time and reached the largest cumulative TV audience (among both total viewers and adults 25-54) this month.
All of CNN’s dayside programs also outperformed MSNBC in January, posting higher demo 25-54 audiences including: CNN Newsroom with Poppy Harlow and Jim Sciutto (9am and 10am), At This Hour with Kate Bolduan (11am), Inside Politics with John King (weekday, noon), CNN Right Now with Brianna Keilar (1pm) and CNN Newsroom with Brooke Baldwin (2pm and 3pm). CNN’s morning programs Early Start with Christine Romans and Laura Jarrett (4-6am) topped MSNBC in the demo 25-54 and CNN’s New Day with Alisyn Camerota and John Berman (6-9am), registered its third-highest January on record among total viewers (538k, behind 2018 and 2019).
On Saturdays, Smerconish, CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield (11-3pm), CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera (3-6pm and 7-9pm) and S.E. Cupp Unfiltered all ranked #2 in cable news in the demo 25-54. New Day Sat/Sun with Christi Paul and Victor Blackwell topped MSNBC in both total viewers and the demo adults 25-54 this month.
On Sunday mornings, all of CNN’s public affairs programs including Inside Politics with John King (8am), State of the Union with Jake Tapper (9am and noon), Fareed Zakaria GPS (10 am and 1pm) ranked #2 in cable news in their respective time periods, easily beating MSNBC in the 25-54 demo. Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter (11am) also topped MSNBC in the key demo 25-54. CNN Newsroom with Fredricka Whitfield (2-5pm) ranked either #1 or #2 among total viewers and/or the demo this month. CNN Newsroom with Ana Cabrera and other CNN special programming topped MSNBC on Sundays in the demo this month (5-8pm).