Cable news networks are facing an unprecedented crisis, and CNN and MSNBC are at the forefront of this decline. CNN, once the undisputed king of cable news, has now fallen so far behind that it’s struggling to compete with the Food Network. Yes, you read that correctly—more people are watching cooking shows than tuning in to Anderson Cooper’s news coverage. During the week of December 2, 2024, CNN’s primetime viewership sank to a meager 367,000 total viewers, while Fox News was raking in 2.5 million viewers.
MSNBC’s story isn’t much better. After the presidential election, the network saw a staggering 22% drop in its primetime audience compared to October 2024. The plunge was especially brutal for “Morning Joe,” following revelations that the hosts had met with President-elect Donald Trump. This decline mirrors what happened in 2016 when MSNBC’s viewership collapsed by 41% post-election, signaling that this isn’t just a temporary dip—it’s a trend.
The causes of this downturn are multifaceted. The usual post-election viewership slump plays a role, but it’s clear that the rise of streaming services and the increasing popularity of cord-cutting have taken a significant toll. More and more people are ditching traditional cable for digital platforms, where news can be accessed on demand, leaving CNN and MSNBC struggling to hold on to their dwindling audiences.
The consequences for these networks are dire. With ratings crashing, advertising revenue is bound to follow suit. Both networks are facing a major crossroads, forced to rethink their programming strategies or risk becoming irrelevant. The larger question is whether cable news can even survive in this new media landscape. The stats don’t lie: The days of cable news dominance may be numbered.
This isn’t just a rough patch; it’s the beginning of a long-term shift that could forever change the news industry. Are CNN and MSNBC capable of adapting, or have they already passed the point of no return? The future of traditional cable news is hanging by a thread.
For cable television, viewership in the ages 25-54 window is the number advertisers and executives care about the most. Overall viewership barely matters, "the demo" is all they talk about.
In the final week of November, CNN's average viewership with that group was just 41,000.…
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) December 10, 2024
Sources:
https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-loses-food-network-networks-primetime-viewership-languishes
https://www.foxcharleston.com/cnn-loses-to-food-network-as-networks-primetime-viewership-languishes/
https://news.yahoo.com/news/cnn-loses-food-network-network-210037319.html