CNN Tops Cable Channels in Lost Viewers

CNN’s poor ratings in 2010 when they finished behind MSNBC in the A25-54 prime time demographic for the second year in a row in 2010 and total viewers for the first time ever can be easily explained by the latest release of cable viewership loss numbers for the past year.

---

From TV by the Numbers Top PRIMETIME (8-11pm) average viewership losses 2009 to 2010:

	Net	2010 Avg. Viewership (000)	2009 Avg. Viewership (000)	Loss (000)
1	CNN	592	903	-311
2	Hallmark	858	1113	-255
3	VH1	514	742	-228
4	Fox News	2032	2195	-163
5	Spike	922	1065	-143
6	USA	3157	3276	-119
7	HLN	446	561	-115
8	FX	1271	1375	-104
9	Syfy	1202	1279	-77
10	ESPN 2	634	693	-59
11	SPD	228	280	-52
12	Soap Net	302	353	-51
13	TBC	1800	1847	-47
14	MSNBC	771	811	-40
15	Nat Geo	424	457	-33
16	Lifetime	1158	1188	-30
17	WGNA	339	368	-29
18	Versus	279	307	-28
19	GOLF	119	147	-28
20	GAC	61	82	-21
21	CMT	383	399	-16
22	A&E	1463	1478	-15
23	Comedy	979	994	-15
24	TVGN	200	215	-15
25	WE	278	292	-14

The 34% decline in viewership was even more stark when compared to CNN’s main competitors Fox News which lost 7% of its audience and MSNBC which suffered a 5 % decline in viewership. CNN has no one to blame but itself for the poor showing as the network struggled to find a decent program to air in the crucial 8-9 p.m. slot and did little to try and could only watch helplessly as its supposedly middle of the road strategy backfired badly. Despite what many liberals say the public does want an opinion when it comes to cable news and until CNN realizes this they are doomed to the bottom rung of the cable news hierarchy.