COVERAGE OF PRESIDENT TRUMP’S SECOND INAUGURATION MARKS CNN’S BEST DAY AMONG BOTH DEMOS SINCE THE 2024 ELECTION
#1 DIGITAL NEWS OUTLET IN THE US FOR 2024
CNN’S NYE TIME SQUARE SPECIAL RANKED AS #1 NEW YEAR’S PROGRAM ON CABLE TV; TOP 5 DAY ON CNN MAX
LUTHER: NEVER TOO MUCH PREMIERE LANDS BEST PERFORMANCE OF CNN FILMS IN 3 YEARS AMONG KEY DEMO
NEW YORK, NY— (January 28, 2025) —In the first month of the year, CNN continued to be a top destination for audiences across linear, digital and streaming platforms with distinctive special programming. CNN ranked in the top 5 of the most watched networks in all of cable, marking the 67th consecutive month in the Top 10 for P2+ (#4). Among adults 25-54, CNN ranked in the Top 10 among all cable networks in January (#6). CNN also reached the most viewers in cable news in January among both P2+ and P25-54 (P2+: CNN: 58.8m, Fox News: 55.2m, MSNBC: 36.6m; P25-54: CNN: 18.4m, Fox News: 16.3m, MSNBC: 9.4m). Further, CNN had the 2nd highest Total Day month-over-month growth of any top 30 cable network among both demos, behind only ESPN (P2+: +39%, 304k to 424k; P25-54: +69%, 48k to 81k).
In January, CNN ranked as a top 10 cable network in M-F Prime (8p-11p) among both P2+ (#7) and P25-54 (#10), as well as top 10 in M-Su Prime among P2+ (#9). Compared to December 2024, CNN posted the 2nd highest growth of any top 30 cable network in M-Su Prime among both P25-54 (+103% 60k to 122k) and P2+ (+56% 344k to 536k), behind only ESPN.
CNN kicked off the year with its annual special New Year’s Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen from New York City’s Times Square, which ranked as the #1 program on cable television when the ball dropped at midnight (12a-12:30a) with 3.7 million P2+ and 1.358 million P25-54. This marked the event’s best performance in the time period since 2021. On streaming platforms, New Years Eve 2025 was CNN Max’s 4th biggest day on record, behind only the 2024 US Election Day and the two preceding presidential debates, surpassing CNN’s New Years Eve 2024 programming, which broke records one year ago.
CNN’s coverage of the Second Inauguration of Donald Trump (11a-7p, 1/20/2025) was the organization’s best day since the 2024 Presidential Election among both demos (783k P2+; 221k P25-54). CNN ranked #2 in all of cable (1.247 million P2+, 373k P25-54).
CNN’s on-the-ground reporting from the Los Angeles wildfires attracted elevated audiences in January. Anderson Cooper 360’s coverage of the fires delivered the show’s best performance since the day before the 2024 Presidential Election (Wed, 1/8/25, 8p-9p), ranking #4 in all of cable among P2+ (874k) and #6 among P25-54 (268k).
CNN also continues to find new audiences with its Original Series and Films. CNN’s premiere of Luther: Never Too Much (1/1/25, 8p-10p) registered the best performance for CNN Films since 2022 among P25-54 (211k, best since Navalny, 4/24/22) and since 2023 among P2+ (933k, best since Little Richard, 9/4/23). Luther also attracted the largest Black audience among P25-54 (132k) and P2+ (500k) for CNN Films since 2021 (best since Dreamland, 5/31/21). The series premiere of Kobe: The Making of a Legend (Sat, 1/25, 9p-10p) grew by triple-digits among P25-54 vs. the prior 4 week time period average (+148%: 114k vs. 46k) and by double-digits among P2+ (+63%: 439k vs. 270k). Further, Kobe ranked among the top 10 cable programs in its time period among Black viewers in both demos (2+: #6; 25-54: #8).
CNN ranked as the top digital news outlet for US audiences in 2024, based on Jan.-Dec. monthly averages. In addition, CNN registered as the #1 digital source for political news in 2024, a US Presidential election year.
TV Source: Nielsen Panel Only. AA(000s). Based on Live+SD, incl. OOH. Reach: 75% Unification, 1-Minute Qualifier.
Max: Internal Data.
Digital Sources: Comscore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform, Total Digital Population, Average Unique Visitors, January to December 2024, United States, Custom-Defined List including BBC, CNN.COM, MSN News, Yahoo News, The New York Times Brand, CBSNEWS.COM, Fox News Digital, NBCNEWS.COM, USATODAY.COM, THEGUARDIAN.COM, NYPOST.COM, WASHIGNTONPOST.COM, DAILYMAIL.CO.UK, HuffPost Global, CNBC, The Sun, INDEPENDENT.CO.UK, ABCNEWS.COM, NPR.ORG, Bloomberg.com, MEDIUM.COM, MIRROR.CO.UK, CBC, TELEGRAPH.CO.UK, Sky News, VOX.COM, SFGATE.COM, EURONEWS.COM, CHRON.COM, BUZZFEEDNEWS.COM, VICE.COM NYDAILYNEWS.COM, Alijazeera Media Network, Epoch Times.
Political Source: Comscore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform, News/Information – Politics, Desktop & Mobile – Desktop 2+ and Total Mobile 13+, Average Unique Visitors, January to December 2024, United States.
