CNN’s “New Day” has taken a significant hit in ratings ever since the network gave co-host Chris Cuomo his own show in the network’s primetime lineup, signaling another frustration for CNN president Jeff Zucker.
According to Nielsen Media Research, “New Day” saw a 14% decline in total viewership and 25% decline in the 25-54 age demographic for Q3 in 2018 compared to the show’s ratings for the same quarter in 2017.
CNN tried to spin the decline in ratings in a press release, saying the show “had its second-best 3Q on record.”
Zucker made clear when he took over at CNN that “New Day” was a top priority for him and that he wanted the show to target a “broad audience.”
“We’re not after a niche audience,” Zucker said, noting that the show would have a “different tone” that was aimed at appealing to “a new generation.”
The president of Media Matters, a far-left organization that smears people on the political Right, previously noted that the network’s combative approach was largely responsible for their constant losing streak in cable news ratings.
“That, to me, is why their ratings are suffering,” Angelo Carusone said. “They think that this clash model is somehow good for ratings, and it’s not.”
Journalism legend Ted Koppel even mocked CNN’s ratings this week while speaking to CNN’s Brian Stelter, saying that the network’s ratings would “be in the toilet without Trump.”