Once the titan of cable news, CNN is currently grappling with a historic collapse in primetime viewership, with its audience eroding by nearly two-thirds over the last ten years.
&#8220;The decrease, from roughly 1.3 million in 2016 to 553,000 now, is fueling rumors of a possible network sale,&#8221; The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/media/article-15549985/cnn-ratings-viewers-decline.html?ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490&amp;ito=social-twitter_dailymailus">reported</a>.
The downward trajectory is even more stark when examining specific windows of time. While CNN experienced a substantial ratings spike during Donald Trump&#8217;s 2016 rise, those gains have not only evaporated but have reversed into a deep deficit. In the all-important 25-54 age demographic — the group most coveted by advertisers — the numbers are particularly grim. By early 2025, CNN had slumped to just 118,000 primetime viewers in this category.
The decay is not limited to the evenings. Daytime programming, once propelled by stalwarts such as Wolf Blitzer, has seen its audience decline from 752,000 to 433,000. Compared with the same period in 2021, the network has experienced a 71% drop in primetime and a 73% decline during the day.
This ratings freefall has occurred against a backdrop of executive instability. Following the departure of its president, Jeff Zucker, and the brief, tumultuous tenure of Chris Licht, current CEO Mark Thompson has been tasked with stopping the bleeding. Thompson’s strategy involves a painful pivot away from the network’s &#8220;seminal TV division&#8221; toward a digital-centric model.
Key developments in this restructuring include: More than 200 staff members were terminated in early 2025 to reallocate resources toward digital ventures; a shift toward mobile-friendly content, allowing users to &#8220;flick&#8221; through news stories using their thumbs; a new streaming push launched in late 2025, following the high-profile failure of CNN+ years prior; and plans for a $70 million investment in subscription-based food and fitness content.
While CNN insiders argue that the decline is a symptom of a broader industry shift toward &#8220;alternative means&#8221; of news consumption, the success of rivals suggests otherwise. In January 2025, The Daily Mail reported, &#8220;Fox News, however, has continued to fly high — capturing more than 70 percent of cable news&#8217; audiences during primetime since (the 2024 election), as well as nearly 50 percent overall.&#8221;

Where Did Everyone Go? CNN Loses Two-Thirds Of Primetime Viewers

Media

Nielsen Ratings

Politics

Ratings

After months of criticism from former CBS News staffers and other leftists over her push for even-handed journalism, new Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss appears vindicated: CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil pulled in 6.4 million viewers on January 19, its biggest audience since 2021.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
RATINGS: <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSEveningNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBSEveningNews</a> with Tony Dokoupil delivers 6.4 million total viewers on Jan. 19 &#8211; its largest audience for the broadcast since 2021. The CBS News flagship evening broadcast also averaged 803K in the key adults 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel…
— CBS News PR (@CBSNewsPress) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNewsPress/status/2014478489613738286?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The first flashpoint came when Weiss spiked an investigative segment by Sharyn Alfonsi titled &#8220;Inside CECOT,&#8221; which focused on a notorious prison in El Salvador. Weiss said the segment lacked sufficient context and did not include a response from the Trump administration. The backlash later escalated when roughly 200 former CBS staffers and industry figures signed an <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/29/media/cbs-news-journalists-to-urge-david-ellison-to-protect-independence-after-bari-weiss-pulled-60-minutes-report-on-salvadoran-prison/">open letter</a> to Paramount CEO David Ellison, expressing &#8220;deep reservations&#8221; about Weiss&#8217;s leadership and urging him to protect the network&#8217;s &#8220;crown jewel&#8221; from what they called her &#8220;clumsy editorial interference.&#8221;
Weiss later drew criticism after reportedly sending a memo to staff asking for a detailed account of their weekly working hours, signaling a shift toward stricter newsroom expectations.
When she was hired, former CBS News anchor Dan Rather <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/dan-rather-bari-weiss-skydance-paramount-merger-statement/">stated,</a> “It is also hard to believe Weiss will be an equitable steward of the storied news division &#8230;”
The usual suspects have declared war on Weiss for refusing to continue CBS News&#8217;s slavish devotion to leftist perspectives. Even David Letterman called the media outlet a &#8220;wreck,&#8221; saying its integrity had been &#8220;eviscerated by these idiots that have taken it over.&#8221;
The Guardian<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jan/05/bari-weiss-cbs-news?utm_source=chatgpt.com"> reported</a> earlier this month, “ &#8230; her three months as editor in chief have been more chaotic than even many of her critics expected. ‘There is blood in the water,’ said one CBS News journalist.”
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/business/media/cbs-evening-news-bari-weiss.html">chimed in</a>, “Her reimagining of CBS News has faced heavy scrutiny, and even became a punchline on her own network: At Sunday’s Golden Globes, broadcast by CBS, the host, Nikki Glaser, earned one of her biggest laughs when she declared that CBS News was ‘America’s newest place to see BS news.’”

Bari Weiss

Ratings Don’t Lie: Bari Weiss Scores A Major Win At CBS News

CBS Evening News

Legacy Media

U.S.

CNN host Abby Phillip shared a post highlighting the recent ratings logged by her show, &#8220;CNN NewsNight&#8221; — and her critics quickly pointed out that what truly made her show a standout on the cable news network was her regular inclusion of popular Republican commentator Scott Jennings.
Phillip posted an excerpt from a CNN public relations release showing that her broadcast was the network&#8217;s top performer in the coveted 25-54 age demographic for three months running — and that her audience was growing. She said (emphasis hers), &#8220;NewsNight with Abby Phillip continues to be a standout performer for CNN, ranking as the network’s most watched program among P25-54 for the third consecutive month. Further, NewsNight grew by impressive, double-digit margins year-over-year among both demos.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
&#8220;NewsNight with Abby Phillip continues to be a standout performer for CNN, ranking as the network’s most watched program among P25-54 for the third consecutive month. Further, NewsNight grew by impressive, double-digit margins year-over-year among both demos.&#8221;…
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) <a href="https://twitter.com/abbydphillip/status/1917377118951952871?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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But critics responded to her post, arguing that it was Jennings — who often employs a Jim Halpern (&#8220;The Office&#8221;) style camera stare to great effect — and his sharp but civil commentary that was really bringing in the viewers for whom she was taking credit.
&#8220;Thanks solely to @ScottJenningsKY,&#8221; Tomi Lahren posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thanks solely to <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottJenningsKY</a>
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) <a href="https://twitter.com/TomiLahren/status/1917410286644125816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Two words: Scott and Jennings,&#8221; another said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Two words: Scott and Jennings
— Chris Stigall (@ChrisStigall) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisStigall/status/1917620491650507108?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Great job, @ScottJenningsKY! You’ve driven the ratings up on this show significantly!&#8221; Matt Boyle added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Great job <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottJenningsKY</a> ! You’ve driven the ratings up on this show significantly! <a href="https://t.co/Iyf66mAE9h">https://t.co/Iyf66mAE9h</a>
— Matthew Boyle (@mboyle1) <a href="https://twitter.com/mboyle1/status/1917569344059630039?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Our audience knows exactly why and his name is Scaaaaahhht Jennings,&#8221; Chicks on the Right posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our audience knows exactly why and his name is Scaaaaahhht Jennings. <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottJenningsKY?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottJenningsKY</a> <a href="https://t.co/SoRb4mbNAz">https://t.co/SoRb4mbNAz</a>
— Chicks On The Right (@chicksonright) <a href="https://twitter.com/chicksonright/status/1917583657901998272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I wonder why, um&#8230; what&#8217;s your name again? <a href="https://t.co/0BmfHmIglO">https://t.co/0BmfHmIglO</a> <a href="https://t.co/7RIPWjXseu">pic.twitter.com/7RIPWjXseu</a>
— 𝕯ug (@DugShrugged) <a href="https://twitter.com/DugShrugged/status/1917569914707058709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Even popular liberal radio host Charlamagne tha God admitted that he was a fan of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/charlamagne-tha-god-admits-hes-a-fan-of-one-cnn-republican" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GOP commentator</a>, saying, &#8220;I wish they had more people like Scott Jennings though. Because I feel like Scott Jennings really, really does take it serious, even though he holds his side down. I think a lot of times, they have Republicans on here who are just there just to throw grenades, just to cause the conflict. But Scott actually — I think Scott actually gives a f*** a little bit, you know what I mean? A lot of bit actually.&#8221;

MixCollage-01-May-2025-10-17-AM-5139

CNN Host Touts Network’s Best Show — Gets Reminded Viewers Aren’t Watching For Her

CNN Host Touts Network’s Best Show — Gets Reminded Viewers Aren't Watching For Her

Media Bias

Scott Jennings

CNN’s primetime ratings on Wednesday dipped below 500,000 viewers, with less than 100,000 of those coming from the 25-54-year-old demographic.
CNN’s ratings dipped below 500,000 after 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday evening during “The Source with Kaitlan Collins,” according to <a href="https://www.adweek.com/tvnewser/wednesday-april-23-2025-evening-cable-news-ratings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AdWeek</a>. Collins pulled 464,000 total viewers while “NewsNight with Abby Phillip” in the 10 p.m. hour followed with 459,000. &#8220;Laura Coates Live&#8221; finished off primetime’s 11 p.m. hour for CNN with 269,000.
&#8220;Anderson Cooper 360&#8221; was the only primetime CNN performance with over half-a-million viewers, pulling in 535,000.
All the network’s primetime shows failed to break 100,000 viewers for the coveted 25-54 demographic. Cooper had the best showing with 93,000, then Phillip with 90,000, then Collins with 76,000, and Coates ended the night with just 46,000 viewers in the age group.
 The new numbers are a troubling sign for the network.
“CNN&#8217;s full-scale collapse continues rapidly. It reaches a remarkable new low led by @kaitlancollins and @abbydphillip: fewer than 500,000 viewers total in prime-time! That&#8217;s almost impossible to do even if you wanted it,” independent journalist Glenn Greenwald noted. “Also, they&#8217;re well below 100k for viewers under 55.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CNN&#39;s full-scale collapse continues rapidly. It reaches a remarkable new low led by <a href="https://twitter.com/kaitlancollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@kaitlancollins</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/abbydphillip?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abbydphillip</a>: fewer than 500,000 viewers total in prime-time! That&#39;s almost impossible to do even if you wanted it.
Also, they&#39;re well below 100k for viewers under 55. <a href="https://t.co/4gG4jMWBTH">pic.twitter.com/4gG4jMWBTH</a>
&mdash; Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) <a href="https://twitter.com/ggreenwald/status/1916501808047849477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The best hour on CNN was still behind MSNBC’s worst hour and far below the worst hour on Fox News. “The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle” at 11 p.m. on MSNBC brought in 799,000 total viewers with 99,000 in the 25-54 demographic. Fox News’ “FOX News @ Night” with Trace Gallagher brought in over 1.5 million total viewers with 194,000 in the key demographic.
CNN has struggled with ratings for years. One week in November <a href="https://www.outkick.com/analysis/msnbc-cnn-setting-20-30-year-ratings-lows" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saw</a> the network mark its lowest-rated week since June 2001, bringing in an average of just 268,000 viewers. During the same week, Fox News averaged 1.4 million viewers.
In 2022, the failure of CNN+, the network’s shot at an online streaming service, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/24/business/media/cnn-plus-discovery-warner.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rocked</a> the outlet. Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company, invested roughly $300 million into launching the online platform and brought on big names such as Chris Wallace to sustain it, only for it to collapse shortly after launch.
Several years before that collapse of CNN+, the outlet <a href="https://www.nationalreview.com/news/cnn-settles-lawsuit-brought-by-covington-catholic-student-nicholas-sandmann/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">settled</a> a $275 million lawsuit brought against it by Nicholas Sandmann, who was maligned by many in the media as a student of Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky when he was filmed in an incident with a Native American activist.

CNN Ratings Disaster: Primetime Audience Tumbles Below 500,000

Kaitlan Collins

Former late-night host Conan O’Brien will return to host the 2026 Oscars amid rave reviews of his job helming this year’s 97th Academy Awards.
O’Brien received praise for his job hosting the 2025 Oscars where the telecast viewership jumped to its highest ratings in five years, according to The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscars-conan-obrien-host-2026-1236164868/?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=exacttarget&amp;utm_campaign=Today+In+Entertainment+March+17+2025&amp;utm_content=594036_3-17-2025&amp;utm_id=594036&amp;utm_term=9718857">Hollywood Reporter</a>.
“We are thrilled to bring back Conan, Raj, Katy, Jeff and Mike for the 98th Oscars,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and outgoing president Janet Yang said in a statement from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Monday.
“This year, they produced a hugely entertaining and visually stunning show that celebrated our nominees and the global film community in the most beautiful and impactful way,” it added.
“Conan was the perfect host — skillfully guiding us through the evening with humor, warmth and reverence. It is an honor to be working with them again.”
O’Brien later released his own statement, cracking a joke about Adrien Brody, who set a record this year for the longest Oscars acceptance speech when he won Best Actor for “The Brutalist,” <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/17/nx-s1-5330694/conan-obrien-oscars-host#:~:text=Comedian%2C%20longtime%20talk%20show%20host,Arts%20and%20Sciences%20announced%20Monday.">NPR</a> noted.
&#8220;The only reason I&#8217;m hosting the Oscars next year is that I want to hear Adrien Brody finish his speech,” the former talk show host said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Conan O’Brien will return to host the 2026 Oscars, after earning rave reviews and helping to net a five-year high in total Oscars viewership. <a href="https://t.co/5MPQK4XE0H">https://t.co/5MPQK4XE0H</a>
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) <a href="https://twitter.com/VanityFair/status/1901710373604212928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
It was initially reported that total viewership of the O&#8217;Brien hosted Academy Awards was down 7%, with approximately 18.1 million people tuning in to watch the 97th Academy Awards on ABC.
However, those numbers were later revised to show that a total of 19.7 million viewers watched the show, making it the most-watched primetime entertainment program of the 2024-2025 season, that wasn’t sports or news, the Academy noted. The Oscars also had the highest rating in the key demographic of adults, ages 18-49, scoring a 4.54 rating, per the Academy.
To put those numbers into context, in 2022, the Academy Awards had 16.6 million viewers, 18.8 million in 2023, and 19.5 million in 2024.
As host of the 2025 Oscars, O’Brien mainly steered away from politics and cracked jokes about things like “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/movies">Emilia Pérez</a>” star Karla Sofía Gascón, who became the first <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/transgender">trans-identifying</a> man in history to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Pretending to be Gascon’s publicist, O’Brien held his hand up to his head like he was on the phone and screamed, “You tweeted what?!” Gascon recently made headlines due to unearthed tweets that went viral, which included critical statements on Muslims and George Floyd.
The 98th Oscars will take place on Sunday, March 15, 2026. It will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live once again on ABC, the Academy noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-are-all-the-winners-of-the-97th-oscars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here Are All The Winners Of The 97th Oscars</a>

Conan O’Brien

Conan To Return For 2026 Oscars Amid Rave Reviews

Academy Awards

Celebrities

Conan O'Brien

Entertainment

Hollywood

Oscars

Former first lady Michelle Obama just launched a new podcast with her brother, and despite lots of hype from a number of major media outlets, the venture appears to have fallen mostly flat.
Disclose TV posted on Wednesday that the podcast — which so far has dropped two trailers and two episodes — had only amassed some 12,000 views in the first 14 hours it was live. Reports since indicate that the number of viewers had barely doubled by the 24-hour mark.
&#8220;NEW &#8211; Michelle Obama&#8217;s new podcast &#8216;IMO,&#8217; gets only 12,000 views in 14 hours despite mass-marketing campaigns,&#8221; Disclose.tv posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW &#8211; Michelle Obama&#39;s new podcast &quot;IMO,&quot; gets only 12,000 views in 14 hours despite mass-marketing campaigns. <a href="https://t.co/dnGrEqZbvb">pic.twitter.com/dnGrEqZbvb</a>
&mdash; Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) <a href="https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1899980484274201001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
In the opening episodes of the podcast, titled &#8220;IMO,&#8221; Obama and her brother Craig Robinson discuss divorce and personal life lessons, among other topics, but largely avoid politics.
Critics were unimpressed with Obama, saying they had expected as much despite the fact that multiple outlets hyped the podcast in the days before its release.
&#8220;Inherently unlikeable. The carefully crafted Obama veneer has finally been shattered,&#8221; Jeff Carlson said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Inherently unlikeable.
The carefully crafted Obama veneer has finally been shattered. <a href="https://t.co/QkyWtxy3Z2">https://t.co/QkyWtxy3Z2</a>
&mdash; Jeff Carlson (@themarketswork) <a href="https://twitter.com/themarketswork/status/1900166246819148052?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;The Obamas have lost their mojo. Republicans were never going to watch this. Dems (correctly) perceive that Obama was the man behind the curtain pulling the strings that led to the Biden / Kamala candidate switch debacle, so they blame him for Trump. And here we are &#8230;,&#8221; another added.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The Obama&#39;s have lost their mojo. 
Republicans were never going to watch this.
Dems (correctly) perceive that Obama was the man behind the curtain pulling the strings that led to the Biden / Kamala candidate switch debacle, so they blame him for Trump. 
And here we are&#8230;👇🏽 <a href="https://t.co/ONarrjLMHj">https://t.co/ONarrjLMHj</a>
&mdash; IT Guy (@ITGuy1959) <a href="https://twitter.com/ITGuy1959/status/1900177943466275065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Red State&#8217;s Bonchie added, &#8220;&#8216;Girl from the South Side&#8230;&#8217; These people can&#8217;t help but be cringe.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;Girl from the South Side&#8230;&quot;
These people can&#39;t help but be cringe. <a href="https://t.co/3mYdf31Swa">https://t.co/3mYdf31Swa</a>
&mdash; Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) <a href="https://twitter.com/bonchieredstate/status/1900204807371026678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;How long before YouTube hides subscriber count like they did the dislike button?&#8221; another asked.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
How long before YouTube hides subscriber count like they did the dislike button? <a href="https://t.co/Nzp8JzBnu0">https://t.co/Nzp8JzBnu0</a>
&mdash; Tyler Zed (@realTylerZed) <a href="https://twitter.com/realTylerZed/status/1899989464396488984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;To put this into perspective: Our podcast gets downloaded about 200,000 times per day and we’re a regional morning radio show from Texas,&#8221; Radio host Kenny Webster commented.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
To put this into perspective: 
Our podcast gets downloaded about 200,000 times per day and we’re a regional morning radio show from Texas . <a href="https://t.co/EvZDQHqyan">https://t.co/EvZDQHqyan</a>
&mdash; Kenny Webster (@KennethRWebster) <a href="https://twitter.com/KennethRWebster/status/1900225557746397201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
CNN Republican commentator Scott Jennings saw the writing on the wall earlier in the week, predicting during a panel discussion that the former first lady — in spite of her popularity — is no longer quite the queen bee that people thought she was.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW: Scott Jennings claims that Michelle Obama is not as popular as everyone thinks she is. <a href="https://t.co/GCEeVoHJqx">pic.twitter.com/GCEeVoHJqx</a>
&mdash; Resist the Mainstream (@ResisttheMS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ResisttheMS/status/1899581361662681300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Noting that both Michelle and former President Barack Obama had campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris — and had lost in spectacular fashion — Jennings argued that the Obama name no longer captivated the attention of Americans as it had in the past.
&#8220;I&#8217;m rethinking the premise of — that she&#8217;s the answer to the future, or that any politician is the answer to the Democratic Party —&#8221; he said.

Day Two Of The 2024 Democratic National Convention

Michelle Obama’s Podcast Got Major Network Hype. Here’s How The Launch Went …

Michelle Obama's Podcast Got Major Network Hype. Here's How The Launch Went ...

Michelle Obama

Podcast

Oscars viewership was down 7% this year, with approximately 18.1 million people tuning in to watch the 97th Academy Awards on ABC.
The total number is calculated by adding the Nielsen measurement of viewers on ABC to live streaming viewers watching the ceremony on Hulu. This is the first time numbers have decreased since 2021, when just 10.4 million viewers tuned in following the COVID pandemic, per <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/oscars-ratings-2025-viewers-1236326364/">Variety</a>.
Viewership has steadily been increasing since then until this year’s drop. The Academy Awards had 16.6 million viewers in 2022, 18.8 million in 2023, and 19.5 million in 2024, the outlet noted.
Despite fewer viewers, the broadcast was the most-watched primetime entertainment program this year that wasn’t sports or news. The Oscars also had the highest rating in the 18-49 demographic, increasing 3% compared to last year.
The outlet also noted that there were technical difficulties for people watching the awards on Hulu, which disrupted the broadcast just before Best Picture was announced at the end of the night.
First-time host Conan O’Brien mostly steered clear of politics and other hot-button issues throughout the night. “I think as host, I cannot ignore the moment we’re in right now, but also it’s threading a needle,” he said ahead of the hosting gig. 
“I want to do it with humor and also make sure the night doesn’t drift into only about that,” O’Brien added.
The comedian took a jab at Karla Sofia Gascón, a trans-identifying actor who was up for Best Actress, over old social media posts and joked about the Drake and Kendrick Lamar feud. He also added a joke about the Catholic Church while referencing the film &#8220;Conclave.&#8221;
“Anora,” a drama about a prostitute who weds a Russian oligarch, was the big winner on Sunday night, bringing home five golden statues. One of the most controversial moments of the evening came when Best Actress winner Mikey Madison thanked the “sex worker community” for her win.
Best Actor winner Adrien Brody refused to leave the stage when the music started playing and proceeded to give the longest acceptance speech in the history of the Academy Awards.
Another controversial moment came after “No Other Land” won Best Documentary Feature Film. The anti-Israel project was directed by Palestinian activist Basel Adra and left-wing Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham.
“We live in a regime where I am free under civilian law and Basel is under military laws that destroy his life and he cannot control, there is a different path,” Abraham <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/best-documentary-winner-gives-anti-israel-speech-slams-u-s-foreign-policy">said</a> during his speech. “There is a political solution without ethnic supremacy, with national rights for both of our people. And I have to say, as I’m here, the foreign policy in [the United States] is helping to block this path.”

Oscars Viewership Dropped This Year For First Time Since COVID

Television

World

The 67th <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/grammys" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grammy Awards</a> raised millions of dollars for fire relief efforts in Southern California while the ratings saw a drop in viewership from 2024.
The CBS telecast of Sunday’s music awards show scored 15.4 million viewers, according to same-day ratings from Nielsen, according to The <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/grammy-awards-tv-ratings-feb-2-2025-1236126284/">Hollywood Reporter</a>. That’s down from the 17 million who tuned in for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards last year. While Sunday’s numbers were down compared to last year, it was the third largest show since 2020, the outlet noted.
Since the pandemic, the Grammy Awards have seen a rollercoaster of viewership, with an average of under 10 million viewers in 2021 and 2022 tuning in to see if their favorite singer would take home the Grammy. In 2023, the show had a slight bounce back to pre-pandemic numbers with 12.55 million watching, before the 17 million number the show brought in last year.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Despite Beyoncé, Sabrina Carpenter and Kendrick Lamar, ratings for the Grammys fall <a href="https://t.co/OeuEb4PXad">https://t.co/OeuEb4PXad</a>
— The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1886842169148703186?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
To put those numbers into context, the 2020 Grammys &#8212; which took place before the pandemic and lockdowns &#8212; scored 18.69 million viewers.
During Sunday night’s show, the fires and communities destroyed in the multiple wildfires were top of mind as host Trevor Noah announced the academy would accept donations throughout the evening to help with recovery efforts.
CBS and the recording academy announced that the awards show helped raise $9 million for fire relief efforts in Los Angeles and the academy and MusiCares brought in $24 million in charitable giving, THR noted. In addition, FireAid benefit concerts in LA helped raise more than $100 million to support ongoing recovery efforts, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/fireaid-benefit-concerts-raised-100-million-los-angeles-1236127036/">outlet</a> noted.
Despite the Sunday show celebrating the efforts by firefighters tackling insane blazes for weeks, the night’s host comedian Trevor Noah turned things political with a jab at President Donald Trump in his opening monologue.
“There’s been a few changes in Washington. I’m going to enjoy tonight because this may be the last time I get to host anything in this country,” Noah told the room.
Several other artists attempted to make the night about political issues as well, with acceptance speeches about DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), transgender issues, and illegal immigrants, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ricky-gervais-torches-grammy-winners-political-speeches">reported</a>.
Shakira was honored for Best Latin pop album and said, “I want to dedicate this award to all of my immigrant brothers and sisters in this country. You are loved, you’re worth it, and I will always fight for you.” Her comment was in reaction to Trump’s crackdown on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/illegal-immigration">illegal immigration</a>.
Near the end of the show, singer Alicia Keys was honored with the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, and claimed that DEI “is not a threat, it’s a gift. And the more voices, the more powerful the sound.” Trump and numerous corporations across the country have opted to get rid of their <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-rolls-back-dei-joining-other-major-companies-like-walmart-meta">DEI programs</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ricky-gervais-torches-grammy-winners-political-speeches" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ricky Gervais Torches Grammy Winners’ Political Speeches</a>

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards

Grammy Awards Raise Millions For Fire Relief While Ratings Fall

Grammys

Los Angeles

Wildfires

As MSNBC ‘s ratings have tanked after the election of Donald Trump to the presidency in November, the woman who ran the hard-Left network throughout almost all of the Biden administration has resigned.
Rashida Jones rose through the company from her position supervising daytime and weekend news programming. She <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/business/media/msnbc-rashida-jones-stepping-down.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oversaw</a> the hiring of former White House Press secretary Jen Psaki to host her own show, replaced Rachel Maddow four days a week with Alex Wagner, and extended “Morning Joe” to four hours.
“After four incredible years at the helm of MSNBC and 11 years at NBCU, I have made the decision to pursue new opportunities,” Jones wrote in a memo to staffers.
“MSNBC’s ratings have steadily trickled up since a post-election exodus saw star Rachel Maddow plunge to her lowest ratings in nearly 10 years, netting just 86,000 in the advertiser-coveted 25-54 demographic two weeks after Trump’s win,” The Daily Beast <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-exits-amid-ratings-freefall/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>. “The network also saw its primetime ratings in November decline by 22 percent from October, though it was still up over CNN.” On December 31, Deadline <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/12/cable-news-ratings-2024-fox-news-cnn-msnbc-1236243730/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, “In the past month, MSNBC averaged 660,000 primetime viewers, compared to almost 1.3 million in December 2023, as primary season was heating up.”
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Jones will be replaced on an interim basis by Rebecca Kutler, whom Jones hired from CNN in 2022, serving as senior vice president of content strategy. Comcast, which owns MSNBC, recently announced that the network, although keeping its name, would become part of a new entity run by the chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group, Mark Lazarus. Lazarus <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/14/media/msnbc-president-rashida-jones-stepping-down/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lauded</a> Jones, saying she had “expertly navigated MSNBC through a years-long, unrelenting and unprecedented news cycle, all while driving the network to record viewership and making investments in nonlinear businesses.”
In a move to shore up sagging ratings, Rachel Maddow is expected to return to five days a week until April 30, when she will return to her once-a-week schedule.
Kutler was one of the driving forces creating CNN+, the news service that Warner Bros. Discovery shut down soon after its inception.

Rashida Jones

Head Of MSNBC Out As Ratings Plunge After Trump’s Election

MSNBC

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/golden-globes-host-roasts-stars-for-trump-re-election">Golden Globes</a> actually saw a drop in ratings this year after picking roast comedian Nikki Glaser as the host of the annual awards show on Sunday night.
It was initally reported by CBS that the 82nd annual awards show ratings jumped seven percent from last year’s show, bringing in an average of 10.1 million viewers, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/2025-golden-globes-ratings-rise-1236098645/">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported. The network also reported that live streams on its app and Paramount plus were up nine percent from the show in 2024, per VideoAmp, the company CBS uses for ratings amid its contract dispute with Nielsen.
However, <a href="https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/golden-globes-2025-ratings-1236267097/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a> later released numbers from Nielsen that showed a dip of two percent in the ratings, with 9.3 million viewers, compared to the average of 9.4 million viewers the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/golden-globes-see-spike-in-ratings-for-first-time-since-2020">Golden Globes</a> brought in 2024.
Last year&#8217;s show was up 51 percent from when the show aired on NBC in 2023, when it drew an average of 6.25 million viewers — marking the second-smallest audience in the network’s 28 years of broadcasting the awards show, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/tv-ratings-sunday-jan-7-2024-1235782200/">per Nielsen</a>. To put Sunday’s numbers in context, before the pandemic, the Globes averaged nearly 20 million viewers between 2008-2019, the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-01-08/golden-globe-awards-9-4-million-viewers-cbs-robert-downey-jo-koy">LA Times</a> noted.
At this year&#8217;s show, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/im-not-ricky-gervais-golden-globes-host-promises-celebs-wont-be-offended-by-her-monologue">Glaser</a> took a page out of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/audience-response-makes-it-clear-golden-globe-viewers-want-ricky-gervais-back">Ricky Gervais</a> hosting manual when she kicked off the night by roasting celebrities over Donald Trump’s re-election and more.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
UPDATE: Though Paramount initially reported that 10.1 million average viewers tuned into the Golden Globes using data from VideoAmp — which would have marked a 7% increase from last year’s 9.4 million — industry standard measurement company Nielsen counted a 2% decrease to 9.3… <a href="https://t.co/dRjPvtTxqp">pic.twitter.com/dRjPvtTxqp</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1876679388068229180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
In a clip posted on <a href="https://x.com/goldenglobes/status/1876077747359088733">X</a>, the comedian/host called out the biggest members of Hollywood for failing to convince people who to vote for in the 2024 election, with the majority of stars being very vocal supporters of the former Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris.
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“I am not here to roast you tonight,” Glaser told the crowd after pointing out that she’s known for being a comedian on roasts. “I want you to know that. How could I really. You are all so famous. So talented.”
“So powerful,” she added. “I mean you could really do anything. I mean except tell the country who to vote for. But it’s okay, you will get them next time. If there is one. I’m scared.”
She then turned to actress and singer Ariana Grande and asked her to “hold my finger,” a reference to the bizarre interactions between Grande and her costar Cynthia Erivo on the press tour for their movie “Wicked.”
At one point in her opening monologue, Glaser also cracked jokes about the weight loss injection “Ozempic” — calling it the drug’s biggest night — and the sexual harassment in Hollywood that was mentioned numerous times during the #MeToo movement.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/golden-globes-host-roasts-stars-for-trump-re-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Golden Globes Host Roasts Stars For Trump Re-Election</a>

Nikki Glaser

Golden Globes See Drop In Ratings From 2024 With Roast Comedian Hosting

Awards

comedian

Donald Trump

Golden Globes

MSNBC staffers and stars are reportedly “in a panic” after the media giant Comcast confirmed reports that it was looking to spin off its cable news outlets.
Stars of the left-leaning network like Katy Tur, Rachel Maddow, and Chris Jansing reportedly joined a tense meeting led by NBCUniversal chairman Mark Lazarus to discuss what news of the spinoff meant, with staff curious about if MSNBC would have to change its name, logo, and headquarters, the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/11/20/media/msnbc-staffers-in-a-panic-as-nbc-parent-comcast-plans-to-spin-off-channel-and-possibly-change-its-name/?utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">New York Post</a> reported.
Those with knowledge about the meeting said Lazarus didn’t offer much information about what it meant for them or whether there would be any changes, the outlet noted.
“Everyone is in a panic because everything is up in the air,” one MSNBC source told the outlet.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
MSNBC staffers ‘in a panic’ as NBC-parent Comcast plans to spin off channel — and possibly change its name <a href="https://t.co/zZqHkEjmiB">https://t.co/zZqHkEjmiB</a> <a href="https://t.co/VXk65kLGkY">pic.twitter.com/VXk65kLGkY</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1859368209922580706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
“People don’t really know what’s going on,” another source said. “They had the election, holidays are coming up. People are tired and just trying to get through.”
It comes following a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/business/comcast-msnbc-cnbc-spinoff.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimes">report</a> Wednesday by The New York Times that Comcast would spin off its cable news outlets MSNBC and CNBC along with channels like Oxygen, E!, Syfy, and the Golf Channel, for the new company.
The changes will reportedly not affect the broadcast newsgroup NBC News, NBC Sports, Telemundo, or streaming service Peacock and Bravo, which will still be under the umbrella of NBC Universal, the outlet noted.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl%3D1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1731788460608000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2J6FP5xFjcYYu1LwRGUFj3">MATT WALSH&#8217;S &#8216;AM I RACIST?&#8217; NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
Those in the meeting said Lazarus likened the new company to a “well-funded start-up” which was reportedly good news to MSNBC stars.
An insider said Maddow told the NBC chairman, “It’s great to have you here on day one.”
And Tur reportedly said she “liked the sound of a ‘well-funded start-up.&#8217;”
While MSNBC president Rashida Jones told staff that “change is always complicated.”
“I don’t think anyone knows anything,” a source with knowledge told the outlet. “I think they have a year to figure this out.”
The news comes amid reports that ratings for cable news outlets like MSNBC and CNN have plummeted following the results of the 2024 election and President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/msnbc-and-cnn-ratings-plummet-following-trumps-landslide-victory">reported</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/msnbc-and-cnn-ratings-plummet-following-trumps-landslide-victory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MSNBC And CNN Ratings Plummet Following Trump’s Landslide Victory</a>

2022 MSNBC Midterms Election Coverage

‘Everyone’s In A Panic’: MSNBC Staff Upset After Comcast Confirms It’s Looking To Spinoff Cable News

'Everyone's In A Panic': MSNBC Staff Upset After Comcast Confirms Looking To Spinoff Cable News 

Joe Scarborough

NBC News

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chris-wallace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chris Wallace</a> announced he’s leaving CNN after three years and looking for independent platforms like streaming or podcasting for his next job amid reports of layoffs coming to the network for many of its biggest stars.
Speaking with The Daily Beast, the 77-year-old broadcaster <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/broadcaster-chris-wallace-quits-cnn-to-build-future-in-streaming-or-podcasting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he has “nothing but positive things to say. CNN has been very good to me. This is the first time in 55 years I‘ve been between jobs.&#8221;
&#8220;I am actually excited and liberated by that,&#8221; Wallace said, noting that podcasting is “where the action seems to be.”
&#8220;Not knowing is part of the challenge,” he added. “I‘m waiting to see what comes over the transom. It might be something that I haven’t thought of at all.”
Wallace&#8217;s career spans several networks over half a century, including his previous stop at Fox News for 18 years, The Hollywood Reporter <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/chris-wallace-leaving-cnn-after-3-years-1236058831/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>.
The departure of the news man &#8212; who anchors &#8220;The Chris Wallace Show&#8221; on Saturday mornings and &#8220;Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?&#8221; &#8212; comes at the end of his three-year, $8.5 million a year contract.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/?_gl=1*jtghwp*_gcl_au*ODQ1NjYzNTg2LjE3Mjg5MDk3OTE.*_ga*MTc2NzM0NDQ2NS4xNzI4OTA5Nzkx*_ga_CZKR9ZYKJP*MTczMDEyMDgwOS40OS4xLjE3MzAxMjA4MzkuMzAuMC4w" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ NOW STREAMING ON DAILYWIRE+</a>
CNN CEO and Chairman Mark Thompson said in a statement, “Chris Wallace is one of the most respected political journalists in the news business with a unique track record across radio, print, broadcast television, cable television and streaming. We want to thank him for the dedication and wisdom he’s brought to all his work at CNN and to wish him the very best for the future.”
News of the longtime journalist&#8217;s departures comes amid a report from <a href="https://puck.news/cnns-existential-post-election-season/">Puck</a> that the network is reportedly looking to “axe top stars in layoffs that&#8217;ll see hundreds fired as ratings continue to tank.”
While the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14073063/CNN-layoffs-election-ratings-firings.html?ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490&amp;ito=social-twitter_dailymailus">report notes</a> that there’s no mention of who’s getting axed, CNN’s on-air stars like Anderson Cooper, Jake Tapper, Kaitlan Collins, and Erin Burnett could be on the list, the outlet noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
JUST IN: CNN will be firing hundreds of employees including some of their top stars according to Puck News.
The news comes as CNN&#8217;s Chris Wallace says he is not returning after his contract expires.
&#8220;In the next few months, I’m told, CNN will implement another round of layoffs… <a href="https://t.co/oHn9uJVNL9">pic.twitter.com/oHn9uJVNL9</a>
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1856396923323797607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
“In the next few months, I’m told, CNN will implement another round of layoffs that will impact hundreds of employees across the organization,&#8221; reporter Dylan Byers &#8212; who previously worked for CNN &#8212; wrote.
“Redundant assignments will be nixed, and various divisions will be reduced or even eliminated,” he added, noting that on-air workers will be “asked to assume more of the responsibilities once handled by teams of producers and production assistants.”
Following President-elect Donald Trump’s landslide victory, networks like MSNBC and CNN have seen ratings plummet, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/msnbc-and-cnn-ratings-plummet-following-trumps-landslide-victory">reported</a>.
According to Nielsen data, the viewership on MSNBC on Thursday, analyzing Trump’s win, brought in a total of 596,000 viewers — and in the coveted age demographic of ages 25-54, a total of 71,000 viewers, <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/news/just-in-msnbc-ratings-crater-on-friday-as-viewers-tune-out-post-election-coverage/">Mediaite reported</a>.
Over on CNN, coverage of Trump’s election victory throughout the day on Thursday brought in 419,000 total viewers, and in the key age demographic, just 91,000 viewers.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/msnbc-and-cnn-ratings-plummet-following-trumps-landslide-victory" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MSNBC And CNN Ratings Plummet Following Trump’s Landslide Victory</a>

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