Golden Hour Ratings Down 45% After Presidential Election
Trump Faces Imminent Inauguration Amid 700 Billion Won Lawsuit
In recent years, the viewership ratings of the United States' leading news channel CNN have been declining, and since the U.S. presidential election on November 5, this trend has intensified, sparking a "CNN crisis theory." The Washington Post (WP) reported on the 25th (local time) that CNN's primetime ratings have dropped by 45% since the election.
The decline in CNN's viewership has continued after the election. In the second week of this month, CNN's primetime averaged 367,000 viewers. During the week of Thanksgiving (November 28), the average was 297,000 viewers. At the height of CNN's golden era during the 2020 presidential election, the average primetime viewership reached 1.8 million.
CNN also lagged behind in election night coverage. CNN was known for its expertise in major news, especially political news. However, on the night of this year's U.S. presidential election, CNN recorded lower viewership than the similarly progressive news channel MSNBC for the first time ever.
There are various analyses regarding CNN's ratings decline. Some attribute it to CNN's exclusive broadcast of former President Donald Trump's town hall event in May 2023. WP reported that this alienated many of CNN's core progressive viewers and led to numerous complaints from internal staff. Both inside and outside CNN, the town hall was harshly criticized as a "disaster," "catastrophe," and "CNN's worst moment."
There is also analysis suggesting that viewers were disappointed with CNN's coverage of Trump during the election period. Earlier, CNN hosted the first presidential candidate TV debate in June, which led to President Joe Biden's Democratic candidacy withdrawal. During the debate, Trump made several factually incorrect statements, and CNN was criticized for failing to fact-check or challenge these remarks. A CNN political reporter stated, "There is a widespread opinion within CNN that we did not meet expectations." Additionally, the frequent appearances of Scott Jennings, a Republican political strategist and supporter of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, were also pointed out. WP noted that during the tenure of former CEO Chris Licht, some outspoken journalists were pushed out, and the increased presence of Republican figures led to concerns that left-leaning voices were being suppressed.
Concerns also surround the upcoming inauguration of Trump next month. Trump sued CNN for defamation in 2022, seeking $475 million (approximately 696.3 billion KRW) in punitive damages. He took issue with CNN's coverage of his claims that the 2020 election was rigged, which CNN labeled as the "Big Lie." In 2019, CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta had his press credentials revoked by Trump. Both cases were overturned in court, but there are worries that Trump may target CNN again.
Layoff concerns are also lowering CNN employees' morale. CNN laid off hundreds of employees at the end of 2022. A senior CNN producer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Everyone is worried," but added, "There are no clear signs about when or how large the layoffs will be, or even if they will actually happen." A CNN political reporter said, "Everyone is anxious."
CNN is attempting to overcome the crisis by strengthening its digital services and paid subscription offerings. The company emphasized that instead of traditional ratings, its digital platforms attract 147 million monthly visitors. Since October, CNN has also launched a paid subscription service costing $3.99 per month (approximately 5,848 KRW). However, WP pointed out that CNN is a latecomer in the subscription market and must compete with platforms like Netflix and Apple TV Plus, which are priorities for cash-strapped customers.
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