CNN's morning show "New Day" lifted the network's ratings in its first five days last week. But the network is still trailing Fox News and MSNBC for morning viewers.
Media
'New Day' Brighter for CNN but Network Still Lags Rivals
CNN's New Morning Show Trails the Competition
Kate Bolduan, Chris Cuomo and Michaela Pereira on CNN's 'New Day'
The show, hosted by Chris Cuomo, Kate Bolduan and Michaela Pereira, averaged 302,000 total viewers Monday through Friday, CNN said today, citing Nielsen figures. That's well ahead of the 198,000 viewers CNN averaged during the same week in 2012 with Soledad O'Brien.
It's also north of the morning audiences CNN got the week immediately before "New Day" began, when it averaged 251,000 viewers.
"New Day" did beat CNN sister network HLN, which averaged 237,000 viewers.
But "New Day" still leaves CNN chasing Fox News and MSNBC in the mornings. "Fox & Friends" is miles in front, averaging 1.1 million total viewers last week, while MSNBC's "Morning Joe" brought in 322,000, according to Nielsen figures released by CNN
All the cable news numbers pale is comparison, moreover, to the roughly 5 million viewers who tune in for ABC's "Today" and NBC's "Good Morning America."
"New Day" also lagged "Fox & Friends" among 25-to-54-year-olds, with 102,000 viewers for CNN to 255,000 on Fox News. CNN narrowly beat MSNBC's 101,000 in that demographic, according to CNN's figures.
"New Day" is one of CNN's President Jeff Zucker's most prominent initiatives. In an effort to make CNN vital every day, not just during elections and major breaking news, Mr. Zucker has turned to mornings, weekends and other time slots to revitalize programming.
Mr. Zucker is turning to his experience as executive producer for "Today," where he was vital in turning Katie Couric into a household name and implementing morning show staples like the outdoor concert series.
"New Day" is attempting to have a broad appeal: at 6 a.m. it is airing fast-paced news recaps; the 7 a.m. hour takes a deeper dive into big new topics; and 8 a.m. is meant to bring more lifestyle coverage, with subjects including health and wellness, tech and pop culture.
CNN is hoping "New Day" will not only attract a broader audience but a broader advertising base as well. Early sponsors include Coca-Cola, which traditionally hasn't bought much time on the network. The cable news network is also pushing digital opportunities around "New Day," with Allstate purchasing both TV and digital inventory around the show.
