CNN's New Morning Show Had Three Huge Exclusive Interviews Last Week, And Had Three Brutal Ratings Days To Show For It
According to ratings released by Nielsen Media Research, the ratings for the Obama exclusive with Chris Cuomo came in below the show's averages in both total viewers and the key 25-54 age demographic.
During the 6-9 a.m. ET hours on Friday, CNN averaged 282,000 total viewers and 91,000 in the key segment. That's down 16% and 25%, respectively, from the show's averages since debuting in June. And in the key demographic, it was the eighth-lowest in the demographic in the show's two-month history.
"New Day" finished in third place in total viewers, behind "Fox & Friends" (which nearly quadrupled its viewers) and "Morning Joe." It also finished third in the 25-54 demographic, behind sister network HLN.
The Obama ratings plunge served as the end to a rough week for new CNN President Jeff Zucker's flagship morning show.
The show had hit new lows on Monday in both total viewers and the key demographic, despite an exclusive interview with Prince William — the first since the birth of his son, George, last month. Then on Tuesday, according to Nielsen, it hit a new low (59,000) in the key demographic.
An exclusive interview on Wednesday with Mark Zuckerberg also failed to make a splash. In fact, it hit an all-time low in 25-54 viewers in the 8 a.m. ET hour.
"New Day" is perhaps Zucker's most high-profile attempt at reshaping the network thus far. He replaced anchor Soledad O'Brien's morning program by hiring Cuomo, formerly of ABC, and moving Bolduan and Pereira to the morning show. Zucker said in May that his new morning show cast reminded him of his time producing "Today" in the 1990s.