CNN overtook MSNBC to rank No. 1 in both total viewers and in the news demo on the first night of the DNC.
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CNN was the highest rated channel during the Democrats’ debut, beating the NBC, ABC and CBS broadcast networks.
CNN witnessed a dramatic rise in TV ratings for the first night of the Democratic National Convention – posting the strongest results of all TV networks during prime time. In fact, the overwhelming majority of English language cable and broadcast networks that televised the event saw a significant improvement in viewership compared to day 1 prime time coverage of the 2016 Republican National Convention.
The first night of last week’s RNC drew an audience of 23.02 million, itself up slightly from 2012’s haul of 22.3 million.
Like CNN and MSNBC, Fox was up significantly versus the first day of the DNC in 2012. NBC followed with 3.8 million, with CBS pulling another 2.6 million. Fox News had 6.3 million viewers during the 10 p.m. hour last Monday and 3.3 million viewers this Monday.
On the broadcast networks earlier Monday, ABC’s “The Bachelorette” averaged 6.4 million, and NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” entertained 5.9 million. The Eye finished last in total viewers, even falling to Fox News in the category.
MOVING A CROWD: Fox News Channel’s Chris Wallace and CNN’s David Axelrod had identical observations to explain why they thought former President Bill Clinton’s convention speech in support of his wife worked. For primetime hours (8-11 p.m.), Fox News brought in 3.73 million total viewers and 858,000 in the 25-54 demo, indicating some tune-out after 11 – the opposite of what happened on CNN and MSNBC. Comcast Corp.’s MSNBC was second with 4.6 million. That’s a 14 percent improvement.
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Not coincidentally, shortly before last night’s numbers came out, FNC issued ratings for last week’s RNC coverage, in which it handily beat the competition, along with a memo to staff from Rupert Murdoch, who has stepped in as interim chief with last week’s suddent departure of Roger Ailes, congratulating them on that win.
