CNN Hits 21-Year Ratings Low; Cable News Ratings For Q2 2012

CNN Crisis Rages On

CNN had its worst ratings in twenty-one years, according to quarterly figures released on Tuesday.

CNN drew an average of just 319,000 total viewers and 129,000 viewers ages 25-54 in the second quarter. Ratings fell 35% among total viewers and 41% in the key demo compared to the same time last year. Primetime ratings also suffered big losses — 35% and 45% in those audiences respectively.

The news was inevitable, after months of terrible ratings at the network. CNN had its lowest-rated month in over a decade in April. May was its worst month in primetime in over twenty years.

As usual, Fox News dominated the ratings in the second quarter, taking 13 of the top thirty programs. MSNBC and Fox News also saw drops, though smaller than CNN's, from last year. The second quarter of 2012 saw less news than in 2011, when Osama bin Laden died and as Arab Spring protests continued.

The particularly dispiriting results for CNN, however, have sounded an alarm at the network. Time Warner executives are reportedly considering replacing the president of CNN Worldwide, while Turner Broadcasting CEO Phil Kent has said, "we have some other shows that probably need to be replaced."

Below, see the top 30 programs of second quarter of 2012.

2. Hannity

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