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First-Quarter Ratings Tank at CNN, ESPN for Q1 2018 vs. 2017 (down 25% in prime time)
Newsbustersl ^ | | April 5, 2018 7:18 PM EDT | By Tom Blumer

Posted on 04/06/2018 2:16:39 PM PDT by ethom

In early March, Tim Graham at NewsBusters noted that CNN's February audience fell by 19 percent from February 2017.

Full first-quarter cable TV ratings released this week show serious year-over-year declines not only at CNN, but also at ESPN, which has continued to push politically correct causes. Perhaps CNN's Jeffrey Tucker should consider the shortcomings in his network's programming instead of immaturely tagging Fox News, which remained in first place by a significant margin, as "state-run TV."

Here's a comparison of 1Q18 and 1Q17 at the networks:

CNNandESPN1Q18vs1Q17

What follows is a very small sample of CNN items which turned off fair-minded viewers during the quarter (dates are of related NewsBusters posts): •January 4 — Spending 20 minutes speculating whether President Donald Trump is mentally ill (with more on January 7, January 16, and January 17). •January 15 — 195 uses of the term "sh**hole" in one day. •January 30 — Speculating that First Lady Melania Trump wore white to the State of the Union address to protest her husband's behavior. •February 22 — Tracking down and harassing an elderly woman for being "influenced by Russian trolls" — when CNN itself covered a Russian-orchestrated anti-Trump rally in 2016. •March 8 — Spending 149 minutes in one night of primetime on Stormy Daniels' alleged decade-ago affair with Trump (also, on March 12, spending 41 minutes "recapping her strip club show"). •March 31 — Jeffrey Toobin calls credible accusations of misconduct against FBI officials "lunatic conspiracy theories."

There isn't space to cite all items associated with CNN's Trump-Russia obsession, its constant unsupported allegations of racism directed at the President, or the non-stop buffoonery of White House correspondent Jim Acosta.

The network has continued its errant ways into April's first week, which won't help its second-quarter ratings: •April 3 — Acosta shouts out DACA-related questions ... at the White House Easter Egg Roll. •April 3 — Spending 76 minutes bashing local news provider Sinclair Broadcasting as "state-run TV."

All of this explains why CNN was named the "most polarizing media brand" in January.

As for ESPN, Clay Travis at Outkick the Coverage noted on Tuesday that its second quarter began with a very expensive ratings bomb:

ESPN’s AM WokeCenter (SportsCenter) Debuts To Worst Ratings Ever

Yesterday ESPN debuted a brand new insanely expensive new WokeCenter AM show starring Mike Greenberg, Michelle Beadle and Jalen Rose. That trio of talent will be making just shy of $15 million a year and ESPN also poured tens of millions of dollars into their brand new studio as well.

As if that weren’t enough ESPN also spent millions and millions of dollars promoting the new show ...

And, well, the show’s officially already (a) ratings disaster.

... It had only 283k viewers, which, I believe, makes it the lowest debut for a new ESPN show in the 21st century.

In a Thursday follow-up, Travis wrote that this result has "set off panic" at ESPN headquarters. Maybe the panic will cause the "woke" network to genuinely wake up.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 04/06/2018 2:16:39 PM PDT by ethom
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To: ethom

2 posted on 04/06/2018 2:18:52 PM PDT by Red Badger (The people who call Trump a tyrant are the same people who want the president to confiscate weapons.)
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To: ethom

Almost getting tired of winning!


3 posted on 04/06/2018 2:21:57 PM PDT by scottinoc
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To: Red Badger

CNN is running the ship into the ground! I love it...


4 posted on 04/06/2018 2:26:17 PM PDT by ethom
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To: ethom

they don’t care their goal is to take down POTUS.

Unfortunately the biggest loons at MSNBC still do okay in the ratings relatively speaking. Frankly, the ratings for most cable shows and broadcast shows are weak now do to streaming services.


5 posted on 04/06/2018 2:31:04 PM PDT by snarkytart
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To: ethom
CNN's February audience fell by 19 percent from February 2017.

This is because racism, islamophobia and misogyny has increased in America by 19% over the last year of Trump's presidency and they're all watching Fox news now!! Duh!

6 posted on 04/06/2018 2:32:22 PM PDT by Hadean
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To: ethom

Soros is paying to CNN?


7 posted on 04/06/2018 2:46:41 PM PDT by Leep (Make The Swamp Small Again!)
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To: ethom

Correction:

Is Soros paying to CNN?


8 posted on 04/06/2018 2:47:47 PM PDT by Leep (Make The Swamp Small Again!)
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To: snarkytart

Unfortunately the biggest loons at MSNBC still do okay in the ratings relatively speaking.


Better than OK. Maddow is now level with Hannity. It appears CNN isn’t far left enough for viewers, who are migrating to MSNBC. http://variety.com/2018/tv/news/rachel-maddow-ratings-sean-hannity-1202745403/


9 posted on 04/06/2018 2:55:02 PM PDT by Zhang Fei (Let us pray that peace be now restored to the world and that God will preserve it always.)
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Perhaps it would help if they doubled down on leftism. Maybe run more Russia stories


10 posted on 04/06/2018 3:04:35 PM PDT by dsrtsage (For Leftists, World History starts every day at breakfast)
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To: Zhang Fei

You have to really throw out your brain matter to graduate from CNN to MSNBC.


11 posted on 04/06/2018 3:29:23 PM PDT by Sam Gamgee
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To: ethom

Gee. That’s a shame...


12 posted on 04/06/2018 3:32:16 PM PDT by WayneS (An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. - Winston Churchill.)
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To: ethom
CNN and ESPN/Disney stock owners need to read the following.

There is only one boss-the customer, and he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else." -Sam Walton

Sam Walton, Founder of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Founded: 1962

CEO's, who allow themselves or under thugs to PO 63 million plus Trump Supporters for political malice need to be fired by their stockholders.

13 posted on 04/06/2018 3:34:27 PM PDT by Grampa Dave (Democrats are having trouble with their MAMA campaign To (Make America Mexico Again) versus MAGA!)
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To: ethom

No one turns into sports to hear lectures on how they are suppose to live.


14 posted on 04/06/2018 3:37:52 PM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Pr 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation:but sin is a reproach to any people)
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To: ethom

LOL LOL LOL.....I am thinking that if I am still laughing after 4 hours I should call my doctor.


15 posted on 04/06/2018 3:40:33 PM PDT by Gator113 ( ~~Trump 2020~~)
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To: lonevoice

BOOM!


16 posted on 04/06/2018 4:20:49 PM PDT by Pride in the USA
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To: ethom

It’s like Lenny Bruce’s last days when he would transcripts of his obscenity trials during his stand up routines. Pathetic.


17 posted on 04/06/2018 6:36:19 PM PDT by Spok ("What're you going to believe-me or your own eyes?" -Marx (Groucho))
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