Since CNN’s town hall event with former President Trump earlier this month, the struggling network has hit several embarrassing recent lows since the polarizing event as viewers continue to bolt.
Trump, the frontrunner in the 2024 Republican primary, sparred with CNN's Kaitlan Collins throughout the town hall, which featured a lively, pro-Trump Republican studio audience that infuriated liberal viewers. Many were overwhelmed that the network even offered a platform to Trump, who made his first CNN appearance since before he was president.
The following evening, Anderson Cooper told CNN viewers they "have every right to be outraged and angry and never watch this network again" if they were offended by Trump’s presence. It appears some took his message to heart.
CNN FACING 'FURY' FROM STAFFERS OVER TRUMP TOWN HALL: 'IT FELT LIKE 2016 ALL OVER AGAIN'
CNN managed only 371,000 viewers during the primetime hours of 8-11 p.m. from May 15-21, making it the ratings-challenged network’s worst week in the category since May 2014.
The network’s performance among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults age 25-54 was even gloomier, as CNN managed only 73,000 average demo viewers the week following the Trump event. The meager total was CNN’s smallest average audience in the critical category since July 2000.
The weekend of May 20-21 finished as CNN’s lowest-rated weekend in history, as the network managed only 58,000 average viewers among the demo sought by advertisers.
"The Lead with Jake Tapper," whose namesake host was part of CNN’s post-town hall coverage, also had its worst week among the demo since July 2014.
CNN averaged 479,000 total day viewers in 2023 before the Trump town hall but shed 22% to finish with only 376,000 from May 11-25. Among the demo, CNN averaged 96,000 before the town hall and had lost 21% to average only 76,000 since.
CNN’s primetime lineup has taken an even bigger hit, hemorrhaging a staggering 32% of its pre-town hall audience. CNN’s primetime lineup, which has struggled to resonate with Americans for some time, was able to muster an average audience of 581,000 before the town hall. The already-tiny total has plummeted to 395,000 since CNN hosted Trump.
CNN also saw 28% of its advertiser-coveted audience jump ship, as it managed 129,000 primetime demo viewers before the town hall but has settled for only 93,000 since.
TRUMP CALLS CNN'S KAITLAN COLLINS A ‘NASTY PERSON’ DURING TOWN HALL CLASH
Trump clashed with Collins over his ongoing claim that the 2020 presidential election was "rigged," the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and the recent verdict that found him liable for defamation and battery against his accuser E. Jean Carroll, whom he continued railing against to the amusement of some supporters in the audience.
A viewership reduction isn’t the only issue that CNN has faced since airing the town hall. CNN’s Oliver Darcy was scolded by CNN CEO Chris Licht for the emotional tone of his coverage when he reported that the network faced "a fury of criticism" from its own employees.
"It's hard to see how America was served by the spectacle of lies that aired on CNN," Darcy wrote.
"It felt like 2016 all over again," Darcy complained. "Collins was put in an uncomfortable position, given the town hall was conducted in front of a Republican audience that applauded Trump, giving a sense of unintended endorsement to his shameful antics."
CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour also went on a tear against the town hall during a commencement address she gave at the Columbia Journalism School, revealing she confronted Licht with her opposition to Trump getting such a platform.
All data courtesy of Nielsen Media Research.
Fox News’ Joseph A. Wulfsohn and David Rutz contributed to this report.
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