CNN Skews October Numbers in Their Favour

According to a press release, CNN and HLN have topped MSNBC in the Key 25-54 Demo (Total Day), with MSNBC Slipping into 4th.  Clearly by reading this website, there is a lot more to the October ratings than what CNN want to portray in their press release.  In a staff meeting, CNN executives spelled out to their staff that CNN is a worldwide organisation with a huge reach around the globe.  It was also mentioned that CNN's journalism is of a higher quality, and in what has been a somewhat quiet news period, it is without suprise that there has been a downtick in viewership.

CNN's press release however, says;

Both CNN and HLN topped MSNBC in total day in the key demo adults 25-54 during the month of October. CNN averaged 142k, HLN averaged 146k, while MSNBC slipped to fourth place with 132k. Among total viewers, CNN outperformed MSNBC by 35% in total day, posting 486k, while MSNBC followed with 361k.
 
This year, CNN/US continues to reach more viewers than FNC or MSNBC every month in total unduplicated viewership.  In October, CNN/US topped the competition in cumulative audience with a monthly average of 98 million viewers, while FNC placed second with 88 million, HLN posted 85 million, MSNBC had 75 million and CNBC had 64 million.  
 
In the morning, CNN’s American Morning and HLN’s Morning Express with Robin Meade outperformed MSNBC’s Morning Joe. In the key demo adults 25-54, HLN had a 50% lead over the MSNBC program (188k vs. 125k) and CNN’s American Morning had a 17% advantage over Morning Joe (146k vs. 125k). October is Morning Express’s best month ever among adults 25-54.
 
CNN’s Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer also topped MSNBC’s all three hours in both total viewers and 25-54 (4pm, 5 pm & 6 pm).  At 4 pm, CNN had a 45% lead over MSNBC, at 5 pm a 29% advantage and at 6 pm 1% more. 
 
On Sundays, CNN’s State of the Union with John King (9a-12noon) topped MSNBC among total viewers and the key 25-54 demo, (512k vs. 171k) and (136k vs. 91k), respectively.
 
At 10 pm, Nancy Grace outperforms Countdown with Keith Olbermann in the 25-54 demo (222k vs. 219k). From 10 pm to midnight, Anderson Cooper 360 tops MSNBC’s Countdown/Rachel Maddow among 25-54 viewers (196k vs. 190k).
 
At 11 pm, HLN’s Showbiz Tonight topped MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow in the 25-54 demo (210k vs. 161k).
 
With a combined TV and online reach of more than 132 million, CNN continues to reach more people on more platforms than any cable news competitor in July, including MSNBC and Fox News. (Source: Nielsen Fusion – July 2009 – most recent data available)
 
In September, CNN Digital was the Internet’s No. 1 TV news property beating the competition in all metrics, including:
 
- Unique Visitors: 38 million –  1.6 million more than MSNBC Digital; 21 million over Fox News Digital; 23 million more than ABCNEWS Digital; and 27.5  million above CBS News Digital.
 
- Total Minutes: 1.2 billion – 470 million more than No. 2 MSNBC Digital, 709 million more than Fox News Digital, over 1 billion more than ABC News Digital and 1.1 billion more than CBS News Digital.
 
- Average Time Per Person: 31.1 minutes – 16% greater than Fox News Digital, 58% greater than MSNBC Digital, 270% greater than ABC News Digital and 349% greater than CBS News Digital.