CNN DOMINATES CABLE NEWS COVERAGE WITH NEWS OF THE DEATH OF OSAMA BIN LADEN;
Outperforms both FNC and MSNBC;
CNN PEAKS AT 11:30 PM WITH 9.5 MILLION VIEWERS
According Nielsen Fast National data, CNN dominated cable news coverage with the breaking news of the death of Osama bin Laden on Sunday night, May 1st.
10:00 pm – 3:00 am, ET: CNN’s Coverage of the Death of Osama bin Laden vs. Cable News Competition
Coverage of the death of Osama bin Laden (10:00p-3:00a) delivered 4.142 million total viewers and 2.101 million P25-54, up 981% and 1434% over the prior 4-Sunday performance, respectively. FNC followed with 2.845 total viewers and 1.267 in the demo and MSNBC trailed with 1.584 total viewers and 800k in the demo.
• CNN was top-rated in both total viewers and P25-54, topping second-place FXNC by 46% among total viewers and 66% among P25-54. CNN also out-performed third-place MSNBC by 161% among total viewers and by 163% among P25-54.
• This is CNN’s best 10:00p-3:00a performance since Election Night 2008, when the network delivered 8.989 million total viewers and 4.598 million P25-54.
11 pm: The hour President Obama announced bin Laden’s death:
CNN: 7.763 million total viewers/3.904 million demo 25-54
FNC: 4.778 million total viewers/2.070 million demo
MSNBC: 2.275 million total viewers/1.126 million demo
• CNN’s coverage peaked during the 11p hour averaging 7.763 million total viewers and 3.904 million P25-54.
• By quarter-hour, CNN’s coverage peaked at 11:30pm (Pres. Obama Address) with 9.527 million total viewers and 4.768 million among adults 25-54.
• The hour outperformed CNN’s 11 pm prior four Sunday’s average by +1080% among total viewers and +1627% among P25-54.
10 pm: Leading up to President Obama’s announcement:
CNN: 2.329 million total viewers/961k demo 25-54
FNC: 2.317 million total viewers/895k demo
MSNBC: 1.085 million total viewers/485k demo
Social Media: While news of Osama bin Laden’s death was unfolding, the terms “Wolf Blitzer” and “watching CNN” became trending topics globally on Twitter between 10p and 2a ET.
Congratulations to Wolf Blitzer and John King for doing a terrific job last nite reporting on the first accounts of Bin Landen's death.
ReplyDeleteWhile there are those who were wondering where Anderson Cooper was, it looks as though CNN held their own, very nicely with the combined efforts of Wolf, John, and Ed Henry.
CNN has to learn that to UTILIZE ALL of its talent equally, and they did.
Once again, the NEWS was the STAR.
Anderson Cooper did a good job reporting from Ground Zero with Wolf earlier in the day and on 360 which was packed with in depth reporting and expert analysis - Fareed Zakaria, Nic Robertson and Peter Gergen and others made for a very informative program.
ReplyDeleteIf news is the star, why is so much emphasis being placed on what Wolf/John/Ed are doing, while at the same time basically slighting others who are also doing fine work? Few people would argue that Wolf/John/Ed are not being utilized to their fullest extent on CNN.
CNN needs better coordination as the facts
ReplyDeletebecome available. Last night on JK USA, news
broke that the info did not come from Gitmo.
It seems like not all at CNN got the memo. 360
said this last night. I am thinking it is easy to
text all CNN employees so that everyone is on
the same page. Same thing is happening this
morning. John Brennan is all of the morning
news show putting out the real facts. The man
made it abundantly clear that waterboarding
KSM had nothing to do with it. Yet on AM,
they implied it was the case with former Sec'y
of State Rice. This is too important of a
story to let the speculation run rapid. It also
makes people think CNN wants to give the
Bush administration too much credit. It was
a serious of events that lead to the killing of
Osama Bin Laden. Act responsibly CNN.
The ratings this week should be very
ReplyDeleteinteresting. A new month and another
huge breaking news story that no one
saw coming/ The news keeps saving
CNN. The message is clear with ratings
like this. Wolf was the first to put it all
into perspective and once John King
said those words I was glued to CNN.
CNN can do hard news and make a
ton of money. Advertisers will support
the news.We can only hope that CNN
will become a real 24/7 news channel
again just like Ted Turner intended.
CNN needs to wake up now. Unless a guest
ReplyDeletecan really offer insight don't book them.
This is a defining moment for the news biz.
You have to start doing your jobs which is
to report on the events of the day not the
opinions of the day. Elevate the news rather
than dumbing it down. News is the star but
it maters who is in the anchor chair because
that goes to trust, believability, credibility,etc.
CNN needs to be bold : become the first
cable news channel to not rely on pundits.
Rely on your own people and resources.
CNN needs to be smart , informative and
original. Unless the questions are like
those used on GPS . Don't bother. 360
was a rock solid 2 hours last night. Couple
of other observations : can the banners be
dropped over newspapers shots and video
with words. Same thing with graphics.
When the breaking news tag line is added
it adds another level that obstructs video.
Put some more effort into presentation also.
Anonymous @ 8:02 AM
ReplyDeleteThe intel for this kind of an operation had to come from many sources over many years. Leads had been followed up on and then went cold.
I heard that some information came from CIA detainees at undisclosed locations. I also heard that they obtained the nickname of OBL's most trusted courier ( a Kawaiti ) from KSM.
My point is that the ground work was layed over many years and by many people including the prior administration. When President Obama met with President Bush ( in private ) I am sure that OBL's name came up a few times.
The ultimate credit goes to the Navy Seal Team that entered the compound and came face to face with OBL.
I fully expect CNN to give the Bush Administration more credit than they deserve and then try to minimize the Obama Administration's success in actually getting the job done. That's the direction CNN's been going in for quite a while now.
ReplyDeleteAccording to TV by the Numbers, the breaking
ReplyDeletenews lead to CNN having the top 2 cable shows
last week. That is impressive. It is well deserved.
CNN had the best coverage.
Even Rumsfeld is saying that KSM's waterboarding had nothing to do with the intelligence received on OBL. The President's tough decision to have the Navy SEALS go into the compound and get OBL was MAJOR and I give him tons of credit for getting it done. Bush/Cheny weren't able to do it.
ReplyDeleteCNN is using a little trick to help boost the
ReplyDeleteratings for Piers Morgan. For 2 days he goes
about 1 minute after 10 PM . Anderson is
picking up viewers so he gets a bump. I
have noticed this since I DVR 360 and it has
recorded the end of Piers Morgan twice this
week. It is set to automatically record at 10.
That means as people are tuning in by huge
numbers at 10 to not miss 360 and they are
getting the end of Piers Morgan.
Why is 360 only talking to Bush administration
ReplyDeleteofficials and no one from the Obama administration ?
That seems odd to say the least. It not like people
from the current WH are not available. They have
been on other networks. It is as if 360 is trying
to say the name Obama as little as possible. It is
very unlikely that Bush administration officials are
in the know as to how this went down. We don't
know the story yet and people like Peter King are
trying to control the narrative. It is not like some
politicians make false statements just to get the
media to go in the direction they want. King's
waterboarding claim is nothing but conservatives
trying to diminish what President Obama has
done. It was his direction that made the killing
of Bin Laden possible. The seals deserve much
props for a mission well accomplished but to
play down Obama;s role is not good journalism.
Also, those faceless behind the scenes analysts
who we will never know. Only President Obama
could make this possible. The president made
a gutsy call with huge risks involved.No one
else can make the call.
Since when did 360 become the BFF of
ReplyDeletePaul Wolfowitz. It is amazing how CNN
is forgetting that Bush dropped the ball
on OBL and went into Iraq and we are
still there. They are giving George Bush
a free pass. Stop trying to rewrite history.
Facts are facts. So why are the neo-cons
who got us in this mess being treated
with kid gloves.
Have not your own people been saying that
Obama had Leon Panetta come up with a
plan in 30 days.Ed Henry has zero credibility.
Of an entire Washington press corp, it was
Ed Henry went so low as to bring the birth
certificate craziness into the White House
briefing room. CNN gets everything wrong
when it comes to President Obama.
Quit using blogs for news sources and do
your own reporting.
I think the media is trying to save face for
ReplyDeletethe ridiculous reporting on Trump and birthers.
This BIn Laden killing is a game changer. CNN
and other media outlets need to stop wasting
air time on silliness. President Obama makes
CNN look bad and they are dumbfounded. The
man dropped a hint last week when he said
cover the national security briefing and end
the craziness about the birth certificate. I
think on the weekend CNN should provide
us with a weekly roundup of the Bin Laden
killing as more and more facts get out. No
pundits need to be a part of the conversation
but we know cable news can't resist. I can't
believe CNN is not airing a Bin Laden killing
special instead of Amanda Knox. I think if
CNN actually had all real journalists on in
prime time on a story like this they would
beat FNC hands down. That is so true about
Wolf Blitzer & John King with ratings. Stevie
Wonder could see that.
All over social media people are posting how
Bin Laden, Donald Trump and the media were
on the receiving end of a major butt kicking
courtesy President Barack Obama.
By the way John McCain says Peter King is
wrong; it came from an intercepted phone
call.
CNN please be more respectful of the
ReplyDeletevictims,survivors and families and others
of 9/11. How dare you talk about money
and cost in the same sentence ? Have you
no shame ? Do us a favor and not mention
cost and victims in the same sentence or
segment. These 2 issues should never be
mentioned in the same sentence. What is
wrong with the people running CNN ? The
people of the US military have also made
the ultimate sacrifice. You don't put a
monetary value on these lives.
It would be great if Anderson could have
ReplyDeletesomeone like Malcolm Gladwell on to talk
about the decision making process in all
of this and his take on how this all played
out with the takedown of Bin Laden.
anons 9:40 and 11:40 am, I totally agree with your comments. Ed Henry has been a disappointment as has 360's inexplicable reliance on former Bush staffers such as Wolfowitz, Andy Card and Ari Fleischer. Their foreign policiy strategies were disastrous for this country and there is no reason to solicit any insight from them. It's as though Anderson/his producers and staff cannot accept that THIS President made the right call and was successful in his efforts to go after OBL, so there's this non-stop questioning from AC about whether President Obama "deserves" the credit he's getting.
ReplyDeleteNow that the President has decided not to release the OBL death photos, I expect that AC will load up tonight's program with Bush sympathizers and Obama critics without bringing in others who might give an alternative opinion. Where is the balance when you are only asking questions of one side of the political spectrum?
@3:51PM: absolutely agree with you in all respects.
ReplyDeleteWasn't it last nite that AC asked a guest, "Do you think President Obama DESERVES all the praise he's been getting?"
Did anyone ever ask that of the Bush Administration?
In todays NYPost: Michell Malkin, dare I say the name, said the POTUS should ask W. to attend the ceremony at ground zero tomorrow, if he really wants unity and the country to be united.
Bush, rightly, declined the invitation.
This was Obama's victory call and no one else should share the glory.
Bushy Boy INVADED THE WRONG COURNTY! People need to be reminded of that including AC/360.
Piers Morgan is so inept it can't be described. Talk about "in over your head," did anyone watch him tonite?
ReplyDeleteHe asked ALL his guests, and I mean ALL, including those who lost loved ones on 9/11, the SAME EXACT questions.
Or I should say QUESTION: SO DO YOU THINK THE PHOTOS OF BIN LADEN SHOULD BE RELEASED?
Whatever he's being paid, is too much. At least do some homework about the history of 9/11 and show some respect for OUR COUNTRY!
CNN and the media are starting to collectively
ReplyDeletelose it's mind again. Eliot Spitzer is an idiot.
I have friends who are SEALS. They are not
executioners and neither is the President.
I don't want to see his face ever again on CNN.
That means I am turning the channel. ABC
News has done an outstanding job with detailed
reports and putting things into perspective.
The morons on cable news have no clues.
Jon Stewart was right last night. 360 stands
out on CNN and the ratings reflect that but
it was wrong to bring on only Bush people.
These are the same people who have been
all over tv saying President Obama is weak
and lacks leadership. How about an historian
to really put things into perspective. I am
certain it was not easy to make a decision
to drop a bomb on Japan but as history tells
us it was necessary. Same goes here. Osama
Bin Laden killed thousands and a SEAL team
is suppose to trust him not to pull something.
That is how Seals would have been killed.
Also, the administration is correcting the
facts as they change. I am starting to think
the Obama administration needs to not even
bother with talking to the media and providing
daily facts.
Anderson Cooper needs to stop making the
ReplyDeleteanalogy with Pat Tilman and Jessica Lynch.
That is implying Obama is not being honest.
Don't forget some of the people Anderson is
bring on his show played a role in those
fabrications not Obama. His administration
is not like Bush.CNN did not ask questions
about WMDs before and after the truth came
out. Instead they made apologies.In this case
it was mission accomplished and BIn Laden
was brought to justice. Why is Obama getting
flak from CNN. Jessica Lynch was staged and
there was a cover up with Pat Tilman. Bin
Laden falls into a different category. What
is laughable as well is that the Pakistanis are
given credibility in their version of the facts
on CNN when they would have us believe
Pakistan had no idea Bin Laden was in the
country.
Rachel Maddow did a great job earlier this
week by putting together clips of reports with
different networks offering different details
that were all over the place. She said this
would play out this week and down the line.
I have yet to come across anyone who
cares about all of the non-issues cable news
makes up. All we know is that BIn Laden is
dead. That is it period. End of story. The
speculating is ridiculous.
CNN fell back to 3rd on Tuesday. It is
ReplyDeletebecause CNN is going in the wrong
direction. The pundits have nothing
to offer on this story. Peter Bergen,
Fareed Zakaria and CNN reporters
will be efficient. CNN's coverage is
going downhill. 360 was much better
last night and it did win the demo on
Tuesday at 10. For the last 2 days AC
is getting closer to BOR in the demo.
360 ratings have been pretty remarkable.
A couple of observations that CNN might
not be too happy about : Morning Joe
was a little to close to CNN with breaking
news. Don't think MJ has ever had 1 mil
in viewers, On the 2nd day, viewers chose
the MSNBC as the alternative at 8 & 9.
anon 9:04, THIS is so true.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget some of the people Anderson is
bring on his show played a role in those
fabrications not Obama. His administration
is not like Bush.CNN did not ask questions
about WMDs before and after the truth came
out.
That should be reason enough for AC360 and CNN to stop talking to former Bush staffers.
MSNBC has been running ads on the critical praise that MORNING JOE has been receiving so maybe that's beginning to have an effect on viewers.
Morning Joe's coverage has been the best
ReplyDeleteof the AM shows. It was awful for Eliot Spitzer
to have banner with the words judge,jury and
executioner on the screen. Gee, wonder why
viewers don't watch the show.
Barack Obama has achieved so much before
the age of 50 that it just brings out the haters
on cable news.It is just simply jealousy. It shows
all over Eliot Spitzer's face. CNN is not in charge
of critical matters and thank goodness. When
you consider how poorly the network is run,
it's a good thing the president doesn't take
their advice. Bin Laden waged war on our own
soil. That monster killed thousands of innocent
people who were just going about their day.
Osama was an enemy combatant and killer.
How can people who have never seen the
photos act like they have a say? Jon Stewart
is right. The only ones talking about the
things the people on cable news chat about
is them. No us. So stop acting like we do.
The President makes these decisions not
cable news hosts. Enough of if I ruled the
world mentality crap. You don't so just tell
us what is happening and no useless chatter.
This is not that type of news story.
Late night hosts are joking about Bin Laden
and CNN has sympathy for the devil. So the
comedians get it.
Well,360 was the top demo at 10 last night
ReplyDeleteand only 2nd to the Factor. One person who
is doing some go work is Chris Lawrence. I
am with Jon Stewart, nobody cares about
what cable news says. They make choices
about the content of their shows. They don't
have to be that ridiculous. Changing details
do not diminish what the SEALs accomplish.
Duh, as you learn more of course details
change. I love the microphones and makeup
comment best from the Daily Show. It's so
true.CNN can't resist falling back into
old habits.