Former CNN morning show anchor Chris Cuomo enjoyed a successful first full month in prime time, with Nielsen Media Research numbers showing him finishing July with the network’s most-watched program.
Cuomo, who moved to evenings at 9 p.m. on June 4, was tops on the network in total viewers with 1.147 million and number one in the key 25-54-year-olds demographic that advertisers covet most, with 362,000 viewers in July. His ratings were the best of any CNN program in the 9 p.m. time slot during the month in 21 years.
“Cuomo Prime Time” finished third in the time slot when stacked up against Fox News’s Sean Hannity and MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, with “Hannity,” cable’s top-rated program, attracting 3.4 million total viewers, and Maddow, with MSNBC’s top-rated program, pulling in 2.67 million.
{mosads}Overall, Cuomo finished 23rd in total viewers among all cable news programs. In the key 25-54 demographic, however, he finished ninth.
Cuomo, who came to CNN from ABC to co-anchor “New Day” in 2013, announced his move to prime time in May, vowing to test power on a daily basis.
“I hear you. We will test power. Every. Damn. Day,” he wrote to his 1.23 million followers. “Just like always. Have to talk TO people more and ABOUT them less. Debate with decency. The need is clear. Hopefully we help fill it.”
CNN was slightly up year-over-year when compared to July 2017, averaging 891,000 total viewers and increasing audience by 1 percent while also ticking up 1 percent in the 25-54 demographic with 231,000 viewers.