The Source with Kaitlan Collins, CNN’s new weeknight news discussion program, made its debut on Monday, July 10 in the 9 p.m. hour. The former CNN This Morning co-host has been the network’s recent rising star, just as her fellow Morning anchor Don Lemon had gotten the boot this past spring.
On May 10, she was the moderator of the infamous and controversial Donald Trump town hall that garnered well over three million viewers. Shortly thereafter, Collins transitioned to hosting its 9 p.m. program CNN Primetime, in the network’s hopes to capitalize on her notable ascension.
The debut of The Source with Kaitlan Collins on July 10 posted 540,000 viewers including 83,000 within the key 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. This placed well behind its time slot competition, MSNBC’s Maddow (2.406 million viewers/231,000 adults 25-54) and Fox News Channel’s Hannity (1.951 million viewers/188,000 adults 25-54), although CNN placing third in that hour is not uncommon.
While The Source would garner slightly better figures as the month of July rolled on, it still lagged behind what CNN Primetime had delivered in the previous month:
June 5-6: 634,000 viewers; 127,000 adults 25-54
June 14-16: 592,000 viewers; 114,000 adults 25-54
June 20-23: 764,000 viewers; 188,000 adults 25-54
June 26-30: 646,000 viewers; 144,000 adults 25-54
“CNN Primetime” June 2023 (14 nights): 666,000 viewers; 148,000 adults 25-54
July 10-14: 551,000 viewers; 104,000 adults 25-54
July 17-21: 564,000 viewers; 110,000 adults 25-54
July 24-28: 560,000 viewers; 113,000 adults 25-54
“The Source” July 2023 (15 nights): 558,000 viewers; 109,000 adults 25-54
July 2023 vs. June 2023: -16 percent in viewers; -26 percent in adults 25-54
The declines are significant (especially on the demo side), yet understandable since the month of June was much more news-heavy, with CNN’s coverage of another Trump indictment, the Titanic submersible tragedy, and several other Republican candidate town halls.
Within its first fifteen broadcasts, the adults 25-54 delivery of CNN’s The Source topped MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Tonight five times and tied FNC’s Hannity once during the 9 p.m. hour.
For its opening week (July 10-14), the 1 a.m. rebroadcast of The Source with Kaitlan Collins averaged 260,000 viewers and 54,000 adults 25-54.
Cable news averages for July 10-16, 2023:
Total Day (July 10-16 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.078 million viewers; 120,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.730 million viewers; 72,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.411 million viewers; 72,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.165 million viewers; 14,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.148 million viewers; 34,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.120 million viewers; 27,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.110 million viewers; 16,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.096 million viewers; 20,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.053 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54
Prime Time (July 10-15 @ 8-11 p.m.; July 16 @ 7-11 p.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.473 million viewers; 130,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 1.171 million viewers; 105,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.503 million viewers; 89,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.262 million viewers; 23,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.093 million viewers; 17,000 adults 25-54
Top 10 most-watched cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) in total viewers:
1. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 7/11/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.635 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 7/10/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.572 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/13/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.499 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 7/14/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.485 million viewers
5. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 7/10/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.406 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/12/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.370 million viewers
7. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 7/11/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.235 million viewers
8. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Mon. 7/10/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.194 million viewers
9. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 7/12/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.090 million viewers
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 7/12/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.059 million viewers
155. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Thu. 7/13/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.799 million viewers
391. Forensic Files (HLN, late Mon. 7/10/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.316 million viewers
440. Kudlow (FBN, Wed. 7/12/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.264 million viewers
497. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Tue. 7/11/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.228 million viewers
557. Cuomo “Chris Christie/Geraldo Rivera” (NWSN, Thu. 7/13/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.198 million viewers
562. America’s Weekend Headquarters (TWC, Sat. 7/15/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.197 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 7/13/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.267 million adults 25-54
2. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 7/10/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.231 million adults 25-54
3. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 7/10/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.227 million adults 25-54
4. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 7/14/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.222 million adults 25-54
5. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 7/11/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.221 million adults 25-54
6. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Mon. 7/10/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.220 million adults 25-54
7. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 7/12/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.218 million adults 25-54
8. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 7/12/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.217 million adults 25-54
9. The Faulkner Focus (FOXNC, Thu. 7/13/2023 11:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.212 million adults 25-54
10. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 7/11/2023 11:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.209 million adults 25-54
32. The Source with Kaitlan Collins (CNN, Tue. 7/11/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.168 million adults 25-54
161. Forensic Files (HLN, late Mon. 7/10/2023 12:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.102 million adults 25-54
303. America’s Weekend Headquarters (TWC, Sat. 7/15/2023 9:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.071 million adults 25-54
408. Closing Bell “Overtime” (CNBC, Tue. 7/11/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.055 million adults 25-54
590. Banfield (NWSN, Wed. 7/12/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.034 million adults 25-54
648. Kudlow (FBN, Tue. 7/11/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.029 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
