CNN’s new weekly program King Charles (a subtle nod to the newly-crowned ruler of the United Kingdom) was initially aimed for a huge promotional push, thanks to its high-profile hosts Gayle King (CBS Mornings) and Charles Barkley (Inside the NBA).
But CNN’s CEO Chris Licht, who spearheaded the show, got booted from the company in June last year and thus decreased the promos for his last project in King Charles.
The program eventually premiered on CNN on Nov. 29 in the 10 PM hour and debuted to 501,000 viewers including 139,000 within the key 25-54 demographic, according to Nielsen Media Research. While that total viewer figure certainly lagged behind its direct competition Fox News’ Gutfeld! [1.973 million viewers / 257,000 adults 25-54) and MSNBC’s Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell [1.621 million viewers / 132,000 adults 25-54), King Charles did top MSNBC in the key 25-54 demo.
The new program also earned a slight demo edge over MSNBC’s O’Donnell two weeks later (Dec. 13) — CNN King Charles 109,000 vs. MSNBC 106,000, although it got help from a CNN town hall with Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy (163,000 adults 25-54) that led into the program.
King Charles was moved up to the 9 PM hour on Dec. 6 due to CNN’s special post-GOP debate analysis at 10 PM. It was nearly 1 million viewers short of MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Tonight (466,000 vs. 1.429 million) but a mere 11,000 shy in the key 25-54 demo (115,000 vs. 126,000).
Across three weeks, King Charles has averaged 473,000 total viewers and 121,000 adults 25-54, based on live plus same-day data.
On Wednesday nights from Sep. 6 through Oct. 4 (but not counting Sep. 27 due to post-GOP debate analysis), CNN Primetime within the same 10 PM timeslot delivered 618,000 viewers including 138,000 within 25-54s; Wednesdays from Oct. 11 through Nov. 22 (not counting Oct. 25 that covered the mass shooting in the state of Maine nor Nov. 8 with post-GOP debate analysis), NewsNight with Abby Phillip posted 566,000 viewers and 147,000 adults 25-54.
In reaction to its premiere ratings, Barkley remarked on his podcast with fellow Inside the NBA host Ernie Johnson, “…these Nielsen people are the biggest clowns in the world. Name me one person you know with a Nielsen box?” He later ranted, “…there are a lot of systems in place that make no sense. The Nielsen’s are at the top of my list. But I really just want to tell my team…I just want to say thank you. And f*** those Nielsen people.”
It should be noted that Nielsen — the company to which almost every outlet and streaming service is subscribed to determine audience figures and set advertiser rates — has routinely tabulated terrific cable ratings for TNT’s Inside the NBA over the past three decades. And, at least King Charles has outdrawn Gayle King’s guest appearance on the popular basketball studio show promoting the program back on Apr. 22 (422,000 viewers), although that took place at an early Saturday time between 12:30 PM to 1 PM Eastern.
Cable news averages for December 11-17, 2023:
Total Day (Dec. 11-17 @ 6 a.m.-5:59 a.m.)
- Fox News Channel: 1.163 million viewers; 124,000 adults 25-54
- MSNBC: 0.748 million viewers; 71,000 adults 25-54
- CNN: 0.420 million viewers; 73,000 adults 25-54
- Newsmax: 0.161 million viewers; 9,000 adults 25-54
- HLN: 0.138 million viewers; 38,000 adults 25-54
- CNBC: 0.120 million viewers; 25,000 adults 25-54
- Fox Business Network: 0.120 million viewers; 12,000 adults 25-54
- The Weather Channel: 0.092 million viewers; 18,000 adults 25-54
- NewsNation: 0.075 million viewers; 13,000 adults 25-54
- Court TV: 0.051 million viewers; 16,000 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, Mon. 12/11/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.830 million viewers
2. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 12/14/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.802 million viewers
3. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 12/13/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.802 million viewers
4. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 12/12/2023 5:28 PM, 32 min.) 2.783 million viewers
5. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 12/13/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.642 million viewers
6. The Five (FOXNC, Fri. 12/15/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.622 million viewers
7. Sr/Biden-Zelenskyy Pc (FOXNC, Tue. 12/12/2023 5:01 PM, 27 min.) 2.453 million viewers
8. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Tue. 12/12/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.416 million viewers
9. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 12/13/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.394 million viewers
10. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Thu. 12/14/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.340 million viewers
11. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 12/11/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 2.298 million viewers
157. The Lead with Jake Tapper (CNN, Fri. 12/15/2023 4:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.827 million viewers
166. Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 12/15/2023 10:01 PM, 60 min.) 0.771 million viewers
289. Trump Rally (NMX, Sat. 12/16/2023 2:00 PM, 90 min.) 0.502 million viewers
334. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 12/17/2023 11:01 PM, 39 min.) 0.407 million viewers
369. Varney & Company (FBN, Mon. 12/11/2023 10:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.360 million viewers
374. The Daily Show “Dec 12, 23 – Kal Penn” (CMDY, Tue. 12/12/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.344 million viewers
414. Fast Money Halftime Report (CNBC, Mon. 12/11/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.299 million viewers
448. Forensic Files (HLN, late Tue. 12/12/2023 1:00 AM, 30 min.) 0.269 million viewers
634. Weekend Recharge (TWC, Sat. 12/16/2023 10:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.190 million viewers
649. Cuomo (NWSN, Tue. 12/12/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.185 million viewers
925. Court TV Live (COURT TV, Fri. 12/15/2023 11:00 AM, 240 min.) 0.105 million viewers
Top 10 cable news programs (and the top programs of other outlets with their respective associated ranks) among adults 25-54:
1. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Wed. 12/13/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.294 million adults 25-54
2. The Five (FOXNC, Tue. 12/12/2023 5:28 PM, 32 min.) 0.267 million adults 25-54
3. Jesse Watters Primetime (FOXNC, Wed. 12/13/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.261 million adults 25-54
4. The Five (FOXNC, Mon. 12/11/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.261 million adults 25-54
5. Gutfeld! (FOXNC, Tue. 12/12/2023 10:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.260 million adults 25-54
6. Hannity (FOXNC, Wed. 12/13/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.256 million adults 25-54
7. The Five (FOXNC, Wed. 12/13/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.250 million adults 25-54
8. Special Report/Biden-Zelenskyy Press Conference (FOXNC, Tue. 12/12/2023 5:01 PM, 27 min.) 0.248 million adults 25-54
9. Outnumbered (FOXNC, Mon. 12/11/2023 12:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.246 million adults 25-54
10. The Five (FOXNC, Thu. 12/14/2023 5:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.235 million adults 25-54
17. Rachel Maddow Show (MSNBC, Mon. 12/11/2023 9:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.210 million adults 25-54
37. Anderson Cooper 360 (CNN, Wed. 12/13/2023 8:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.166 million adults 25-54
92. Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO, Fri. 12/15/2023 10:01 PM, 60 min.) 0.124 million adults 25-54
118. The Daily Show “Dec 12, 23 – Kal Penn” (CMDY, Tue. 12/12/2023 11:00 PM, 30 min.) 0.116 million adults 25-54
151. Forensic Files (HLN, late Fri. 12/15/2023 12:30 AM, 30 min.) 0.105 million adults 25-54
156. Last Week Tonight (HBO, Sun. 12/17/2023 11:01 PM, 39 min.) 0.105 million adults 25-54
410. Money Movers (CNBC, Thu. 12/14/2023 11:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.056 million adults 25-54
426. America’s Morning Headquarter (TWC, Tue. 12/12/2023 8:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.054 million adults 25-54
454. Trump Rally (NMX, Sat. 12/16/2023 2:00 PM, 90 min.) 0.051 million adults 25-54
528. NewsNation Prime (NWSN, Sat. 12/16/2023 7:00 PM, 60 min.) 0.044 million adults 25-54
596. Court TV Live (COURT TV, Fri. 12/15/2023 3:00 PM, 240 min.) 0.037 million adults 25-54
666. How America Works (FBN, late Tue. 12/12/2023 12:00 AM, 60 min.) 0.030 million adults 25-54
Source: Live+Same Day data, Nielsen Media Research
