Local TV remains the most-watched news source, but ABC News Live is gaining ground among viewers across screens. A Ring Digital study found ABC News Live reached more viewers than CNN during the past week.
What We Know: Ring Digital and its Future of TV study surveyed more than 1,300 television viewers about their news consumption. Respondents were asked, “Which of the following news channels or apps have you watched in the past week, on any screen?” Local TV led the results at 30%, followed closely by Fox News at 29%. ABC News Live, ABC’s 24/7 streaming news platform, followed at 25%, while CNN reached 23%.
What The Numbers Show: ABC News Live finished ahead of several established cable and streaming news competitors. NBC News NOW reached 18% of respondents, while CNBC followed at 14%. CBS News 24/7 recorded 12%, and MS NOW reached 9%. NewsNation finished at 7%. Meanwhile, 27% of respondents selected “none of the above,” indicating they hadn’t watched any listed service during the previous week.
What They Said: “Local TV is still incredibly strong. For me, another surprise is the strength of ABC News Live. I wouldn’t have guessed it would rank higher than CNN … Bottom line? ABC News Live, a FAST channel, reaches as many viewers as CNN. That illustrates something special: FAST distribution can give a great news channel ‘cable-level’ reach.” -Ring Digital founder Brian Ring
What It Means: The results highlight the continued reach of local television while showing how streaming platforms have become significant destinations for news. ABC News Live’s 25% result places it within striking distance of Fox News and local TV, while also putting it ahead of CNN. The findings suggest FAST distribution can give network-backed news services broader reach beyond traditional television.
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