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CNN Sees 71% Primetime Increase in April, Fox News Continues Ratings Lead

BNM Staff
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CNN Sees 71% Primetime Increase in April, Fox News Continues Ratings Lead

April was a banner month for several cable news networks, including MS NOW, CNN, and Fox News, which saw strong finishes.

CNN

At CNN, the network saw strong increases in a variety of dayparts.

The network’s Monday-Sunday primetime performance was the best it has been since August 2024. That month featured the Democratic National Convention.

In that category, CNN averaged 929,000 total viewers. That marks a 71% increase in overall viewership compared to the same month in 2025.

Additionally, the network saw a 71% increase in the Monday-Friday primetime viewership. It finished April with an average audience in that sector of 996,000. It saw a 48% year-over-year increase in the Persons 25-54 demographic in that window, as well, up to 181,000.

In the total day category, CNN finished the month with an average of 607,000 total viewers. That marks at 46% year-over-year increase.

For the month, Anderson Cooper 360 was the most-watched program on the network. It averaged 1.2 million viewers, good for 23rd in the overall cable news landscape. Erin Burnett OutFront was just behind in 24th with 916,000 total viewers.

Fox News

Fox News remained on top of the cable news ratings during the month of April.

In the weekday prime ratings, Fox News averaged 3.2 million viewers for the month. In the total day ratings, it averaged 1.8 million viewers. Those two metrics mark the month as the third-best April in Fox News history.

For the coveted Persons 25-54 demographic, the network averaged 173,000 total viewers in the total day ratings. It also averaged 284,000 from that sector in the Monday-Sunday primetime ratings.

Fox News featured the top six most popular shows in the format during April. It was led by The Five, which averaged 3.8 million viewers in April. Jesse Watters Primetime was second with 3.6 million. In the key demo, Gutfeld! was the highest-rated program on Fox News, averaging 349,000 total viewers. That outpaced Jesse Watters Primetime (335,000) and The Five (329,000) from that sector.

MS NOW

April was also a strong month for MS NOW.

In total viewers, the network saw an increase in the weekday primetime ratings. The network averaged 1.5 million viewers during that daypart.

In the primetime window, The Rachel Maddow Show was the network’s most-watched program. It averaged 2.4 million viewers. It was the highest show not airing on Fox News during April, finishing the month in sixth overall in the cable news rankings.

That finish from Maddow’s program was its largest total audience since September 2024.

In the total day category, MS NOW averaged 747,000 total viewers.

Newsmax

During April, Newsmax averaged 230,000 total viewers in the Monday-Sunday primetime window.

That finish marks it as tied for 26th in the most-watched cable channels overall.

In the total day ratings, Newsmax averaged 138,000 total viewers.

Rob Schmitt Tonight was the most popular program on Newsmax during April. It averaged 362,000 total viewers for the month. It bested Carl Highbie Frontline, which earned 352,000 total viewers. Finnerty — hosted by Rob Finnerty — featured an average audience of 327,000 total viewers. Greg Kelly Reports averaged 280,000 total viewers.

NewsNation

NewsNation saw its highest performance in network history in primetime viewership during April.

The network averaged 192,000 total viewers in the Monday-Sunday primetime window. That figure marks a 170% increase compared to the same month in 2025.

Chris Cuomo’s primetime program is the network’s highest-rated show. The show — seen at 8 PM ET — averaged 310,000 total viewers during the month.

Across the total day ratings, NewsNation averaged 99,000 viewers. That more than doubled its audience compared to April 2025.

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NFL Draft Viewership Dips 12% Year Over Year

BSM Staff
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NFL Draft Viewership Dips 12% Year Over Year

The 2026 NFL Draft drew solid ratings. Just not as solid as last year. TV coverage averaged 6.6 million viewers across all networks over the three-day event.

That’s down 12% from the 7.5 million three-day average in 2025.

Despite the decline, this ranks as the third-most-watched NFL Draft on record in the event’s current three-day format, which began in 2010. Only the 2020 virtual draft — held during the early days of COVID-19 — sits higher, setting the all-time record at 8.4 million viewers.

First-round numbers told a similar story. Round 1 averaged 13.2 million viewers across all networks. That’s down 3% from 13.6 million in 2025.

The highlight of the first evening was Pat McAfee’s show and how it continues to pull serious weight. The seventh edition of The Pat McAfee Show Draft Spectacular drove more than 54 million total minutes consumed across YouTube, TikTok, X, and the ESPN App on Day 1.

It also generated 2.2 million total views. ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network each carried their own broadcasts.

One storyline looms over everything else. This was the first NFL Draft since Disney completed its takeover of NFL Network earlier this month.

Attendance wise, the three-day event exceeded expectations. The NFL said it drew a three-day total attendance of 805,000 for last week’s draft in Pittsburgh, surpassing the league record of 775,000 set in 2024 in Detroit.

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ESPN Executive David Roberts Reportedly Retiring Soon

BSM Staff
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ESPN Executive David Roberts Reportedly Retiring Soon

A major shift could be coming to leadership at ESPN. According to a report by The Athletic, executive vice president David Roberts is expected to retire.

The decision signals a potential reshaping of the company’s content structure. According to Andrew Marchand, senior vice president Mike Foss is expected to take on expanded responsibilities.

Roberts has been a central figure at ESPN since joining the company in 2004. He currently serves as Executive Vice President and Executive Editor of Sports News and Entertainment. In that role, he oversees news, investigative reporting, and digital editorial strategy. He also manages studio programming, including flagship shows like SportsCenter and First Take.

Before his current post, Roberts led event and studio production. His responsibilities included overseeing NBA and WNBA coverage, along with major studio properties tied to both leagues. He also helped guide ESPN Audio’s national lineup, introducing new voices to the platform.

His work has earned industry recognition. SportsCenter captured a Sports Emmy under his leadership in 2021. He also earned honors for leadership and diversity, including recognition from Cablefax and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Meanwhile, Foss has continued to rise within ESPN’s ranks. He joined the company in 2017 and now oversees studio and entertainment production. His portfolio includes SportsCenter, Get Up, and Pardon The Interruption. He also works closely with The Pat McAfee Show and leads ESPN’s radio and podcast efforts.

Foss previously directed ESPN’s digital video strategy, helping expand content across platforms like YouTube and social media. Prior to ESPN, he held a leadership role at FOX Sports.

While ESPN has not officially announced changes, Roberts’ expected retirement would mark the end of a long tenure. At the same time, it could open the door for Foss to further shape the network’s evolving content strategy.

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KNX News’ Alex Silverman: Move to AM Doesn’t Change Commitment to News Coverage

BNM Staff
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KNX News’ Alex Silverman: Move to AM Doesn’t Change Commitment to News Coverage

Audacy is moving KNX News from the 97.1 FM signal to launch a new sports station. The station’s Alex Silverman explained the reasoning behind the move.

Following the announcement, Silverman shared the details in a post on social media.

Included in the announcement was Silverman’s opinion on why the station is moving back to prioritizing the 1070 AM signal.

“News is the who, what, when, and where,” Silverman said. “For us, it’s the where that’s changing. But we also owe you the why. It’s no secret that business has been tough in traditional media for a number of years. Ad dollars are spread very thin. Companies are doing everything they can to try and capture more of them. Audacy has sports stations across the country, in many markets. They haven’t had one here in Los Angeles, and they see an opportunity to expand that big platform to LA.

“I say it every day on the air: it matters where you get your news. And I really hope that it’s a reminder that in this crazy and crowded landscape of media in 2026, trusted voices are still going to stand out. I can tell you this, though. For myself and for my colleagues in the newsroom, we are still here to do fair, accurate, and credible news about the things that matter to you in Southern California.”

KNX News has already begun branding itself as KNX News 1070 AM. The move from the 97.1 FM signal is set for Monday, May 11th. 97.1 The Fan, the new sports station, will begin broadcasting on that date.

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NAB: FCC Challenge to Disney-Owned Stations ‘Creates Significant Uncertainty for All Broadcasters’

BNM Staff
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NAB: FCC Challenge to Disney-Owned Stations ‘Creates Significant Uncertainty for All Broadcasters’

On Tuesday, it was revealed that the FCC is looking to challenge the TV licenses held by Disney. Now the NAB is pushing back against the move.

Last week, ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel made a joke about First Lady Melania Trump. He said she had “the glow of an expectant widow.” Those remarks were amplified following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday evening.

The commission has called for an early renewal of the eight licenses owned by Disney. That comes after the FCC has previously opened two investigations into Disney. One for its DEI practices that was opened last year. The other was for an appearance by James Talarico, which raised questions about whether The View broke equal time rules in its interview with the Texas Senate candidate.

The commission stated that Disney must file its license renewals for its owned-and-operated TV stations by May 28th, 2026. Those licenses were not up for renewal until 2028, at the earliest.

On Wednesday, the NAB released a statement sharing its concern with the development.

“The FCC’s broadcast license renewal process must be grounded in predictability, fairness, and transparency, principles reflected in the license terms Congress established and later extended,” the statement reads. “The Media Bureau’s nearly unprecedented request for one company to quickly reapply for all of its licenses – rather than utilize its traditional enforcement process – runs contrary to these principles and creates significant uncertainty for all broadcasters.

“Broadcast stations already face intense challenges as they work to deliver trusted journalism, lifesaving emergency services, community programming and election coverage. The FCC must be careful to avoid actions that create further instability for the local stations viewers, and listeners depend on.”

Currently, there are eight ABC-owned stations. They include:

  • KABC-TV (Los Angeles)
  • KFSN-TV (Fresno)
  • KGO-TV (San Francisco)
  • KTRK-TV (Houston)
  • WABC-TV (New York)
  • WLS-TV (Chicago)
  • WPVI-TV (Philadelphia)
  • WTVD-TV (Raleigh)

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ESPN Reportedly Near Multi-Year Agreement With Ian Rapoport

BSM Staff
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ESPN Reportedly Near Multi-Year Agreement With Ian Rapoport

ESPN is finalizing a deal to retain NFL insider Ian Rapoport, according to reporting from Front Office Sports.

ESPN acquired NFL Network earlier this year in an equity deal with the NFL. The move brought all NFL Network talent under ESPN’s roof. Rapoport is reportedly the first to agree to new terms, with his contract expiring next month.

The network now has both Rapoport and Adam Schefter under one umbrella as both have been destination insiders for NFL news and headlines.

As part of his agreement with ESPN, Rapoport will appear across the network’s platforms while continuing NFL Network coverage. The pairing is significant. Rapoport and Schefter were longtime rivals. Now they’re teammates.

“If we were to work together, I think that would be awesome,” Rapoport said to The Athletic in February. “I have no idea if that is going to happen. But it would be like The Avengers.”

Rapoport joined NFL Network in 2012 after covering the Patriots for the Boston Herald.

ESPN declined to comment.

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CBS News Airing Town Hall Event with Artemis II Crew

BNM Staff
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CBS News Airing Town Hall Event with Artemis II Crew

CBS News has announced plans to broadcast a town hall event featuring the crew of the Artemis II mission.

On Friday, May 1st at 7:30 AM ET, CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King and CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil will lead the discussion with the astronauts about the mission.

Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen will all appear on the special broadcast. Those astronauts will field questions from middle and high school students about the mission, space, and other science-related topics.

Additionally, a five-year-old aspiring astronaut named Jack from Atlanta will join the town hall. Other special guests include appearances by Bill Nye “The Science Guy” and Apollo 13 director Ron Howard.

The broadcast will air on CBS and stream live on Paramount+. It will also stream on CBSNews.com and YouTube.

An encore presentation will air on the CBS News 24/7 streaming channel on Saturday, May 2nd at 9 PM ET.

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ESPN Reportedly Not Spinning off From the Walt Disney Company

BSM Staff
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ESPN Reportedly Not Spinning off From the Walt Disney Company

Disney won’t spin off ESPN, according to new reporting from Business Insider. New CEO Josh D’Amaro has made that call, and for now, it’s not up for debate.

There has been much debate over the years where investors argued ESPN’s declining cable business could hurt Disney’s overall value. D’Amaro disagrees, according to the reporting.

He sees ESPN as a strategic asset — one that fuels Disney’s streaming push rather than weighing it down.

ESPN stays, and the multi-platform strategy continues. Subscribers can access the network through traditional cable, through the Hulu and Disney+ bundle, or as a standalone streaming product. Disney may also seek additional minority partners, similar to its deal selling a 10% stake to the NFL last year.

According to Business Insider, D’Amaro could revisit the decision down the road. But right now, a sale is off the table.

As viewers have grown more selective with their spending in recent years, the cord-cutting wave has accelerated across the cable industry. This has greatly affected ESPN by raising concerns that the declining business was weighing on Disney’s overall valuation. ESPN introduced their own direct-to-consumer platform in fall of last year as a result.

ESPN has not commented publicly on the report.

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Libsyn Adds Spotify Video Capability For All Creators

BNM Staff
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Libsyn Adds Spotify Video Capability For All Creators

Libsyn has announced it is expanding video publishing capabilities for Spotify to all content creators beginning on Wednesday.

Libsyn creators can now publish video podcasts directly to Spotify, as well as other video platforms, with the company’s complete integration with Spotify’s Distribution API.

“We view video as a natural progression for podcasting – it gives creators more ways to engage audiences, deepen storytelling, and grow their businesses,” said Libsyn President/CEO Brendan Monaghan. “Creators don’t want to choose between audio or video, or between platforms.

“That’s why we’re opening video to every Libsyn creator – not hand-selecting a few shows,” Monaghan continued. “We believe the platforms that win in this next era of podcasting won’t be the ones that limit access – they’ll be the ones that empower creators at scale.”

While it is adding the ability to publish videos to Spotify, Libsyn says a similar functionality for Apple Podcasts‘ HLS video is in the works. The company says that capability is “coming soon.”

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Roku, CW Network Form Streaming Partnership With Next Day Dedicated Hub

BSM Staff
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Roku, CW Network Form Streaming Partnership With Next Day Dedicated Hub

The CW Network and Roku announced a new streaming partnership launching this fall. CW programming will land on The Roku Channel through a dedicated CW-branded hub. The deal puts CW content in front of more than half of U.S. broadband households.

Shows heading to the hub include the new scripted series Private Eyes West Coast, and the unscripted hit Police 24/7. Additionally, episodes of Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit will also be available. Additionally, new installments of “WWE NXT” will be made available to stream on The Roku Channel every Wednesday following its live Tuesday night broadcast on The CW.

Earlier today, the CW Network announced an additional streaming partnership with ESPN for their live sports portfolio.

The hub also features over 800 hours of CW library content. That includes Wild Cards, Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Children Ruin Everything, and Good Cop/Bad Cop starring Leighton Meester and Luke Cook.

CW President Brad Schwartz sees the deal as a major reach play.

“Partnering with Roku supercharges the reach and accessibility of The CW’s premium entertainment content,” he said. “We’re bringing together the best of broadcast with the best of streaming to unlock unprecedented scale for our content, our audience, and our advertisers.”

Roku’s Head of Content Lisa Holme highlighted the programming depth.

“The CW’s lineup is packed with bold, binge-worthy programming — from the intrigue of ‘Sherlock & Daughter’ to the competition of ‘WWE NXT’ to the long-running magic series ‘Penn & Teller: Fool Us,'” she said. “Starting this fall, Roku viewers will be able to stream it the very next day.”

Viewers can still watch CW content through the CW App. The partnership also opens new doors for advertisers, promising deeper engagement and broader audience targeting across screens.

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