Primetime cable TV ratings decline at CNN, MSNBC, Fox News after Trump leaves office

PrimeCable news ratings have "plummeted" since President Trump left the White House in January.

In a new report by Variety Magazine, cable news channels CNN, MSNBC and Fox News have had a significant decline in viewership in recent months.

"Audiences for CNN have plummeted," Variety reports.

The declines also coincides with the end of the roughly 18-month presidential election cycle and the congressional impeachment trial and the drop in COVID-19 numbers. 

Variety also reports MSNBC's decline is about half of CNN's drop and the Fox News faired slightly better than it's more liberal-leaning cable rivals, according to The Epoch Times.

The CNN program "Tonight with Don Lemon" appears to have suffered the biggest drop – 33% from Nov. 30 to March 5. Other cable TV news programs also have double-digit declines. CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" dropping 32%, and Chris Cuomo's evening show declined by 29%.

MSNBC faired slightly better, with a rating decline below 20%. "All in With Chris Hayes fell 17%. And Rachel Maddow's program fell by 9%.

At the Fox News Channel, Sean Hannity's show lost 12%, Laura Ingraham's  dropped 9.2% and Tucker Carlson lost 5% of his audience, according to Variety's analysis of primetime cable news programs.