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

Declines also coincide with end of the presidential election cycle, decline in COVID numbers, congressional impeachment

Published: March 15, 2021 7:41am

Updated: March 15, 2021 5:08pm

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.