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CNN slides to worst ratings since Jeff Zucker took over

Since Jeff Zucker's takeover, CNN has seen decreased ratings.
(Pierre Verdy / AFP/Getty Images)
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When he was tapped to run CNN a year ago, Jeff Zucker was supposed to help lift ratings at the 24-hour cable news network.

Whoops.

CNN last week plunged to its worst numbers since August 2012, months before Zucker, a former NBC boss, was brought aboard to right the ship.

How bad was it? CNN last week was a distant No. 3 (385,000) in prime time behind MSNBC (683,000) and Fox News (2.4 million).

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But here’s the worst part: CNN’s total audience barely beat Fox News’ viewership just in the demographic of viewers aged 25 to 54 (377,000). That shows, maybe more than any other metric, how much of an underdog CNN has become.

Among the big stories last week was Friday’s TSA shooting at LAX. On Friday afternoon, as the news was breaking, Fox News was beating CNN in total viewers by a nearly 2-to-1 ratio.

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Zucker has tried to shake up CNN by, among other things, bringing back “Crossfire” and offering a show to travel personality Anthony Bourdain. But the moves don’t seem to be working.

What do you think of CNN? Do you still watch?

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