Can CNN take a lesson from HBO’s ratings for ‘The Newsroom’?

HBO’s new drama “The Newsroom”got the kind of ratings cable news networks might envy. But unlike CNN, Aaron Sorkin could rely on a little help from vampires.

About 2.1 million viewers tuned in to Sunday’s premiere of Sorkin’s “Newsroom,” which depicts the turmoil at a fictional cable news outlet beset by ratings pressures and staffers’ tumultuous personal lives.

That puts “Newsroom” roughly in line with the 2010 series premiere of the fantasy”Game of Thrones”(2.2 million), which has gone on to become one of HBO’s biggest hits in recent years, according to Nielsen. And it was way ahead of the 2008 premiere of the vampire drama “True Blood,” which delivered just 1.4 million at the outset but is now among HBO’s most-watched shows.

In fact, the blood-suckers gave the hard-bitten journos on “Newsroom” a little extra juice on Sunday. At 9 p.m.,”True Blood”drew 4.7 million, which helped boost the totals for the Sorkin show at 10.

It remains to be seen whether “Newsroom” can keep reporting strong ratings — or whether it will end up like .... CNN, which now ranks last behind Fox News and MSNBC.

What did you think of “Newsroom”?

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Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT