Growing political interest powers CNN gains among key viewers

Speaking of debates:

Powered by a mounting national interest in the presidential races, CNN scored a rare ratings win over top-ranked Fox News in February among the key viewer democraphics of 25- to 54-year-old viewers during prime time for the first time in six years.

CNN drew an average of 614,000 viewers in that age group, a spike of 150% over February 2007, while Fox News earned 454,000 viewers, up 10%, according to Nielsen Media Research. MSNBC placed third with 326,000 viewers, an increase of 71%.

Fox News, however, still won a larger overall audience this month, with 1.87 million viewers in prime time, making it the third-most watched among all basic cable networks. CNN had 1.66 million and MSNBC drew 771,000.

The big audience gains for CNN were largely due to primary night specials and the three widely-watched debates the network hosted this month, including last week’s Democratic forum in Texas, which garnered more than 7.5 million viewers.

-- Matea Gold

Comments

[Francis Magno]

CNN GAINS OBAMA'S FANATICS GAINS RATING

I am an avid fan of CNN;its been 15 years that I amhooked with cnn news. But, your slanted coverage of presidential candidates inclined to favor Barack Obama
have forced me to shut off my cnn channel. I am not tuning to cnn anymore. I am an independednt, and I will vote McCain. I can not entrust the presidential attache case with nuclear codes and buttons in case of nuclear threat from a novice like Barack Obama. Morseo, if the threat comes from terrorists-jihadists muslim countires in Somalia, Kenya, and Iran.

Furthermore, cnn as one of the pillars of the fouth estate
should be fair and balamced. Common, why not dissect his life, works, and philosophy, since he was a child, high school, college, baptism, birth certificate, and works in chicago neighborhood while boozing. You did this to Hillary too. Be fair.

[Francis Magno]

CNN GAINS OBAMA'S FANATICS GAINS RATING

I am an avid fan of CNN;its been 15 years that I amhooked with cnn news. But, your slanted coverage of presidential candidates inclined to favor Barack Obama
have forced me to shut off my cnn channel. I am not tuning to cnn anymore. I am an independednt, and I will vote McCain. I can not entrust the presidential attache case with nuclear codes and buttons in case of nuclear threat from a novice like Barack Obama. Morseo, if the threat comes from terrorists-jihadists muslim countires in Somalia, Kenya, and Iran.

Furthermore, cnn as one of the pillars of the fouth estate
should be fair and balamced. Common, why not dissect his life, works, and philosophy, since he was a child, high school, college, baptism, birth certificate, and works in chicago neighborhood while boozing. You did this to Hillary too. Be fair.

[vicki almeter]

I could not agree more with what Francis Magno says ...you have been one sided in the Democratic primaries favoring Obama. While you can find every sort of fault with Senator Clinton over big issues as well as the most petty things...you are incapable of asking Senator Obama a tough question as well as asking him to elaborate when he doesn't AND then report what his campagin managers spewed about him.

Tim Russett finally got tough a little with him during the Ohio debate, but oh my goodness Tim was more excited about congratulating himself after the debate about how he purposely tricked Hillary into answering a question first. I have got to tell you...this is the behavior of a high schooler who finally tricks his English teacher into inserting a comma where it doesn't belong and can't wait to get to the playground to make a name for himself. I was embarrassed watching Tim gush all over himself after the debate. Just play it back and watch it. Today he still doesn't realize the joke is on him.

Hillary did exactly what she set out to do...she reminded every hardworking, intelligent woman in America who
gets the job done that there are those who will be unfair to her simply because she is a woman. The moment Hillary said, "I notice I always get the first question" I iinstantaneously knew what she meant.