Tuesday Ratings: CNN’s Debate Gives Anderson Cooper A Boost

by Nando Di Fino | 5:32 pm, November 23rd, 2011

» 17 comments

The good news: CNN’s Tuesday night debate numbers gave the network a clear-cut win over Fox News in both total viewers and among viewers aged 25-54 in the 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. slots. Additionally, Anderson Cooper got a huge boost from the debate as his lead-in, attracting 405,000 demo viewers and toppling FNC’s Greta Van Susteren at 10:00.

The not-so-great news? CNN’s debate ranked just seventh overall among the 10 debates (11 if you count Bloomberg’s) so far in this election cycle. But it did help to create a…

Debate Fun Fact:
The best weeknight to have a debate, as far as demo ratings are concerned, is Wednesday, where the debates pull an average of 1.36 million viewers (The one CBS Saturday night debate attracted 1.52 million). Tuesdays come in second, with an average of 1.35 million, while Thursdays are third (1.327 million), and Mondays are last (1.025 million). Your move, Fridays and Sundays.

Other nuggets from Tuesday:

HLN had another forgettable night, with only two shows (Nancy Grace and Issues) pulling six digits in the demo.

Rachel Maddow again ruled the MSNBC schedule, but Lawrence O’Donnell leaned forward into second place on the network, with 209,000 in the demo.

The lowest-rated show on Tuesday night? Joy Behar‘s, which brought in just 53,000 demo viewers.Average Time Slot Rating:
Fox: 1.43
CNN: 1.86
MSNBC: 2.71
HLN: 4

Tuesday night’s full ratings:

TV NEWS RATINGS: 25-54 DEMOGRAPHIC (L +SD)

5 pm

The5

359

Blitzer

175

Matthews

128

Special

6 pm

Baier

383

King, USA

148

Sharpton

178

Prime

7 pm

Shep

434

Burnett

160

Matthews

176

Issues

107

8 pm

O’Reilly

489

Debate

967

Schultz

160

Grace

118

9 pm

Hannity

338

Debate

1,118

Maddow

246

Dr. Drew

10 pm

Van Susteren

365

Cooper

405

O’Donnell

209

Behar

11 pm

O’Reilly

379

Debate

336

Schultz

176

Showbiz

TOTAL DAY

272

222

128

PRIME TIME

400

829

205

Data by Nielsen Media Research. Live and same day (DVR) data.

TV NEWS RATINGS: TOTAL VIEWERS (L +SD)

5 pm	The5 1,512	Blitzer 648	Matthews 800	Special 196
6 pm	Baier 1,933	King, USA 479	Sharpton 771	Prime 269
7 pm	Shep 1,596	Burnett 592	Matthews 762	Issues 400
8 pm	O’Reilly 2,392	Debate 3,443	Schultz 772	Grace 455
9 pm	Hannity 1,332	Debate 3,764	Maddow 853	DrDrew 299
10 pm	Greta 1,298	Cooper 1,427	O’Donnell 723	Behar 166
11 pm	O’Reilly 1,227	Debate 823	Schultz 581	Showbiz 183
TOTAL DAY	1,088	734	463	216
PRIME TIME	1,678	2,876	783	300
Data by Nielsen Media Research. Live and same day (DVR) data

(Image credit: Damian Dovarganes)

CNN, debate, fox news, HLN, msnbc, Ratings

Norbit

So the only time CNN wins is when FOX viewers show up.
Is that about the story?
Tony

Cooper crushed Hannity and Greta. It’s rare but clearly some conservatives can’t stand it when it happens.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VK7U6RFTAUIPW2JR2NGPBP2IYA super

yes he crushed them. yep and then the next day without the debate what was the ratings?
Oh was cooper even on the air that day? or was it just post debate coverage called AC360 ;)
RACE BAITING@6 RESIST WE MUCH!

RACE PIMP @ 8 !!………ITS COMING
Anonymous

You are one stupid man.
Anonymous

What? CNN is still on?
Anonymous

Bahah, who is watching this guy? I pity the people who watch this show for serious commentary
Tony

Yes and they crushed Fox News.
Anonymous

You be one stupid man!
AliveStillkickin

Really funny that the “other” networks need to have GOP personalities to rescue their shows from the dumpster.
Obama comes on and the ratings go down..even lower than the norm….ROFLMAO!!
He is gonna’ get his ass kicked so bad in 2012
Kid Dynamite

Anderson would never top Greta Van Sustern. Sean Hannity, yes; Van Sustern, no.
Anonymous

He is still a lying POS.
John MacDonald

I typify the ratings phenomenon as one who seldom watches CNN, but did watch the debate. I also taped the FNC shows at the same time.

On the other hand I NEVER watch MSNBC (that pathetic joke posing as a news source), but would even watch them if the next president were on. Incidentally, I have been a registered Democrat (in Rumford, Me.) since 1966, but I am totally disgusted with the gross incompetence of the Obama Administration.

Finally, if you are not already a regular viewer of Fox News, I highly recommend it, especially if you are stumbling in the darkness of MSNBC. You would learn a lot–like the truth!
Anonymous

I’ve yet to hear Sean Hannity say one sentence that a person could really believe. Don’t tell me about FOX. I’ve seen their “edited videos” which distort the truth. It is time they reach out to someone to do some good FACT checking for them.
Anonymous

And I bet you felt a thrill go up your leg . . .

Sometimes “Victories” are little more that the passing of some gas in the wind.
Anonymous

Once. With the help of Conservatives. Who were @ CNN to hear a Conservative Debate.

Liberals: sound out the big words or ask for help.
Anonymous

You’ve been watching to much CNN.