Jim Acosta Tops Most CNN Prime Time Programming With Strong Weekend Numbers

Alex GriffingJun 14th, 2022, 1:26 pm
 

CNN anchor Jim Acosta’s weekend show is drawing impressive ratings for the network — often beating out CNN’s weekday prime time lineup, an impressive feat in cable news.

Acosta brought in 754,000 total viewers at 5 p.m. on Saturday and scored a rare win over Fox News in the key 25-54 age demographic in the 4 p.m. hour.

The second highest-rated program on CNN last week, not including those boosted by the prime time Jan. 6 hearings on Thursday, was Anderson Cooper on Monday with 674,000 total viewers. Acosta beating the network’s prime time lineup with a midday show on Saturday is a very rare feat in cable news.

While Fox News’ lineup of programming still significantly outpaced CNN and MSNBC in terms of both total viewers and in the demo, Acosta’s numbers are notable as he regularly lands programs at the top end of the network’s ratings.

Last Saturday, Acosta’s top-rated hour brought in 686,000 total viewers, and the previous Saturday he brought in 663,000.

This past Sunday, Acosta beat all of CNN’s regular lineup, but fell just short of the 9 p.m. hour, which ran special programming looking back at the Watergate scandal of the 1970s.

On Saturday, Acosta’s 4 p.m. hour brought in 141,000 demo viewers, which topped Fox News Live at the same time. Fox News Live brought in 130,000 demo viewers at 4 p.m. to land in second place, while MSNBC’s Symone Sanders brought in a dismal 30,000 demo viewers.

While Fox News swept the rest of the time slots in the demo, MSNBC struggled mightily to bring in a demo audience, with the network reaching only 49,000 demo viewers during its top hour.

Here is a full breakdown of Saturday’s cable news ratings by show:

Total Viewers (thousands)

ET FNC CNN MSNBC NEWSMAX NEWSNATION
6a FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY:
872		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
281		 ZERLINA – THE CHOICE:
235		 VIETNAM WAR: TACTICS OF W:
17		 —
7a FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY:
1196		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
306		 KATIE PHANG SHOW:
345		 WAKE UP AMERICA WEEKEND:
58		 —
8a FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY:
1563		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
394		 VELSHI:
563		 — —
9a FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY:
1651		 SMERCONISH:
582		 — SATURDAY REPORT:
102		 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
52
10a CAVUTO LIVE:
1383		 CNN NEWSROOM:
514		 CROSS CONNECTION W/TCROSS: 528 — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
108
11a CAVUTO LIVE:
1170		 CNN NEWSROOM:
560		 — AMERICA RIGHT NOW:
117		 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
180
12p FOX NEWS LIVE:
1112		 CNN NEWSROOM:
540		 ALEX WITT REPORTS:
539		 — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
219
1p FOX NEWS LIVE:
1068		 CNN NEWSROOM:
532		 — SATURDAY AGENDA:
105		 LAST MAN STANDING:
92
2p FOX NEWS LIVE:
1008		 CNN NEWSROOM:
501		 — — LAST MAN STANDING:
117
3p JOURNAL EDITORIAL REPORT:
930		 CNN NEWSROOM:
608		 YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN REPRTS:
488		 GREG KELLY THIS WEEK:
95		 LAST MAN STANDING:
118
4p FOX NEWS LIVE:
894		 CNN NEWSROOM:
706		 SYMONE:
425		 AMERICAN MEDICINE TODAY:
66		 LAST MAN STANDING:
173
5p BIG SATURDAY SHOW, THE:
1046		 CNN NEWSROOM:
754		 POLITICS NATION:
415		 COUNT; THE:
97		 LAST MAN STANDING:
147
6p FOX REPORT WITH JON SCOTT:
1016		 CNN NEWSROOM:
521		 AMERCAN VOICES W/MENENDEZ: 381 — LAST MAN STANDING:
141
7p GUTFELD!:
964		 CNN NEWSROOM:
496		 AYMAN:
503		 MARK KAYE SHOW, THE:
136		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
97
8p ONE NATION:
1160		 CNN NEWSROOM:
507		 AYMAN:
559		 ROB CARSONS WHAT IN THE:
130		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
57
9p UNFILTERED W/DAN BONGINO:
1438		 WATERGATE:
436		 — BENNY REPORT; THE:
79		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
51
10p L. JONES CROSS COUNTRY:
1220		 WATERGATE:
528		 AYMAN:
478		 WISE GUYS WITH JOHN TABAC:
63		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
45
11p ONE NATION:
875		 SEVENTIES:
364		 AYMAN:
418		 STAND UP TRUMP: MAKING AM:
65		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
27

25-54 Demo (thousands)

ET FNC CNN MSNBC NEWSMAX NEWSNATION
6a FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY:
159		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
26		 ZERLINA – THE CHOICE:
38		 VIETNAM WAR: TACTICS OF W:
1		 —
7a FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY:
210		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
36		 KATIE PHANG SHOW:
39		 WAKE UP AMERICA WEEKEND:
2		 —
8a FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY:
269		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
63		 VELSHI:
64		 — —
9a FOX & FRIENDS SATURDAY:
280		 SMERCONISH:
77		 — SATURDAY REPORT:
8		 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
20
10a CAVUTO LIVE:
184		 CNN NEWSROOM:
96		 CROSS CONNECTION W/TCROSS: 45 — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
28
11a CAVUTO LIVE:
145		 CNN NEWSROOM:
114		 — AMERICA RIGHT NOW:
7		 IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
52
12p FOX NEWS LIVE:
161		 CNN NEWSROOM:
102		 ALEX WITT REPORTS:
46		 — IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT:
53
1p FOX NEWS LIVE:
202		 CNN NEWSROOM:
106		 — SATURDAY AGENDA:
16		 LAST MAN STANDING:
20
2p FOX NEWS LIVE:
173		 CNN NEWSROOM:
97		 — — LAST MAN STANDING:
30
3p JOURNAL EDITORIAL REPORT:
148		 CNN NEWSROOM:
119		 YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN REPRTS:
44		 GREG KELLY THIS WEEK:
6		 LAST MAN STANDING:
27
4p FOX NEWS LIVE:
130		 CNN NEWSROOM:
141		 SYMONE:
30		 AMERICAN MEDICINE TODAY:
5		 LAST MAN STANDING:
52
5p BIG SATURDAY SHOW, THE:
188		 CNN NEWSROOM:
144		 POLITICS NATION:
24		 COUNT; THE:
9		 LAST MAN STANDING:
44
6p FOX REPORT WITH JON SCOTT:
159		 CNN NEWSROOM:
111		 AMERCAN VOICES W/MENENDEZ: 21 — LAST MAN STANDING:
54
7p GUTFELD!:
114		 CNN NEWSROOM:
115		 AYMAN:
33		 MARK KAYE SHOW, THE:
21		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
21
8p ONE NATION:
134		 CNN NEWSROOM:
102		 AYMAN:
39		 ROB CARSONS WHAT IN THE:
4		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
8
9p UNFILTERED W/DAN BONGINO:
219		 WATERGATE:
109		 — BENNY REPORT; THE:
7		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
5
10p L. JONES CROSS COUNTRY:
180		 WATERGATE:
100		 AYMAN:
46		 WISE GUYS WITH JOHN TABAC:
5		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
8
11p ONE NATION:
120		 SEVENTIES:
69		 AYMAN:
49		 STAND UP TRUMP: MAKING AM:
6		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
1

Here is a full breakdown of Sunday’s cable news ratings by show:

Total Viewers (thousands)

ET FNC CNN MSNBC NEWSMAX NEWSNATION
6a FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY:
821		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
340		 AYMAN:
237		 ALLEN JACKSON:
8		 —
7a FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY:
997		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
315		 KATIE PHANG SHOW:
297		 WAKE UP AMERICA WEEKEND:
81		 —
8a FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY:
1429		 INSIDE POLITICS:
384		 KATIE PHANG SHOW:
380		 — —
9a FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY:
1500		 STATE OF THE UNION:
528		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
439		 — LAST MAN STANDING:
20
10a SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES:
1769		 FAREED ZAKARIA: GPS:
663		 SUNDAY SHOW W/J. CAPEHART:
468		 NEW TO THE STREET:
46		 LAST MAN STANDING:
38
11a MEDIA BUZZ:
1445		 RELIABLE SOURCES:
580		 — BENNY REPORT; THE:
57		 LAST MAN STANDING:
101
12p FOX NEWS LIVE:
1174		 STATE OF THE UNION:
579		 ALEX WITT REPORTS:
533		 HUCKABEE:
59		 LAST MAN STANDING:
141
1p FOX NEWS LIVE:
1115		 FAREED ZAKARIA: GPS:
462		 — DICK MORRIS DEMOCRACY:
74		 LAST MAN STANDING:
135
2p FOX NEWS SUNDAY:
991		 CNN NEWSROOM:
391		 — ROB CARSONS WHAT IN THE:
55		 LAST MAN STANDING:
120
3p SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES:
866		 CNN NEWSROOM:
396		 YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN REPRTS:
498		 WISE GUYS WITH JOHN TABAC:
79		 LAST MAN STANDING:
116
4p FOX NEWS LIVE:
709		 CNN NEWSROOM:
524		 SYMONE:
430		 TRUMP AND ME: A CONVERSAT:
128		 LAST MAN STANDING:
152
5p BIG SUNDAY SHOW, THE:
925		 CNN NEWSROOM:
591		 POLITICS NATION:
443		 GREG KELLY THIS WEEK:
85		 LAST MAN STANDING:
142
6p FOX REPORT WITH JON SCOTT:
1015		 CNN NEWSROOM:
412		 AMERCAN VOICES W/MENENDEZ: 357 STINCHFIELD REPORT:
104		 LAST MAN STANDING:
157
7p SUNDAY NIGHT IN AMERICA.:
1359		 CNN NEWSROOM:
372		 — GORKA REALITY CHECK; THE:
120		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
96
8p LIFE, LIBERTY AND LEVIN:
1675		 CNN SPECIAL REPORT:
675		 MEHDI HASAN SHOW:
397		 JACK THE RIPPER: LONDON?S:
68		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
71
9p NEXT REVOLUTION, THE:
1377		 WATERGATE:
780		 AYMAN:
495		 — NEWSNATION PRIME:
39
10p MISEDUCATION OF AMERICA:
1018		 WATERGATE:
748		 DEVILS ADVOCATE:
232		 GORKA REALITY CHECK; THE:
75		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
28
11p LIFE, LIBERTY AND LEVIN:
759		 CNN SPECIAL REPORT:
363		 DEVILS ADVOCATE:
150		 PLOT AGAINST THE PRESIDEN:
90		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
25

25-54 Demo (thousands)

ET FNC CNN MSNBC NEWSMAX NEWSNATION
6a FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY:
88		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
47		 AYMAN:
40		 ALLEN JACKSON:
0		 —
7a FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY:
170		 NEW DAY WEEKEND:
38		 KATIE PHANG SHOW:
33		 WAKE UP AMERICA WEEKEND:
6		 —
8a FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY:
237		 INSIDE POLITICS:
49		 KATIE PHANG SHOW:
37		 — —
9a FOX & FRIENDS SUNDAY:
226		 STATE OF THE UNION:
100		 MSNBC REPORTS- LIVE:
51		 — LAST MAN STANDING:
0
10a SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES:
222		 FAREED ZAKARIA: GPS:
97		 SUNDAY SHOW W/J. CAPEHART:
37		 NEW TO THE STREET:
11		 LAST MAN STANDING:
11
11a MEDIA BUZZ:
189		 RELIABLE SOURCES:
73		 — BENNY REPORT; THE:
15		 LAST MAN STANDING:
22
12p FOX NEWS LIVE:
189		 STATE OF THE UNION:
73		 ALEX WITT REPORTS:
40		 HUCKABEE:
13		 LAST MAN STANDING:
37
1p FOX NEWS LIVE:
186		 FAREED ZAKARIA: GPS:
67		 — DICK MORRIS DEMOCRACY:
19		 LAST MAN STANDING:
18
2p FOX NEWS SUNDAY:
175		 CNN NEWSROOM:
71		 — ROB CARSONS WHAT IN THE:
7		 LAST MAN STANDING:
34
3p SUNDAY MORNING FUTURES:
163		 CNN NEWSROOM:
80		 YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN REPRTS:
38		 WISE GUYS WITH JOHN TABAC:
6		 LAST MAN STANDING:
24
4p FOX NEWS LIVE:
94		 CNN NEWSROOM:
98		 SYMONE:
31		 TRUMP AND ME: A CONVERSAT:
21		 LAST MAN STANDING:
33
5p BIG SUNDAY SHOW, THE:
100		 CNN NEWSROOM:
87		 POLITICS NATION:
28		 GREG KELLY THIS WEEK:
20		 LAST MAN STANDING:
25
6p FOX REPORT WITH JON SCOTT:
139		 CNN NEWSROOM:
55		 AMERCAN VOICES W/MENENDEZ: 34 STINCHFIELD REPORT:
16		 LAST MAN STANDING:
16
7p SUNDAY NIGHT IN AMERICA.:
189		 CNN NEWSROOM:
73		 — GORKA REALITY CHECK; THE:
18		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
23
8p LIFE, LIBERTY AND LEVIN:
215		 CNN SPECIAL REPORT:
148		 MEHDI HASAN SHOW:
42		 JACK THE RIPPER: LONDON?S:
13		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
15
9p NEXT REVOLUTION, THE:
161		 WATERGATE:
151		 AYMAN:
40		 — NEWSNATION PRIME:
8
10p MISEDUCATION OF AMERICA:
153		 WATERGATE:
110		 DEVILS ADVOCATE:
19		 GORKA REALITY CHECK; THE:
11		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
4
11p LIFE, LIBERTY AND LEVIN:
113		 CNN SPECIAL REPORT:
95		 DEVILS ADVOCATE:
17		 PLOT AGAINST THE PRESIDEN:
16		 NEWSNATION PRIME:
3

For more ratings information and analysis go to ShowBuzz Daily.

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Alex Griffing - Senior Editor

Alex Griffing is a Senior Editor at Mediaite. Send tips via email: alexanderg@mediaite.com. Follow him on Twitter: @alexgriffing