Big Ratings, Huge Resignation | Winners & Losers in Today’s Green Room

Fox News made history in January, becoming the first cable news network to top the charts for 20 years in a row in terms of both total average viewers and in the key 25-54 age demographic.

The month saw Fox dominate its competitors, yet again, as both CNN and MSNBC struggled to recapture Trump-era highs.

Year-over-year, Fox News is up 4% in total viewers and down 7% in the demo for day time programs. While in prime time Fox is down 12% in total viewers and 20% in the demo.

MSNBC ended the month down 60% in total viewers and 75% in the demo for day time programming compared to last year, while during prime time the network is down 56% in total viewers and 73% in the demo.

CNN meanwhile is down 74% in total viewers and 81% in the demo during day time and is down 77% in total viewers and 82% down in the demo during prime time.

“I am immensely proud of this landmark achievement as it is a testament to the dedicated teams across FOX News Channel, who are the backbone in making us number one for 20 consecutive years with the most loyal and politically diverse audience in cable news,” said Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott.

Both CNN and MSNBC had further to fall than Fox as this time last year CNN closed out January as the most-watched network on cable news, with MSNBC a close second.

CNN averaged a remarkable 795,000 prime time demo viewers and 3.1 million total viewers in January 2021 – this month those numbers are down to 140,000 and 633,000, respectively.

While CNN struggled to crack the million viewer mark for any of its shows this past month, Fox aired six programs that exceeded 2 million viewers for the month and had 14 of the top 15 rated shows on cable.

Fox also boasted 91 of the top 100 cable news telecasts, while CNN failed to land a show in the top 100.

With continuing upsets like today’s earth-shattering CNN news, and absenteeism and shake-ups at MSNBC, Fox’s position as #1 seems on solid footing.

In fact, you might be surprised at just how “politically diverse” the viewership really is.

See the month’s total viewers and in-demo numbers here. For Monday’s ratings, check out the numbers here, via Mediaite+.

Jeff Zucker, the longtime head of CNN and news industry titan, announced his resignation in a email to staff on Wednesday.

“As part of the investigation into Chris Cuomo’s tenure at CNN, I was asked about a consensual relationship with my closest colleague, someone have worked with for more than 20 years,” Zucker wrote in an email to staff. “I acknowledged the relationship evolved in recent years. I was required to disclose it when it began but I didn’t. I was wrong.

“As a result, I am resigning today,” he said.

Chris Cuomo, the former CNN anchor who hosted the network’s 9 p.m. hour, was fired by the network late last year over his actions advising his brother, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

While Zucker did not name the colleague with whom he had a relationship in his email, he is referring to Allison Gollust, the chief marketing officer and a senior vice president at CNN.

Gollust acknowledged the relationship in a statement of her own that was reported by CNN.

“Jeff and I have been close friends and professional partners for over 20 years,” she said. “Recently, our relationship changed during COVID. I regret that we didn’t disclose it at the right time. I’m incredibly proud of my time at CNN and look forward to continuing the great work we do everyday.”

Read Zucker’s full memo.

CNN anchors and hosts have expressed their shock at the sudden news, but media observers have been quick to note that the relationship wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret.

Critics, meanwhile, have pointed out that Gollust’s former position with the Cuomo family was already a point of contention and has been the subject of speculation for some time regarding CNN’s handling of Chris Cuomo’s many travails.

There will be, for Zucker, what always happens when someone with stature and power in media is forced to resign or retire: praising and burying of Caesar. What he did wrong will be recalled, the nature of his legacy dissected.

But the news of the day is that the top executive at CNN has had to resign over a relationship exposed in an investigation that was already a black eye for the network. As criteria for media loser goes, it’s an apple, not a banana, and no doubt.