CNN, MSNBC Score Crushing Ratings Victories With Start of Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention was forced into a virtual format this year because of the coronavirus pandemic — but still drew large audiences for the cable news and broadcast networks.

CNN had a big night: Their special coverage, led by Wolf Blitzer, Jake Tapper, Anderson Cooper, Dana Bash, and John King, as well as Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon in the evening, drew 4.839 million total viewers and 1.517 million among adults in the 25-54 demographic for the 10-11 p.m. block. Senator Bernie Sanders and former First Lady Michelle Obama both gave their highly anticipated and much-covered addresses during that hour.

MSNBC also saw an impressive ratings draw, beating CNN in total viewers with an audience of 5.161 million. The network, whose coverage was helmed by Rachel Maddow, Joy Reid and Nicolle Wallace, landed behind CNN in the 25-54 demographic, scoring a nonetheless impressive 1.015 million viewers there. Fox News, whose coverage is co-anchored by Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum, came in third among the cable news channels, getting 2.132 million viewers and approximately 443,000 in the 25-54 demo.

Fox did beat out broadcast network CBS News, whose Norah O’Donnell-led coverage of the DNC convention drew 1.985 million viewers for the night and 425,000 in the 25-54 demographic. However, NBC surpassed Fox with 2.282 million total viewers (676,000 in the 25-54 demo), as did ABC with 2.442 million (650,000 in the 25-54 demo).

Altogether, CNN topped all three of the broadcast networks in total viewers AND and in the key demographics.

Read our full coverage of night one of the Democratic Convention here, and look out for night two this evening.