As viewership plummets, anxieties grow at CNN; staff worry what's next

Pretty recently, Senator Dick Durbin humorously highlighted regarding the declining viewership of CNN while he was discussing about the congressional pay raises, reported The Washington Post.

CNN Viewership decline

According to The Washington Post, CNN has experienced a dramatic 45% drop in prime time viewership since the month of November specifically following the November 5 US Presidential election while averaging only 394,000 viewers which actually marked its worst performance in key demographics.

This current trend eventually reflects a broader decline in the television viewership as audiences shift towards streaming services and social media platforms. At the same time, MSNBC has similarly lost huge amount of viewers with its audience down pretty significantly post US Presidential election, asserted The Washington Post.

CNN Subscription model and CNN Layoffs

In spite of these ongoing challenges, CNN now claims to be the fourth most watched cable network overall with a digital strategy which is aimed at increasing the online subscriptions. The network also launched a paywall in the month of October at $3.99 per month but has not disclosed the subscriber numbers, noted The Washington Post.

Eminent critics within the CNN suggest that recent programming choices which include a town hall with US President- elect Donald Trump might have actually alienated potential viewers. In such tough times, CNN is also facing potential layoffs while contributing to low morale among staff as they navigate these extremely turbulent times.

FAQs:

What is the percentage of viewership drop at the CNN during last years?

CNN has experienced a dramatic 45% drop in prime time viewership since the month of November specifically following the November 5 US Presidential election while averaging only 394,000 viewers which actually marked its worst performance in key demographics.

What is the cost of the recently launched paywall by CNN for online subscriptions?

CNN launched a paywall in the month of October at $3.99 per month but has not disclosed the subscriber numbers.