Upstart Channel NewsNation’s UFO Special Outpaces CNN in Key Demographic

Upstart Channel NewsNation’s UFO Special Outpaces CNN in Key Demographic.
Since launching in 2021, NewsNation has hoped its unapologetically “centrist” tone and focus on general interest stories would eventually help the upstart news channel build a devoted audience. While the network has yet to approach the viewership of the Big Three cable news stalwarts, it has seen its ratings surge the past few months. And on Sunday evening, it actually surpassed CNN in the key advertising demographic for adults aged 25-54. According to Nielsen, the channel’s special We Are Not Alone, a two-hour roundtable discussion on the historic Congressional hearing on UFOs, drew 39,000 demo viewers at 9 p.m. ET, surpassing CNN’s 25-54 audience of 32,000 for its Sunday night airing of See It Loud: The History of Black Television. CNN, still easily beat NewsNation in total viewership with 356,000 to its rival’s 106,000. NewsNation, however, saw its total audience grow 16 percent and demo viewership soar by 105 percent compared to the previous month. In recent weeks, the emergent station has cashed in on public interest in UFOs, seeing double-digit ratings growth across its primetime programming on the topic.

On August 3, 2023 By Kenneth Lane

• Breaking News