CNN Doubles Ratings With Cruise Ship Coverage

Net still second to Fox News in primetime

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/15/2013 6:46:23 PM

CNN's wall-to-wall coverage of the Carnival cruise ship Triumph docking in Alabama on Feb. 14 more than doubled the network's average ratings compared to the prior four Thursdays, according to Nielsen data.

In primetime, CNN's coverage by air, land and sea drew 1.02 million total viewers, an increase of 62% and 295,000 adults 25-54, gaining 74% over the prior four weeks.

CNN was still a solid number two to Fox News, which averaged 2.13 million total viewers and 320,000 adults 25-54 in primetime. But the network topped MSNBC, which had 867,000 total viewers and 245,000 viewers in the key demo.

While Fox News and MSNBC broke into programming to cover the cruise's disembarking passengers between 10 p.m. and midnight, CNN was in nearly non-stop coverage all Thursday. Its total day ratings averaged 565,000 total viewers and 175,000 adults 25-54, both up 50% from the prior four-week average.