Super Tuesday Superior to 2004 for Cable News Networks

CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC Post 2008 Super Tuesday Ratings that Dwarf Those of 2004

By Marisa Guthrie -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/6/2008 10:34:00 PM

Super Tuesday was a windfall for the cable news networks.

CNN averaged 3.64 million viewers (1.52 million in news’ key demographic of 25- to 54-year-olds) during the primetime hours of 8 p.m.-11 p.m., followed by Fox News Channel with 3.49 million viewers (1.09 million in the demo) and MSNBC with 2.11 million viewers (1.02 million in the demo).

Those numbers far outdistanced what the cable news networks pulled in on Super Tuesday 2004, which took place in March.

From 7 p.m.-2 a.m., CNN averaged 3.16 million viewers (1.4 million of them in news’ target demographic of 25- to 54-year-olds), representing a 295% increase in total viewers and 464% increase in the demo.

Fox News averaged 2.54 million total viewers, 873,000 in the demo, for increases of 161% and 147%, respectively, compared with 2004. And MSNBC pulled in 1.75 million total viewers, 849,000 in the demo, for increases of 458% and 540%, respectively, according to Nielsen Media Research live-plus-same-day numbers.