CNN is noting its February ratings data…

CNN, HLN Post Highest Total Day and Prime Gains in the Demo, Growing Faster Than MSNBC and FNC in February

For the Third Time in Six Months, HLN Beats FNC in P25-54 Cume and Consistently Tops MSNBC in P2+ Cume

CNN and HLN outpace the cable news competition with the most growth in the advertiser demo this month. All CNN programs post double digit growth in the demo. CNN’s total day gain of 47% doubles the growth of FNC and MSNBC in P25-54. In M-Su Prime, CNN and HLN again post greater growth than FNC and MSNBC with HLN topping the competition with a 39% increase over prior year—the highest gain of any network.

CNN shows The Situation Room and Lou Dobbs Tonight benefited from exclusive interviews and hard-hitting news. The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer posted double digit gains in the P25-54 demo, more than double the growth of FNC or MSNBC at 5p or 7p. Lou Dobbs Tonight posted a 54% gain in the demo and 27% in total viewers, while MSNBC and FNC were down or unable to grow their audiences as much during that hour in the demo.

Several Headline News programs scored their best deliveries to date including Showbiz Tonight, which posted triple digit gains (128% in P2+ and 132% in P25-54), the most of any cable news show. At 6p, Prime News with Erica Hill also had a record-breaking month with triple digit gains in both demos (120% in P2+ and 110% in P25-54). Up against MSNBC’s 10-12M Doc Block, Headline News was on top among both total viewers and the demo (406k vs. 344K) and (198k vs. 163k), making the month of February a complete success story for the network.

Headline News’ Glenn Beck, the fastest growing show on cable in 2006, continued to grow with impressive gains in all demos, up 98% in P2+ and 96% in P25-54. Other signature HLN programs continued the trend with double digit gains in the demo across the board. Nancy Grace posted 45% growth in P25-54 at 8p and 43% growth at 10p.

Reach

For the third time in 6 months HLN topped FNC in P25-54 CUME (HLN bested FNC in September and December 2006). CNN continued to reign in the largest cumulative audience in cable news in both total viewers and the demo. [P2+ Cume: CNN: 63,699,000; FNC: 56,256,000; HLN: 53,594,000; MSNBC: 50,219,000 P25-54 CNN: 29,226,000; HLN: 26,283,000; FNC: 24,313,000; MSNBC: 24,814,000]

CNN Gains

3p CNN Newsroom up 52% in P25-54
4p The Situation Room up 43% in P25-54
5p The Situation Room up 56% in P25-54
7p The Situation Room up 37% in P25-54
6p Lou Dobbs Tonight up 54% in P25-54
8p Paula Zahn Now up 25% in P25-54
9p Larry King Live up 48% in P25-54
10-12M Anderson Cooper 360 up 33% in P25-54

HLN Gains

4p HLN News up 73% in P25-54
5p HLN News up 53% in P25-54
6p Prime News up 110% in P25-54
7p Glenn Beck up 96% in P25-54
8p Nancy Grace up 45% in P25-54
11p Showbiz Tonight up 132% in P25-54
10-12M HLN Block up 78% in P25-54