CNN Loses Out To the Food Network

CNN is continuing its downward slump in the ratings, as it was overtaken by the Food Network and History Channel last week.

The Daily Mail US reports the cable news network struggled to gain momentum despite a busy news cycle that comprised the point-blank assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the ensuing manhunt for his killer, news related to President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks and a rebel group gaining ground in Syria.

Its primetime shows, Anderson Cooper 360, The Source with Kaitlan Collins and CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip only averaged 367,000 viewers for the week, Fox News reports.

By comparison, Fox News Channel averaged 2.5million total primetime viewers. 

CNN's audience was also smaller than TNT, Food Network, Discovery, Hallmark Mysteries, TLC, TBS, History, HGTV, USA, MSNBC, the Hallmark Channel and ESPN.

The network fared even worse among the 25 to 54-year-old demographic, which advertisers weigh heavily. It received a measly 67,000 viewers in the category, finishing behind networks like TV Land, MTV and Comedy Central.

The statistics spell trouble for the legacy network, which has been on a downward spiral since its presidential election coverage.

It then suffered its lowest-rated week among total viewers since June 2001 during the week of November 25, with only an average of 268,000 viewers. The dismal numbers set off infighting among the network's stars as they try to figure out who is to blame for CNN's failure.

Former producer Carper Dulmage, who now works for KABC in Los Angeles, even quipped 'CNN is no longer significant,' as critics on both sides of the political spectrum claim that the channel caters to the other.

Meanwhile, Puck reports Fox News continues to thrive in the post-election season. The latest data point: The Five, the network’s most popular show, has averaged more than 4 million viewers every single day since November 6. That is nearly 4x the current average audience for MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and 10x the current average audience for CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.