CNN failed to land a single program in the top 25 most-watched weekday news shows
It’s been a brutal month for CNN.
According to the latest Nielsen data for April 2025, CNN failed to land a single program in the top 25 most-watched weekday news shows. Meanwhile, Fox News didn’t just lead the pack—it swept it, claiming 13 of the top 14 spots and outpacing its competition by staggering margins.
Fox News’s “The Five” once again held the crown, averaging over 4 million viewers and nearly 3,000,000 in the key household demographic. “Jesse Watters Primetime,” “Gutfeld!,” and “Special Report with Bret Baier” weren’t far behind, each drawing well above 2 million viewers and solidifying Fox’s grip on cable news dominance.
MSNBC at least made a showing, placing several programs in the lower half of the top 25—led by “The Rachel Maddow Show” at number eight, and “Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” at number 15. But it was a different story for CNN: a complete shutout. Not a single CNN program cracked the list.
via Clay Travis on X
Fox’s grip on viewers spans every primetime slot and many midday blocks, with programs like “Hannity,” “Ingraham Angle,” and “The Will Cain Show” pulling audiences ranging from 2.2 to 2.9 million. Even Fox’s early morning show, “Fox & Friends,” landed in the top 15 with over 1.4 million viewers.
“Outnumbered,” “America’s Newsroom,” and “The Faulkner Focus” also made strong showings, showing that their dominance isn’t just primetime—it’s wall-to-wall.
CNN’s viewership slide has been steep in recent months, with critics pointing to lackluster programming and an identity crisis as the network attempts to appeal to multiple audience segments at once—pleasing none in the process.
In August 2023, Mark Thompson — the former BBC Director-General and New York Times CEO — took over as CNN’s chief executive, replacing Chris Licht. Thompson’s leadership has ushered in sweeping changes across the network, including major layoffs and an aggressive shift toward digital expansion. Among his initiatives: introducing a paywall on CNN.com and ramping up the company’s streaming efforts. While these moves are aimed at keeping pace with evolving media habits, they have also created controversy over CNN’s future identity and commitment to traditional journalism.
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New York State to Establish ‘Bell-to-Bell’ School Cellphone Ban
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) called for a “bell-to-bell” school cellphone ban in her state budget deal, joining a national movement seeking to rein in the easily distracted, social media-obsessed youth of today.
A “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban means students would be prohibited from using their cellphones during the entire school day, from the time the first bell rings in the morning to the final bell of the day, when it is time to go home.
Gov. Hochul said a $254 billion state budget deal — which includes the “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban in schools — has been reached, according to a report by CBS News.
The New York governor reportedly said the distraction-free policy, set to go into effect next school year, will help protect kids from addictive technology, and improve their mental health.
“Protecting our communities requires more than streets where people feel safe,” Hochul said. “We need classrooms where young minds can flourish, and that means eliminating once and for all the digital distractions that steal our kids’ attention.”
“We protected our kids before from cigarettes, alcohol and drunk driving, and now, we’re protecting them from addictive technology designed to hijack their attention,” the governor added.
The New York State United Teachers union reportedly expressed their support for the “bell-to-bell” school cellphone ban, saying, “We are at a crisis point.”
In January, Hochul told CBS News, “A bell-to-bell ban, morning until the day is over, is not going to hurt your kids. It’s going to help them emerge with stronger mental health and resiliency.”
The governor also explained that cellphone ban would include smartphones and other personal “smart” devices — like smartwatches — and would also be implemented during lunch and study hall periods, not just classroom time.
Exemptions to the ban could be made students need to use a smart device to manage a medical condition or to translate words, Hochul noted.
The policy would also require schools to be sure parents can get in touch with their child during the day, if needed — which shouldn’t be too difficult a feat, as parents used to simply the call the school in the days before cellphones.
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